In November 2014, Fly Tampa (FT) released a first rendition of Copenhagen Airport for FSX and P3D v3. In April 2020, the version for Prepar3D (P3D) v4 and 5 followed, and in May 2020, the variant for X-Plane 11 appeared. In November of the same year, an edition for MSFS 2020 was released.
At the end of August 2025, it was then SIMNORD who launched EKCH Copenhagen Airport MSFS 24/20 for MSFS 2020 and 2024. In the following, I present this implementation, but first, some words about…
Reality
Only about eight kilometers south of the world-famous “Little Mermaid” statue lies the airport [www.cph.dk] on around 1,100 hectares of land on the approximately 97 km² island of Amager.
The airport, with the IATA and ICAO codes CPH and EKCH, was opened on April 10, 1925—exactly 100 years ago—initially on a grass field without designated runways. In 1939 the first terminal followed. From 1940, the airport was used by the Luftwaffe of the German Wehrmacht, and from 1941, the first paved runway with 1,400 m length and 65 m width was available—today’s 12/30 with 2,800 × 45 m. After the war, the British Royal Air Force briefly took over until the site returned to civil use. By 1948, over 300,000 passengers were already being processed.
In 1954, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) started the first polar flights to Los Angeles. In 1956, more than one million passengers were counted for the first time. Terminal 2 and a new tower opened in 1960. During the 1960s, what was then 04/22 became today’s 04R/22L with 3,300 × 45 meters. In 1969, the terminal was expanded to add areas for domestic flights, a new hall for international arrivals, and the new Pier A, which was completed in 1972. The third runway (04L/22R, 3,600 × 45 m) and the current tower opened in 1973.
In 1980, the Danish parliament decided to expand the airport for up to 20 million passengers per year by 2000. Terminals were modernized and expanded, two maintenance and one cargo area were added. Terminal 1 was built as a western extension of Terminal 2; additionally, Pier F (“CPH GO”), exclusively for airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Transavia, was opened.
Runway Equipment
| Runway | ILS | Approach Lighting | Touchdown Zone Lighting | PAPI | REIL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04L | CAT II | HIALS-II (Calvert High) | yes | left | no |
| 04R | CAT I | HIALS-I (Calvert) | no | left | no |
| 12 | CAT I | HIALS | no | right | yes |
| 22L | CAT II | HIALS-II | yes | right | no |
| 22R | CAT II | HIALS-I | yes | right | yes |
| 30 | CAT I | HIALS-I | no | left | no |
The two parallel runways 04L/22R and 04R/22L are only about 600 meters apart and therefore cannot be used simultaneously for takeoffs and landings. Typically, one is used for takeoff and the other for landings. The cross runway 12/30 is only used during occasional northwest or southeast wind conditions.
When the passage of ships over 30 meters in total height is announced, landings on 22L/R are suspended, as aircraft approach very low over the Drogden Sound, which runs directly northeast of the airport and the island of Saltholm.
At Terminal 1 there are 15 parking positions plus one remote, at Terminal 2 (with Piers A and B) 19, and at Terminal 3 (with Pier F) 37 plus 14 remote. Terminal 1 has four jetways, Terminal 2 sixteen, and Terminal 3 twenty-six. Visual Docking Guidance Systems (VDGS) have been installed at the parking positions: APIS++ from FMT and A-VDGS from ADB Safegate.
The airport is accessible via the European Route 20 (E20), by bus, trains of the Øresund Railway Line, and Line M2 of the Copenhagen Metro.
Copenhagen Airports A/S, which also operates Roskilde Airport, reports for 2024 a transport of 29,882,552 passengers with 240,666 aircraft movements. There is no information on cargo. With that, Copenhagen was Scandinavia’s largest airport in 2024 ahead of Oslo Gardermoen (26,433,878) and Stockholm Arlanda (22,737,974).
Airport map: https://www.cph.dk/4aea4a/globalassets/9.-cph-business/7.-adgang-og-fardsel/full-width-decks/cph-kort.pdf
Terminal map: https://www.cph.dk/4a3405/globalassets/3.-praktisk/oversigtskort/cph_kort_oversigt_uk_vers_3.pdf
From 1984 to 2000, SAS maintained a ferry connection to Malmö in Sweden with check-in at the harbor. With the opening of the 7,845-meter-long Øresund Bridge on July 1, 2000, the ferry service was discontinued.
Information:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flughafen_Kopenhagen-Kastrup
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Airport
Simulation
The reproduction from SIMNORD is available for about 21 euros at SIMMARKET.
