FlyByWire: A380 – General Guidelines

General Guidelines:

When operating an aircraft as large as the A380, it is crucial to select airports capable of accommodating its size. These airports are designated as Code F, meaning they can handle aircraft with a wingspan of up to 80 meters and an outer main gear wheel span of up to 16 meters.

Key Considerations for A380 Operations:

Code F Airports: Ensure that both departure and arrival airports are classified as Code F and have the necessary gates and parking spots for the A380.
Chart Familiarization: Many airports provide Code F-specific charts detailing which taxiways and runways are suitable for the A380. Pilots should study these charts thoroughly to avoid any operational mishaps.
Weight and Size Restrictions: Be aware that even Code F airports may impose different restrictions based on location. Familiarity with these limitations is essential for safe operations.

Recommended Resources:

Airport Information: Websites like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) or regional aviation authorities provide comprehensive lists of airports suitable for A380 operations.
Chart Services: Utilize resources like eAIP, Jeppesen or other flight planning tools to access up-to-date airport charts.

INOP Items in the FlyByWire A380X

As the A380X is still under active development, pilots should be aware of several INOP items that could affect their flight experience:

No CPDLC Support: Currently, the A380X does not support Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications, which may affect communication with ATC.
Approach Limitations: The A380X lacks support for GLS (Ground-Based Augmented System) or FLS (FMS Landing System) approaches.
Weather Radar Unavailable: Pilots should not rely on onboard weather radar for flight planning.
Manual Trim Settings: No automatic takeoff trim setting, It must be manually set.
Performance Calculator: While the A380X does not come with a built-in performance calculator, using Simbrief can yield reliable performance data.
Approach Guidance: For ILS approaches the A380X is capable of both LNAV (Lateral Navigation) and VNAV (Vertical Navigation). This is also inclusive of Autoland capabilities and managed descent (VNAV) being operational.
RNP/RNAV and Other Non-Precision Approaches: Pilots are capable of flying the procedure laterally in NAV mode but the vertical profile will not be followed and requires alternative methods such as TRK/FPA.

Compatible airports:

Disclaimer: The following airport data is sourced from Airbus, with information from 2015. Please note that updates may have occurred since then. For the latest details, refer to the specific airport’s eAIP (Electronic Aeronautical Information Publication).

