[ATC] – LEJ (Leipzig/Halle) Airport Update

[Mitya]

What is your suggestion?

I would like to suggest an update for LEJ airport in the game so it can better reflect its real-life appearance and ongoing development.
It would be great to see:

• updated apron and stand layouts;
• more accurate stand sizes;
• updated DHL cargo infrastructure;
• possible future airport expansions.

I also plan to attach real apron charts and other reference materials for comparison.

_____________________________________________________________

How would it work in the game?

Some stands in the game currently have limitations that differ slightly from real-life LEJ operations.
For example, several passenger terminal stands are marked as Class C, even though they are capable of handling D-class aircraft in reality.

A similar topic was discussed before:

[ATC] - LEJ (Leipzig) terminal D stands

In real life, LEJ has regularly handled:

• Boeing 757-300;
• Boeing 767;
• MD-11;
• cargo and military flights.
  In addition, the airport is continuing to expand.

According to published development plans for LEJ and the DHL Cargo Hub:

• the DHL hub at LEJ is the largest in DHL’s global network;
• significant cargo traffic growth is expected by 2032;
• Apron 4 is being expanded;
• around 525,000 m² of new flight operation areas are planned;
• taxiways, drainage systems, de-icing positions, and utility systems are also being modernized.
  GAUFF Engineering - Competence in infrastructure

Deutsche Aircraft builds modern final assembly line in Leipzig/Halle

Deutsche Aircraft is building a comprehensive infrastructure for the production of the D328eco at the Leipzig/Halle site. In addition to the final assembly line, a flight operations hangar, a logistics center, and an administrative building will also be constructed on-site. The construction period is expected to take around one year. The D328eco test aircraft is also scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025.

Realterm to build new cargo terminal at LEJ (45,000 m²)

Realterm, together with Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ), has announced the construction of a new cargo terminal with a total area of 45,000 m².
The terminal will be designed for one or multiple operators and will include:

• direct access to the apron
• a convenient truck handling area
• a flexible layout for express, e-commerce, and general cargo operations

In 2024, LEJ handled around 1.4 million tons of cargo and continues to grow its volumes. The new facility is expected to further strengthen the airport’s position as one of Europe’s key cargo hubs.

Demand System and Cargo

#32 – Devblog after Update 3.5.0

This could also open up new possibilities for cargo gameplay, including transporting boxed cargo on passenger aircraft.

These changes could gradually be reflected in the game as well, especially considering LEJ’s importance as one of Europe’s largest cargo airports and currently the only cargo-focused airport in the game.

_____________________________________________________________

Why is this a good idea?

At the moment, the airport in-game feels slightly outdated compared to its real-life development.
An update like this could improve:

• realism;
• gameplay variety;
• D-class aircraft operations;
• immersion for cargo-focused players;
• the overall visual quality of the airport.

It would also make LEJ feel even more unique among the European airports in the game.

_____________________________________________________________

Optional: Images or references

Apron 1

Apron 1
101			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
102			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
103	E			B77W / A359	PAX / CARGO
104			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
105			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
106			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
107			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
108	E			B77W / A359	PAX / CARGO
109			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
110			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
111			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
112			C	B738 / A321	PAX
113			C	B738 / A321	PAX
114	E			B77W / A359	PAX
115			C	B738 / A321	PAX
116			C	B738 / A321	PAX
117			C	B738 / A321	PAX
118			C	B738 / A321	PAX
119	E			B77W / A359	PAX
120			C	B738 / A321	PAX
121			C	B738 / A321	PAX
126		D		B752 / B763	PAX
128		D		B752 / B763	PAX
130		D		B752 / B763	PAX
132		D		B752 / B763	PAX
134		D		B752 / B763	PAX
136		D		B752 / B763	PAX
137			C	B738 / A321	PAX
138			C	B738 / A321	PAX
139	E			B77W / A359	PAX / CARGO
140			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
141			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO
142	E			B77W / A359	PAX / CARGO
143			C	B738 / A321	PAX / CARGO

Apron 2

APRON 2
201R			C	B738
201	E			B77W / A333
202			C	B738
203R			C	B738
203	E			B77W / A333
203L			C	B738
204	F			B748
205R			C	B738
205	E			B77W / A333
205L		D		B752 / B763
207R	E			B77W / A333
207		D		B752 / B763
208R			C	B738
208	F			B748
209		D		B752 / B763
209L		D		B752 / B763
211	F			B748
212			C	B738
213	F			B748
214			C	B738
215			C	B738
216		D		B752 / B763
217			C	B738
217W	E			B77W / A333
220			C	B738
220L		D		B752 / B763
221	E			B77W / A333
222R		D		B752 / B763
222			C	B738

Apron 3

APRON 3
301		D	B752 / B763
302	F		B748
303		D	B752 / B763
304	F		B748
305		D	B752 / B763
306	F		B748
307	F		B748
308	F		B748

Apron 4

An update to the Apron 4 stands would also be interesting, as some of the current stand sizes do not fully match their real-life counterparts.