SIMNORD describes the scene as being executed with individually modeled projected meshes (ground polygons), custom-modeled and animated passenger bridges, detailed buildings, and custom aerial images. Simnord cites as limitations static Visual Docking Guidance Systems (VDGS) and a minimally modeled terminal interior (only visible from cockpit view).
Purchase and download are carried out via the SIMMARKET app. Installation begins after unpacking the approximately 2.25 GB archive with the files simnord_ekch_copenhagen_airport_msfs_v1.0.3.D01 and simnord_ekch_copenhagen_airport_msfs_v1.0.3.D01.exe. After clicking the EXE file, the setup starts (after entering the activation key) for MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024. The unpacked scenery occupies about four GB of storage space.
On approach from the southwest, there are no conspicuous airport boundaries; on the northeastern coastal strip, slight “zigzags” are visible. In dark hours, a well-balanced lighting of buildings and aprons convinces. The layout matches current aerial and satellite images as well as airport maps. Ground markings and signs pass the reality check. Animated jetways of more transparent glass dock to player and AI aircraft.
Night lighting is coherent everywhere in MSFS 2024, and in MSFS 2020 it is convincing on the apron, but not at the terminals. There – except for the unfurnished Pier A, which you can look into – bright grey textured, non-transparent “panes” are visible at night. In MSFS 2024, transparent glass structures are used throughout.
The first scenery version had shortcomings such as missing night lighting in MSFS 2020, incorrect types of approach lighting on runways 04L/R and 22L/R, and only standard antennas instead of the correct glide path antennas. On October 13, 2025, SIMNORD released version 1.0.3 with numerous improvements.
Changelog for Version 1.0.3:
- Added markings for pushback clearance points
- Changed approach lighting and removed TDZ lighting on RWY 22R, RWY 04R
- Changed approach lighting and removed centerline and TDZ lighting on RWY 12/30
- Fixed missing textures at Vilhelm Lauritzen Terminal and M. Goldschmidt Aviation Hangar
- Adjusted colors of ground markings and lines
- Fixed faulty night-lit buildings
- Fixed incorrect, transparent mesh at the CPH tank farm
- Taxiway W1 renamed to F3
- Adjusted LOD values for taxiway signs (better nighttime visibility)
- Fixed wrong numbers on E76/E78
- Changed centerline lighting to blue edge lighting on TWY F1, F2, F3, G3, G4, N1, N2
- Added parking lot for apron west W1
- Added apron masts to the de-icing area TWY A
- Added missing stop bars and other markings to the de-icing area TWY A
- Added taxiway and maneuvering area markings at Vilhelm Lauritzen Terminal
- Various minor corrections and changes
Note: ALSF-I and -II are still shown instead of the correct HIALS-I and II at runways 04L/R and 22L/R; the glide path antennas (standard antennas) have also not yet been corrected.
GSX Pro
SIMNORD does not provide a profile for GSX Pro by FSDreamteam.
Four freeware developers have filled this gap:
- Elton Hjalmarrson ([GSX-Profil für EKCH by Simnord
- Interfix ([Simnord GSX Profile Pro
- negativkd ([EKCH Simnord GSX by negativekd
- sonnich ([GSX Profile Simnord EKCH
Note from FS Reviews
A current issue: The freeware VDGS slides under Simnord’s static VDGS a few minutes after gate spawn; as a result, two systems appear at once. SIMNORD has been asked to make the static VDGS in the installer optional.
Performance
Performance is stable at all times—even when using complex large aircraft and AI traffic (FSLTL). No drops, no anomalies.
Conclusion
With EKCH Copenhagen Airport MSFS 24/20, SIMNORD delivers a solid airport. The major update to version 1.0.3 brought many improvements, even if not everything is quite perfect yet. For MSFS 2024, there is currently no alternative, as FlyTampa has not yet announced a version for the new simulator.
Bert Groner
FS Reviews
Oktober 2025
Flight Navigation Charts
Freeware:
NAVIAIR AIM https://aim.naviair.dk > 01. AIP Denmark > AIP PART 3 FLYVEPLADSER (AD) > AD 2 AERODROMES > (Select airport and desired chart there)
Payware (subscription, optionally with flight navigation data):
Supplements
- Kopenhagen no trees by homecockpit.de: [Download]
- Copenhagen Improved NEW VERSION WU-15 revised by MrMiyagi: [Download]
- Hovesenderen by VALROK: [Download]
