Flight Simulator Flights at OLBA Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport

Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (OLBA) is Lebanon's principal gateway, sitting on the Mediterranean coast just south of central Beirut. It is a large, dual civil-military field with a full complement of long, lit runways and complete ATC services, home to national carrier Middle East Airlines and a busy schedule of international traffic.

Overview

Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, ICAO code OLBA and IATA code BEY, is the principal international airport serving Beirut and all of Lebanon. It functions as both a major civilian hub, home to Middle East Airlines, and a shared military-civilian facility. For a simulator pilot it offers a demanding but rewarding destination: long hard-surfaced runways, full radar and tower services, and a coastal Mediterranean approach environment.

Airspace & Location

The airport lies at Beirut, in the Mohafazat Mont-Liban (Mount Lebanon Governorate), at coordinates 33.819 N, 35.49 E, close to the Mediterranean coastline immediately south of the city centre. As Lebanon's principal international aerodrome it sits within controlled airspace served by its own approach control, and it is the country's main point of entry for both civil and military air traffic.

Runways

OLBA has three physical runway pairs, all hard-surfaced and lit. Runway 16/34 is the longest, with runway 34 at 11,143 ft and runway 16 at 10,924 ft; runway 16 is equipped with an ILS. Runway 03/21 comprises runway 03 at 10,641 ft, fitted with an ILS, and runway 21 at 9,117 ft. Runway 17/35 comprises runway 17 at 10,601 ft, also with an ILS, and runway 35 at 8,059 ft. Field elevation is 46 ft.

Radio & Navigation

Beirut provides a full suite of ATC frequencies: Approach on 120.3 MHz, ATIS on 120.6 MHz, Ground on 121.9 MHz and Tower on 118.9 MHz. With ILS approaches available on runways 16, 03 and 17, the airport supports instrument arrivals as well as visual operations.

The Airfield Today

Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport operates as a large, busy international airport with customs facilities and a mixed military-civilian role. It handles a substantial daily schedule of scheduled airline traffic to destinations across Europe, the Middle East, the Gulf and North Africa, with Middle East Airlines as the dominant home carrier alongside numerous foreign operators.'