Z1.1				Z1.2
411	D	B752 / B763		412	D	B752 / B763
409	D	B752 / B763		410	D	B752 / B763
407	D	B752 / B763		408	D	B752 / B763
405	D	B752 / B763		406	D	B752 / B763
403	D	B752 / B763		404	D	B752 / B763
401	D	B752 / B763		402	D	B752 / B763

Z2.1				Z2.2
436	C (D)	B738 / B752		436	C (D)	B738 / B752
434	C (D)	B738 / B752		434	C (D)	B738 / B752
432	C (D)	B738 / B752		432	C (D)	B738 / B752
430	C (D)	B738 / B752		430	C (D)	B738 / B752
428	C (D)	B738 / B752		428	C (D)	B738 / B752
426	C (D)	B738 / B752		426	C (D)	B738 / B752
424	C (D)	B738 / B752		424	C (D)	B738 / B752
422	C (D)	B738 / B752		422	C (D)	B738 / B752

Z3.1				Z3.2
451R	C	B738		452	D	B752 / B763
451	E	B77W / B744
451L	C	B738
449	E	B77W / B744		450	D	B752 / B763
449L	C	B738
447R	C	B738
447	E	B77W / B744		448	D	B752 / B763
447L	C	B738
445	E	B77W / B744		446	D	B752 / B763
445L	C	B738
443R	C	B738
443	E	B77W / B744		444	D	B752 / B763
443L	C	B738
441	E	B77W / B744
441L	C	B738		442	D	B752 / B763

Z4.1					Z4.3
477	D	B752 / B763			478L		C	B738
475W	E	B77W / B744			478		D	B752 / B763
475	F	B748			476W	E		B77W / B744
					476	F		B748
473	D	B752 / B763			474		D	B752 / B763
					474R		C	B738
473M	C	B738			474M		C	B738
471W	E	B77W / B744			472W	E		B77W / B744
471	D	B752 / B763			472L		C	B738
					472		D	B752 / B763
469	F	B748			470	F		B748
					468		D	B752 / B763
467	D	B752 / B763			468R		C	B738
467W	E	B77W / B744			468W	E		B77W / B744
467M	C	B738			468M		C	B738
					466L		C	B738
465	D	B752 / B763			466		D	B752 / B763
					464	F		B748
463	F	B748			464W	E		B77W / B744
463W	E	B77W / B744			462		D	B752 / B763
461	D	B752 / B763			462R		C	B738

	Z5.2	Z5.1
487R		C	B738
487	E		B77W / B744
487L		C	B738
485R		C	B738
485	E		B77W / B744
485L		C	B738
483R		C	B738
483	E		B77W / B744
483L		C	B738
481R		C	B738
481	E		B77W / B744
481L		C	B738

Aerodrome Chart

[Hirohitoswaifu]

This is a spectacular bit of info, I struggled to find the stand info so congratulations on that. Would be great to get Air Berlin at the pax terminal as per the photo one day.

[CJ_RVWilliams]

Thank you for taking the time to put all of this together. I love LEJ as it’s such a different airport than all the rest, and the lack of realism in the airport has made me quit playing it. Would love to see these changes made.

Two questions I have from what you’ve shared:

1. In your aeredrome chart, the area that houses stands 141-143ish is marked as General Aviation. Are these stands mixed general / commercial / cargo?

2. Your Apron 4 map also shows apron 5, which is currently not in game. Are these also cargo stands? You didn’t give the data for them in your post and if they are I want to make sure the proper data gets included so we have as many options and handling crew as possible!

[Pizza_711]

Very well made​. I think LEJ should definitely be next after the airports that badly need a rework(IAD SAN and ngo and maybe LHR)

[Mitya]

@CJ_RVWilliams

Your Apron 4 map also shows apron 5, which is currently not in game.

Apron 5 mainly consists of parking positions located directly in front of the DHL maintenance hangar.

@CJ_RVWilliams

In your aeredrome chart, the area that houses stands 141-143ish is marked as General Aviation. Are these stands mixed general / commercial / cargo?

I wasn’t able to find a completely precise answer for this area. However, based on various photos and stand usage examples, stands such as 101–111 and 140–143 appear to have been used in different situations for passenger operations, cargo operations, and also special/government aircraft.

101-111

139-143

[CJ_RVWilliams]

Thanks so much for pulling that up. Awesome stuff (now to go see if we have some of these DHL special liveries!)

[Hirohitoswaifu]

Soooo, going off this photo I’ve been attempting to work out whereabouts that Air Berlin A330 is sitting,

Based on the image and the aircraft, this is from 2007 as Air Berlin took over LTU in that year and the one long haul route said airline operated, to the Dominican Republic on what I believe was a weekly schedule. Now the new Air Berlin livery came in in that year and we also have the post 2005 Thomas Cook livery, but we’re not into 2010ish as we have an old coloured Air Berlin 737 further back.

Now looking at the LEJ satellite photo from 2009 on Google Earth,

And then analysing the light poles, you can see just above the Sun Express 737-800 and above the rear stairs for the Air Berlin A330, there’s a caged lighting tower. This tower is definitely the first one which you can see above the nose of the left most aircraft, what I believe to be a 767. The second on I think is hidde behind the Thomas Cook Condor tail but is the one above the second 767 on Google Earth. The third lightpole is the plain one to the front left of the World Airways MD-11, fourth is the jetbridge lightpole, fifth sitting further back is the lightpole to the very top left of the Google Earth snapshot and just slightly poking in is the sixth lightpole, the one above the second jetbridge. Based upon the proportions of the lightpoles to the aircraft, it appears that the Air Berlin is parked at the terminal at Gate 4 or 5, maybe 3.

Did this just to calculate if the A330 parked at the terminal which I think for a weekly one off flight, it likely did as I can’t imagine it being remote standed. It would be great if those D stands at the pax terminal were made E just for this aircraft to do its irl route.