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EFHK - Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
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Welcome to Helsinki!
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (IATA: HEL, ICAO: EFHK; Finnish: Helsinki-Vantaan lentoasema, Swedish: Helsingfors-Vanda flygplats), or simply Helsinki Airport, is the main international airport of the city of Helsinki, its surrounding metropolitan area, and the Uusimaa region. The airport is located in the neighboring city of Vantaa, about 5 kilometres (3 mi) west of Tikkurila, the administrative center of Vantaa and 9.2 NM (17.0 km; 10.6 mi) north of Helsinki city center. The airport is operated by state-owned Finavia.
The airport is by far the busiest in Finland (with 20 times the traffic of the next-busiest, Oulu) and the fourth busiest in the Nordic countries in terms of passenger numbers. About 90% of Finland's international air traffic passes through Helsinki Airport. The airport handled 21.8 million passengers in 2019, including 18.9 million international passengers and 2.9 million domestic passengers. On average, the airport handles around 350 departures a day.
The airport is the main hub for Finnair, the flag carrier of Finland, and its subsidiary Nordic Regional Airlines. It is also a hub for CityJet (on behalf of SAS) and an operating base for Jet Time, Norwegian Air Shuttle, SunClass Airlines and TUI fly Nordic. Helsinki Airport has around 50 regularly-operating airlines. The airport has around 80 scheduled destinations to other parts of Europe and 21 direct long-haul routes to Asia, the Middle East, and North America. There are also 35 charter destinations including numerous long-haul charter destinations. Currently, Helsinki Airport has two terminals with a total of 50 gates with jet bridges and 80 remote aircraft parking stands.
Originally built for the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, the airport today provides jobs for 25,000 people and there are 1,500 companies that operate at this airport.
Finavia aims to strengthen the position of Helsinki Airport in transit passenger traffic between Europe and Asia, and to increase the number of direct connections to Europe. Helsinki Airport's minimum transit time of 35 minutes is among the shortest in Europe. According to Finavia's survey, as many as one in every three passengers select their flight route based on the transit airport.
Source: Wikipedia: Helsinki Airport
General information
ATS Positions
Position Call sign Frequency RMK EFHK_DEL HELSINKI GROUND 118.125 Clearance delivery, ground movement on APN 1S, APN 9 EFHK_GND HELSINKI GROUND 121.800 Ground movement on other aprons and taxiways EFHK_E_TWR HELSINKI TOWER 118.600 RWY 04R/22L, RWY 15/33 EFHK_W_TWR HELSINKI TOWER 118.850 RWY 04L/22R EFHK_E_APP HELSINKI RADAR 119.100 East sector EFHK_W_APP HELSINKI RADAR 129.850 West sector EFHK_R_APP HELSINKI ARRIVAL 119.900 East sector, final director EFHK_A_APP HELSINKI ARRIVAL 124.325 West sector, final director D-ATIS is available on 135.075.
Preferential runway system
The preferential runway order is as follows:
Preference order 1 2 3 4 5 6 Arrival RWY 15 RWY 22L* RWY 04L RWY 04R* RWY 22R RWY 33 Departure RWY 22R RWY 22L* RWY 04R* RWY 33 RWY 04L RWY 15 *RWY 04R/22L is closed until 31 APR 2021. This may be simulated by controllers, however during periods of high traffic on the network, RWY 04R/22L will be used.
As a general rule, the first available preferential runway will be used until the crosswind component on a dry runway exceeds 20 KT and/or the tailwind component exceeds 5 KT. If the runway is contaminated, the respective restrictions are 15 KT and 5 KT.
Use of transponder
Surface movement radar system in use. Pilots shall squawk the assigned code and activate the transponder (ON/AUTO/Mode C) when requesting pushback or taxi, whichever earlier. After landing, the transponder should be kept active until reaching the parking stand, after which code 2000 should be selected and the transponder deactivated.
Departure
Planning
Departing traffic shall plan their departure via ADIVO, ARVEP, IDEPI, KOIVU, KUVEM, NEPEK, NUNTO, RENKU, TEVRU or VALOX.
RENKU is only available and mandatory for departures to EETN or EEEI. Maximum cruise level for RENKU departures is FL100.
Pilots are requested to not include a SID in their flight plan as this will be assigned by ATC.