Abidjan – ICAO: DIAP, IATA: ABJ
Abu Dhabi – ICAO: OMAA, IATA: AUH
Addis Ababa – ICAO: HAAB, IATA: ADD
Adelaide – ICAO: YPAD, IATA: ADL
Aktobe – ICAO: UATT, IATA: AKX
Al Ain – ICAO: OMAL, IATA: AAN
Alice Springs – ICAO: YBAS, IATA: ASP
Almaty – ICAO: UAAA, IATA: ALA
Amman – ICAO: OJAI, IATA: AMM
Amsterdam – ICAO: EHAM, IATA: AMS
Anchorage – ICAO: PANC, IATA: ANC
Ankara – ICAO: LTAC, IATA: ESB
Ashgabat – ICAO: UTAA, IATA: ASB
Athens – ICAO: LGAV, IATA: ATH
Atlanta – ICAO: KATL, IATA: ATL
Auckland – ICAO: NZAA, IATA: AKL
Bahrain – ICAO: OBBI, IATA: BAH
Baku – ICAO: UBBB, IATA: GYD
Bali – ICAO: WADD, IATA: DPS
Bangalore – ICAO: VOBL, IATA: BLR
Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) – ICAO: VTBS, IATA: BKK
Bangkok (Don Mueang) – ICAO: VTBD, IATA: DMK
Bangor – ICAO: KBGR, IATA: BGR
Barcelona – ICAO: LEBL, IATA: BCN
Batam – ICAO: WIDD, IATA: BTH
Beijing – ICAO: ZBAA, IATA: PEK
Berlin Schönefeld – ICAO: EDDB, IATA: SXF
Berlin Tegel – ICAO: EDDT, IATA: TXL
Birmingham (USA) – ICAO: KBHM, IATA: BHM
Birmingham – ICAO: EGBB, IATA: BHX
Bogota – ICAO: SKBO, IATA: BOG
Bordeaux – ICAO: LFBD, IATA: BOD
Boston – ICAO: KBOS, IATA: BOS
Bremen – ICAO: EDDW, IATA: BRE
Brest – ICAO: LFRB, IATA: BES
Brisbane – ICAO: YBBN, IATA: BNE
Bristol – ICAO: EGGD, IATA: BRS
Brussels – ICAO: EBBR, IATA: BRU
Budapest – ICAO: LHBP, IATA: BUD
Buenos Aires – ICAO: SAEZ, IATA: EZE
Cairo – ICAO: HECA, IATA: CAI
Cancun – ICAO: MMUN, IATA: CUN
Cape Town – ICAO: FACT, IATA: CPT
Cardiff – ICAO: EGFF, IATA: CWL
Casablanca – ICAO: GMMN, IATA: CMN
Chateauroux – ICAO: LFLX, IATA: CHR
Chengdu – ICAO: ZUUU, IATA: CTU
Chiang Mai – ICAO: VTCC, IATA: CNX
Chicago – ICAO: KORD, IATA: ORD
Christchurch – ICAO: NZCH, IATA: CHC
Cincinnati – ICAO: KCVG, IATA: CVG
Cologne – ICAO: EDDK, IATA: CGN
Colombo – ICAO: VCBI, IATA: CMB
Copenhagen – ICAO: EKCH, IATA: CPH
Dakar – ICAO: GOBD, IATA: DSS
Dallas/Fort Worth – ICAO: KDFW, IATA: DFW
Darwin – ICAO: YPDN, IATA: DRW
Delhi – ICAO: VIDP, IATA: DEL
Denver – ICAO: KDEN, IATA: DEN
Doha – ICAO: OTHH, IATA: DOH
Dresden – ICAO: EDDC, IATA: DRS
Dubai (Al Maktoum) – ICAO: OMDW, IATA: DWC
Dubai (International) – ICAO: OMDB, IATA: DXB
Dublin – ICAO: EIDW, IATA: DUB
Durban – ICAO: FALE, IATA: DUR
Dusseldorf – ICAO: EDDL, IATA: DUS
Edmonton International – ICAO: CYEG, IATA: YEG
Enfidha – ICAO: DTNH, IATA: NBE
Ekaterinburg – ICAO: USSS, IATA: SVX
Erbil – ICAO: ORER, IATA: EBL
Faleolo (Apia) – ICAO: NSFA, IATA: APW
Fort-de-France – ICAO: TFFF, IATA: FDF
Frankfurt – ICAO: EDDF, IATA: FRA
Fuerteventura – ICAO: GCFV, IATA: FUE
Gander – ICAO: CYQX, IATA: YQX
Glasgow – ICAO: EGPF, IATA: GLA
Gran Canaria – ICAO: GCLP, IATA: LPA
Guangzhou – ICAO: ZGGG, IATA: CAN
Halifax – ICAO: CYHZ, IATA: YHZ
Hamburg – ICAO: EDDH, IATA: HAM
Hamburg Finkenwerder – ICAO: EDHI, IATA: XFW
