Departure
93%
vs 95% ▼ 2
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Oerlinghausen Airfield (EDLO) is a gliding centre in the Teutoburger Wald near Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, and one of the busiest gliding sites in the world with around 25,000 glider launches a year. It also welcomes powered aeroplanes, microlights and hot air balloons, though prior permission is required for most powered traffic. For a simulator pilot it offers a classic German gliding-field experience, with a grass runway shared by tugs and gliders alongside a shorter hard-surface strip.
Oerlinghausen Airfield, known locally as the Oerlinghausen Segelflugplatz, is a small but very active airfield in the town of Oerlinghausen, close to Bielefeld in North Rhine-Westphalia. Operated by the Flugplatzgemeinschaft e.V. Oerlinghausen, it is home to over ten gliding clubs and a gliding school, and with roughly 25,000 glider take-offs annually it ranks among the largest gliding centres anywhere, comparable in scale to Lasham Gliding Society in the United Kingdom. Alongside the gliding operation the field also accommodates powered aeroplanes, microlights, helicopters and hot air balloons, making it an interesting and characterful destination for a VFR visit in the simulator.
The airfield sits in the Teutoburger Wald, within the town of Oerlinghausen and close to Bielefeld in North Rhine-Westphalia. An AFIS-type frequency for Langen Information is published for the area, and the field itself has its own dedicated radio frequencies for powered traffic and glider operations, reflecting its status as a priority gliding airfield.
The airfield has two physical runways. Runway 04R/22L is a 3,756 ft grass surface, lit, and is the main strip used for glider and tow operations. Runway 04/22 is a shorter hard-surfaced runway, lit, with a length of 1,949 ft in the 04 direction and 2,344 ft in the 22 direction. There is no ILS at Oerlinghausen.
Powered traffic can call Oerlinghausen Radio on 136.41 MHz, while glider operations use Oerlinghausen Segelflug on 128.36 MHz as the common frequency. Langen Information provides an AFIS-type service on 129.875 MHz for the wider area. No instrument approaches or navaids are published for the field.
Oerlinghausen is designated a priority airfield for gliding, and powered traffic should expect glider operations to take precedence in the circuit and overhead the field. Approved powered aircraft are limited to a maximum of 2,500 kg, and any powered aircraft beyond gliders, helicopters, balloons, airships and light sport aircraft requires additional permission from the aerodrome operator. Prior permission is required (PPR) before flying in.
The airfield lies within the town of Oerlinghausen in the Teutoburger Wald, a wooded upland area that provides a distinctive landmark for pilots approaching from the Bielefeld direction; no specific published visual reference points are noted beyond the town and surrounding forest itself.
Oerlinghausen has been a hub for aviation enthusiasts since 1952, when the airfield was established as a base for gliding in the East Westphalia-Lippe region. It is operated by the Flugplatzgemeinschaft e.V. Oerlinghausen, an association bringing together twelve non-profit aviation clubs from towns including Oerlinghausen, Bielefeld, Detmold, Herford, Gütersloh, Bad Salzuflen, Beckum-Oelde-Ahlen, Rheda-Wiedenbrück and Halle/Westphalia. The field holds special official status in North Rhine-Westphalia as a priority airfield for gliding and is recognised as a state-level gliding performance centre.
The airfield covers around 650,000 square metres of grounds, of which some 80,000 square metres are used for active flying operations, hosting over ten gliding clubs and a gliding school alongside powered aeroplane, microlight, helicopter and balloon activity. It remains a popular destination for day visitors who come to watch take-offs and landings, eat at the on-site restaurant, or take a scenic flight. Prior permission (PPR) is required for visiting powered aircraft, and approved powered traffic is limited to 2,500 kg unless separately authorised by the aerodrome operator.