IFR flights departing from EFHK and entering the free route airspace shall use these connecting routes:
EFHK TMA Boundary Point EFHK Departure Connecting Point Flight Plan NUNTO REKDO NUNTO Y369 REKDO DCT NUNTO OLPED NUNTO Y367 OLPED DCT KUVEM USITU KUVEM Y366 USITU DCT ADIVO POGOK ADIVO Y365 POGOK DCT NEPEK NISVI NEPEK Y361 NISVI DCT TEVRU USUPO TEVRU Y75 USUPO DCT IDEPI ADOPO IDEPI Y232 ADOPO DCT IDEPI ROKVI IDEPI DCT ROKVI DCT ARVEP RATMU ARVEP T82 RATMU DCT NEPEK EVLIT NEPEK Y357 EVLIT DCT NEPEK UXADA NEPEK Y375 UXADA DCT IFR clearance
IFR clearance is requested using DCL and sent to identifier EFHK or EFIN, depending on which station is covering Helsinki. Frequency 118.125 shall be monitored when requesting clearance via DCL. If unable DCL, clearance is requested using voice procedures on HELSINKI GROUND (EFHK_DEL) frequency 118.125 if online. On initial contact, state type of aircraft and received ATIS transmission including identification letter and QNH.
If a different runway than the runway-in-use is required for performance reasons, this request shall be made when requesting clearance.
If unable to follow FMS/RNAV SID, inform ATC when requesting clearance.
Note that unless otherwise instructed, aircraft cleared via SID shall climb to 4000 ft. This altitude is not included in the clearance, as it is stated in the SID charts.
Your clearance will include the departure runway and standard departure route (radar heading and TMA exit point if unable RNAV SID or RNAV SID unavailable).
FIN8NY, cleared Stockholm Arlanda via runway 22R. ADIVO 3N departure. Squawk 1412. QNH 1013.
SAS709, cleared Stockholm Arlanda via runway 22R. After departure fly heading 280, climb to altitude 4000 ft, radar vectors to ADIVO. Squawk 1412, QNH 1013.”
If unable RNAV SID, ATC will vector you to the TMA exit.
Push-back
Contact HELSINKI GROUND for start-up and push back clearance. The stand of the aircraft shall be stated in the initial contact with the ATC unit.
Taxi
Taxiing on the apron is always subject to instructions. When taxiing on the apron the aircraft shall follow the yellow taxiing guide lines, unless otherwise instructed by ATC. For example, a shortcut from Y to ZD may be given when taxiing northbound, which means you can taxi from Y to ZD without following the yellow line.
Apron Spots may be used as co-ordination points for both inbound and outbound traffic to and from aprons. Additionally they ease runway 04R/22L crossings.
Do not cross a runway until specific clearance to do so has been issued by ATC.
When runway 22R is in use for departure, expect to hold short of runway 22L before you are given clearance by Tower to taxi to holding point runway 22R.By default, the following holding points should be used, unless otherwise instructed by ATC:
RWY Default intersection RMK 04L WZ 22R WG
WD
04R ZR
ZS
ZT
For aircraft parking or de-icing taking place on APN 8
For aircraft parking or de-icing taking place on APN 8
22L Y
ZD
ZB
Propeller / turboprop / quiet jet ACFT
Propeller / turboprop / quiet jet ACFT
15 DEP POINT V
Z
YB
YA
Propeller / turboprop / quiet jet ACFT
Propeller / turboprop / quiet jet ACFT
If LVP operations are in use
If de-icing takes place on APN 6
33 CN
YN
For aircraft parking taking place on APN 4
Takeoff and climb
When cleared for take-off, ATC will expect and has planned on seeing movement within 10 seconds of take-off clearance being issued. Pilots unable to comply with this requirement shall notify ATC before entering the runway.
After takeoff aircraft shall remain on Tower frequency until passing 1500 ft, then contact Helsinki Radar 119.100 or 129.850, depending on your SID route. No handoff will be given. The correct Radar frequency to contact is in the appropriate SID chart. If the primary frequency for the SID is not online, contact Radar on the other frequency or Helsinki Control on 121.300.