Hangzhou – ICAO: ZSHC, IATA: HGH
Hanoi – ICAO: VVNB, IATA: HAN
Helsinki – ICAO: EFHK, IATA: HEL
Hilo (Hawaii) – ICAO: PHTO, IATA: ITO
Ho Chi Minh City – ICAO: VVTS, IATA: SGN
Hohhot – ICAO: ZBHH, IATA: HET
Hong-Kong – ICAO: VHHH, IATA: HKG
Honolulu – ICAO: PHNL, IATA: HNL
Houston – ICAO: KIAH, IATA: IAH
Hyderabad – ICAO: VOHS, IATA: HYD
Iqaluit – ICAO: CYFB, IATA: YFB
Islamabad (New) – ICAO: OPIS, IATA: ISB
Istanbul (New) – ICAO: LTFM, IATA: IST
Jakarta – ICAO: WIII, IATA: CGK
Jeddah – ICAO: OEJN, IATA: JED
Jeju – ICAO: RKPC, IATA: CJU
Jinan – ICAO: ZSJN, IATA: TNA
Johannesburg – ICAO: FAOR, IATA: JNB
Johor Bahru – ICAO: WMKJ, IATA: JHB
Kailua-Kona – ICAO: PHKO, IATA: KOA
Karachi – ICAO: OPKC, IATA: KHI
Karlsruhe – ICAO: EDSB, IATA: FKB
Khabarovsk – ICAO: UHHH, IATA: KHV
Kiev – ICAO: UKBB, IATA: KBP
Kuala Lumpur – ICAO: WMKK, IATA: KUL
Kunming – ICAO: ZPPP, IATA: KMG
Kuwait – ICAO: OKBK, IATA: KWI
La Reunion – ICAO: FMEE, IATA: RUN
Lagos – ICAO: DNMM, IATA: LOS
Las Vegas – ICAO: KLAS, IATA: LAS
Leipzig/Halle – ICAO: EDDP, IATA: LEJ
Linz – ICAO: LOWL, IATA: LNZ
London (Gatwick) – ICAO: EGKK, IATA: LGW
London (Heathrow) – ICAO: EGLL, IATA: LHR
London (Stansted) – ICAO: EGSS, IATA: STN
Los Angeles – ICAO: KLAX, IATA: LAX
Lyon – ICAO: LFLL, IATA: LYS
Madinah – ICAO: OEMA, IATA: MED
Madrid – ICAO: LEMD, IATA: MAD
Malta – ICAO: LMML, IATA: MLA
Manchester – ICAO: EGCC, IATA: MAN
Manila – ICAO: RPLL, IATA: MNL
Manston – ICAO: EGMH, IATA: MSE
Mauritius – ICAO: FIMP, IATA: MRU
Medan – ICAO: WIMM, IATA: KNO
Melbourne (Avalon) – ICAO: YMAV, IATA: AVV
Melbourne (Tullamarine) – ICAO: YMML, IATA: MEL
Mexico City – ICAO: MMMX, IATA: MEX
Miami – ICAO: KMIA, IATA: MIA
Milan – ICAO: LIMC, IATA: MXP
Milwaukee – ICAO: KMKE, IATA: MKE
Minneapolis – ICAO: KMSP, IATA: MSP
Montreal – ICAO: CYUL, IATA: YUL
Moscow (Domodedovo) – ICAO: UUDD, IATA: DME
Moscow (Sheremetyevo) – ICAO: UUEE, IATA: SVO
Moscow (Vnukovo) – ICAO: UUWW, IATA: VKO
Mumbai – ICAO: VABB, IATA: BOM
Munich – ICAO: EDDM, IATA: MUC
Muscat – ICAO: OOMS, IATA: MCT
Nadi – ICAO: NFFN, IATA: NAN
Nagoya – ICAO: RJGG, IATA: NGO
Nantes – ICAO: LFRS, IATA: NTE
New York (JFK) – ICAO: KJFK, IATA: JFK
Nice – ICAO: LFMN, IATA: NCE
Nottingham – ICAO: EGBN, IATA: NQT
Noumea – ICAO: NWWW, IATA: NOU
Novosibirsk – ICAO: UNNT, IATA: OVB
Oakland – ICAO: KOAK, IATA: OAK
Ontario – ICAO: KONT, IATA: ONT
Orlando – ICAO: KMCO, IATA: MCO
Osaka – ICAO: RJBB, IATA: KIX
Oslo – ICAO: ENGM, IATA: OSL
Ottawa – ICAO: CYOW, IATA: YOW
Pago Pago – ICAO: NSTU, IATA: PPG
Palma de Mallorca – ICAO: LEPA, IATA: PMI
Pantnagar – ICAO: VIPT, IATA: PGH
Paris (Charles de Gaulle) – ICAO: LFPG, IATA: CDG
Paris (Orly) – ICAO: LFPO, IATA: ORY
Paris (Vatry) – ICAO: LFOK, IATA: XCR
Paya Lebar – ICAO: WSAP, IATA: QPG
Perpignan – ICAO: LFMP, IATA: PGF
