Departure
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MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Cairo International Airport (HECA) is Egypt's principal gateway, located in the Heliopolis district some 15 kilometres northeast of the city centre. It is a major hub for EgyptAir and other national carriers, offering three long, ILS-equipped runways that make it a straightforward and well-equipped destination for airline-style operations in the simulator.
Cairo International Airport, ICAO code HECA, is the largest and busiest airport in Egypt and serves as the primary hub for EgyptAir, with Nile Air and other regional carriers also based there. It sits in the Heliopolis area on the northeastern edge of Cairo, and for the simulator pilot it offers a genuine big-airport experience: three parallel, full-length hard runways, a complete ILS suite and a busy multi-terminal apron that reflects its role as the leading civil aviation hub for both Egypt and the wider region.
The airport lies in Cairo Governorate, in the Heliopolis district roughly fifteen kilometres from central Cairo, at coordinates 30.1114N 31.4139E. As Egypt's principal international gateway it sits within controlled airspace commensurate with a major hub, served by its own approach and tower frequencies described below.
Cairo International has three parallel physical runways, all hard-surfaced, lit and equipped with ILS. The northern pair, 05C/23C, is the longest at 13,300 ft. Alongside it, 05R/23L measures 13,108 ft. The third runway, 05L/23R, is shorter, with a published length of 11,010 ft from the 05L threshold and 10,789 ft from the 23R threshold. Field elevation is 341 ft.
Cairo Tower operates on 118.1 MHz, with Cairo Approach on 119.05 MHz and Cairo Ground on 121.9 MHz. ATIS is broadcast on 122.6 MHz. A miscellaneous frequency of 126.2 MHz is also listed, along with VOLMET services on 120.1 MHz and 124.6 MHz. Cairo Radio provides a preflight service on 11.3 MHz. All three runways are ILS-equipped, supporting instrument approaches appropriate to a major international airport.
During the Second World War the airfield formed part of Allied transport routes linking onward to bases such as RAF Habbaniya in Iraq, Lydda in British Palestine, and Jeddah, with a further leg to Roberts Field in Liberia, and later extending to Athens and destinations in Europe once the war ended. When American forces withdrew at the close of the war, Egypt's Civil Aviation Authority took over the facility and began developing it for international civil use, setting it on the path to becoming the country's main airport.
Cairo International remains the principal hub for EgyptAir, alongside Nile Air, Air Cairo, FlyEgypt, Nesma Airlines and other operators. The airport has continued to expand its passenger-handling capability, with Terminal 3 built alongside Terminal 2 and connected by a linking bridge to increase overall capacity; EgyptAir subsequently transferred much of its domestic and international operation to this terminal. Further expansion is under consideration, with early planning under way for an additional terminal as part of a wider strategy to strengthen the airport's position as a regional aviation hub.