SID Route HELSINKI RADAR Frequency ADIVO 129.850 (RWY 33: 119.100) ARVEP 119.100 (RWY 22R: 129.850) IDEPI 119.100 (RWY 22R: 129.850) KOIVU 119.100 (RWY 04L, 33: 129.850) KUVEM 129.850 (RWY 15: 119.100) NEPEK 129.850 (RWY 15, 33: 119.100) NUNTO 129.850 (RWY 33: 119.100) RENKU 119.100 (RWY 04L, 33: 129.850) TEVRU 129.850 (RWY 15, 33: 119.100) VALOX 119.100 (RWY 04L, 33: 129.850) When contacting Helsinki Radar, state your altitude and assigned SID. If unable to follow FMS/RNAV SID or you are departing on a heading, report your heading to Radar on first contact.
Note that unless otherwise instructed, aircraft cleared via SID shall climb to 4000 ft.
Arrival
Inbound traffic is informed of the runway in use and cleared for the STAR for the arrival runway. Traffic unable to follow the STAR are cleared for vectors.
All STARs at Helsinki are so-called Open STARs. When reaching the last point of the STAR, continue on the heading as prescribed in the respective arrival chart. DO NOT turn towards the respective initial approach fix without ATC clearance. ATC may vector you to final approach or clear you direct to the IAF.
BAW794H, via KENON (direct) BIFIX cleared ILS approach runway 22L.
BAW794H, after KENON, cleared direct BIFIX ... BAW794H, via BIFIX cleared ILS approach runway 22L.Due to VFR traffic flying below IFR traffic, aircraft on visual approach shall maintain an altitude of at least 2000 FT MSL until DME 7 HEL and established on final, unless otherwise instructed by ATC.
During periods of heavy inbound traffic, simultaneous dependent or independent parallel approaches may be used for runways 04L/04R or 22L/22R.
Pilots will be informed when parallel approaches are in force on ATC frequency or D-ATIS 135.075. When using parallel approaches, the ATIS broadcast will contain the following information: Simultaneous [dependent/independent] IFR approaches in progress. ACC will inform the landing runway at the earliest possibility, however pilots should plan on landing on either runway when parallel approaches are in progress.
Planning
Pilots are requested to not include a STAR in their flight plan as this will be assigned by ATC.
IFR flights arriving it EFHK from the free route airspace shall use these connecting routes:
EFHK Arrival Connecting Point EFHK STAR Initial Waypoint Flight Plan EVADI DIVAM DCT EVADI Y370 DIVAM RIRIP LAKUT DCT RIRIP Y364 LAKUT IBVUT DCT IBVUT Y363 LAKUT OTKIL DCT OTKIL Y368 LAKUT UXADA DCT UXADA Y349 AMROT Y362 LAKUT ENETI DCT ENETI Y362 LAKUT IBOSU LUSEP DCT IBOSU Y86 LUSEP NAPRU DCT NAPRU T83 LUSEP ROKVI VEPIN DCT ROKVI Y358 VEPIN ARLOM DCT ARLOM Y359 VEPIN Phraseology
When contacting HELSINKI RADAR for the first time, state aircraft type, ATIS letter, altitude and STAR or heading you have been assigned.
In order to avoid frequency congestion, when changing from HELSINKI RADAR frequency to HELSINKI ARRIVAL frequency, state only: HELSINKI ARRIVAL + [call sign].
When changing from approach control frequency to tower frequency, state only: HELSINKI TOWER + [call sign] + RUNWAY (number).
Taxi
Pilots are reminded that rapid exit from the runway enables ATC to apply minimum spacing on final approach that will achieve maximum runway utilisation and will minimize the occurrence of go arounds.
After landing on 22L/04R, vacate the runway via ZH or later unless otherwise instructed by ATC. Vacating the runway via ZG or earlier may cause a conflict between arrivals and aircraft waiting to cross the runway. You can continue taxi left on Z after vacating the runway to avoid blocking the runway exit for the next arrival.
Aircraft vacating runway have priority to other taxiing traffic.
Aircraft landing on RWY 04R/22L or 15/33 shall contact HELSINKI GROUND 121.800 MHZ immediately after vacating the runway for taxi clearance. No handoff will be given. Aircraft vacating RWY 04L/22R shall remain on the appropriate TWR frequency unless otherwise instructed by ATC.