Perth – ICAO: YPPH, IATA: PER
Philadelphia – ICAO: KPHL, IATA: PHL
Pointe-à-Pitre – ICAO: TFFR, IATA: PTP
Prague – ICAO: LKPR, IATA: PRG
Punta Cana – ICAO: MDPC, IATA: PUJ
Reykjavík – ICAO: BIKF, IATA: KEF
Rio de Janeiro (Galeão) – ICAO: SBGL, IATA: GIG
Rionegro – ICAO: SKRG, IATA MDE
Riyadh – ICAO: OERK, IATA: RUH
Rockhampton – ICAO: YBRK, IATA: ROK
Rome (Fiumicino) – ICAO: LIRF, IATA: FCO
Salalah – ICAO: OOSA , IATA: SLL
Salt Lake City – ICAO : KSLC , IATA : SLC
San Francisco – ICAO: KSFO, IATA: SFO
Santiago – ICAO: SCEL, IATA: SCL
Sao Paulo GRU – ICAO: SBGR, IATA: GRU
Sao Paulo VCP – ICAO: SBKP, IATA: VCP
Sapporo (New Chitose) – ICAO: RJCC, IATA: CTS
Seoul (Gimpo) – ICAO: RKSS, IATA: GMP
Seoul (Incheon) – ICAO: RKSI, IATA: ICN
Seville Airport – ICAO: LEZL, IATA: SVQ
Stewart – ICAO: KSWF, IATA: SWF
Shanghai (Pudong) – ICAO: ZSPD, IATA: PVG
Shanghai (Hongqiao) – ICAO: ZSSS, IATA: SHA
Shannon – ICAO: EINN, IATA: SNN
Sharm El Sheikh – ICAO: HESH, IATA: SSH
Shenzhen – ICAO: ZGSZ, IATA: SZX
Shijiazhuang – ICAO: ZBSJ, IATA: SJW
Shiraz – ICAO : OISS, IATA: SYZ
Simferopol – ICAO: UKFF, IATA: SIP
Singapore – ICAO: WSSS, IATA: SIN
Stockholm (Arlanda) – ICAO: ESSA, IATA: ARN
Stuttgart – ICAO: EDDS, IATA: STR
Sydney – ICAO: YSSY, IATA: SYD
Tahiti – ICAO: NTAA, IATA: PPT
Taipei – ICAO: RCTP, IATA: TPE
Tarbes – ICAO: LFBT, IATA: LDE
Tashkent – ICAO: UTTT, IATA: TAS
Tehran – ICAO: OIIE, IATA: IKA
Tel Aviv – ICAO: LLBG , IATA ILV
Tianjin – ICAO: ZBTJ, IATA: TSN
Tokyo (Haneda) – ICAO: RJTT, IATA: HND
Tokyo (Narita) – ICAO: RJAA, IATA: NRT
Toronto (Pearson) – ICAO: CYYZ, IATA: YYZ
Toulouse – ICAO: LFBO, IATA: TLS
Trabzon – ICAO: LTCG, IATA: TZX
U-Tapao – ICAO: VTBU, IATA: UTP
Vancouver – ICAO: CYVR, IATA: YVR
Vienna – ICAO: LOWW, IATA: VIE
Vladivostok – ICAO: UHWW, IATA: VVO
Warsaw – ICAO: EPWA, IATA: WAW
Washington D.C. (Dulles) – ICAO: KIAD, IATA: IAD
Windsor Locks – ICAO: KBDL, IATA: BDL
Xian – ICAO: ZLXY , IATA: XIY
Zahedan– ICAO: OIZH, IATA: ZAH
Zhuhai – ICAO: ZGSD, IATA: ZUH
Zurich – ICAO: LSZH, IATA: ZRH
Saint Petersburg – ICAO: ULLI, IATA: LED

Conclusion

Flying the A380 on VATSIM will be an exciting opportunity for pilots. However, with great aircraft size comes great responsibility. Familiarizing yourself with the VATSIM Code of Conduct, knowing which airports can accommodate the A380, and understanding the limitations of the aircraft will enhance your flight experience and contribute to the safety and efficiency of online operations.

For further guidance, the FlyByWire Documentation website will provide comprehensive pilot resources at the time of release, ensuring that both newcomers and experienced pilots are well-prepared for their flights.

Remember, whether in the cockpit or the control tower: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.