Austria – land of mountains and music
Austria – land of mountains and music is the third installment of the 3-part bush trip series that celebrates the beauty, grandeur, and history of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, together known as DACH (Deutschland, Austria, Confederation Helvetia).
Located in the southern reaches of Central Europe, Austria is a landlocked nation that shares a border with eight countries, including Switzerland, Italy, and Germany. The nation comprises several landform regions, with roughly 60 percent being mountainous, most of which being the Eastern Alps.
Meticulously designed for aviators to experience the essence of the mountains of Austria, this journey begins in Tyrol, loops through the beautiful Austrian countryside, and ends in Germany’s Bavaria, which borders Austria on its northwest. Aviators will visit all the major Austrian Alpine regions, including the Northern Eastern Alps, the Central Eastern Alps, and the Southern Eastern Alps.
Flight instructions:
Weather, date, and time can be adjusted for pilot preference.
Several other options have been unlocked to optimize the flight experience.
Set the XCub to "cold and dark" after each landing to complete the leg.
ATC is available if you would like to use it.
Total Legs: 6 Total Distance: 463 Total Time(125kts): 3 hours 42 minutes
Leg 1
Innsbruck to Nikolsdorf Airport
Leg Distance: 110.14 Approximate time at 125kts: 53 minutes.
Innsbruck(LOWI) to Brenner Pass(POI1)
Distance: 16.54NM Bearing: 152° 8 minutes
Lift off from Innsbruck Airport and set a course to the south, following the river Sill, a tributary to the river Inn. Innsbruck, the heart of which is located to the east of the airport, is widely hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful mountain cities. It is the capital of Tyrol, a two-part Austrian federal state, both parts of which are dominated by mountains.
The river Sill, paralleled by the Brenner Autobahn (highway A13), leads through the Stubai Valley into the Central Eastern Alps. Follow the highway to Austria’s border with Italy at Brenner Pass, the most frequently travelled road link from Central Europe to Italy.
Brenner Pass(POI1) to Sterzing(POI2)
Distance: 7.53NM Bearing: 200° 4 minutes
Once in Italy, the Brenner Autobahn becomes Autostrada A22. Follow the highway to the southwest to the town of Sterzing in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Like Austria’s Tyrol, South Tyrol is renowned for its beautiful mountains. Both Austria’s Tyrol and Italy’s South Tyrol are part of the historical region Tyrol (also spelled Tyrole).
Sterzing(POI2) to Pfitscherjoch(POI3)
Distance: 11.15NM Bearing: 53° 5 minutes
Turn onto a northeast course over Sterzing and follow the Pfitscher Valley to the Austrian border. The stream Pfitscher Bach and a paralleling road provides a good visual reference through much of the valley. Follow the valley to Pfitscherjoch, a mountain pass at the international border.
Pfitscherjoch(POI3) to Mayrhofen(POI4)
Distance: 13.08NM Bearing: 35° 6 minutes
At Pfitscherjoch, gain a visual on Schlegeisspeicher, a high mountain reservoir. Follow the Zamserbach stream from Pfitscherjoch to the northwest end of Schlegeisspeicher and continue following Zamserbach to its confluence with the river Zemmbach. Zemmbach leads to the town of Mayrhofen where it merges with the river Ziller, namesake of the Ziller Valley and the subrange of Central Eastern Alps peaks of the area, the Zillertal Alps.
Mayrhofen(POI4) to Zell am Ziller(POI5)
Distance: 4.11NM Bearing: 8° 2 minutes
Follow the river Ziller north to its confluence with the river Gerlosbach at the picturesque Alpine town of Zell am Ziller.
Zell am Ziller(POI5) to Konigsleiten(POI6)
Distance: 12.03NM Bearing: 82° 6 minutes
Turn to the east over Zell am Ziller and track the river Gerlosbach and the Gerlos Alpine Road (B165), which parallels the river and passes through Hohe Tauern National Park, with spectacular vistas of mountains, glaciers, meadows, and streams. Pass just to the north of the crescent-shaped Durlaßboden reservoir to reach the alpine village of Königsleiten, located just below the Gerlos Pass.
Konigsleiten(POI6) to Krimmler Achen Valley(POI7)
Distance: 9.83NM Bearing: 159° 5 minutes
Pass over Gerlos Pass and then turn onto a course to the south-southeast to fly into the Krimmler Achen Valley, an alpine region of waterfalls, glaciers, and high peaks. Climb to 12,500 feet to clear the high terrain ahead, which is part of the Venediger Group of peaks of the High Tauern range of the Central Eastern Alps.
Gain a visual on Dreiherrnspitze, the highest mountain in the vicinity at 11,480 feet above sea level, and the Krimmler Kees glacier below and to the east of the summit. Prior to reaching the Krimmler Kees glacier, sight the mountain peak Westliches Zwillingsköpfl, located northeast of Dreiherrnspitze on the same ridge. Westliches Zwillingsköpfl is the northernmost point of Italy and is called Testa Gemella Occidentale in Italian. Prepare to turn to the east when the XCub is abeam of Westliches Zwillingsköpfl.
Krimmler Achen Valley(POI7) to Grossvenediger(POI8)
Distance: 4.2NM Bearing: 68° 2 minutes
Just north of the base of the Krimmler Kees glacier, turn to 70° M and climb to 13,000 feet and then pass to the north of the prominent ridge of glaciated peaks of the Venediger Group. Soar over dramatic glaciers, aretes, peaks, and ridges to pass over the summit of Großvenediger, the highest peak of the Venediger Group at 11,998 feet high and the fourth highest in Austria. Heavily glaciated on all sides, it is one of the most prominent features of the High Tauern range and High Tauern National Park, which protects it and its neighbors.
Grossvenediger (POI8) to Felbertauern Road(POI9)
Distance: 6.29NM Bearing: 81° 3 minutes
Continue on an easterly course and descend into the Tauern valley. Gain a visual on Felbertauern Road, which enters the valley from the north through the Felbertauern Tunnel.
Felbertauern Road(POI9) to Lienz(POI10)
Distance: 20.6NM Bearing: 143° 10 minutes
Track the general course of Felbertauern Road to the southeast, descending in altitude, where it meets thee Drau Valley. Continue following Felbertauern Road to the town of Lienz, where the rivers Isel and Drava meet.
Lienz(POI10) to Nikolsdorf Airport(LOKL)
Distance: 4.78NM Bearing: 108° 2 minutes
Follow the river Drava to the southeast and land at Lienz-Nikolsdorf Airport (LOKL).
Leg 2
Nikolsdorf Airport to Flughafen Klagenfurt
Leg Distance: 65.06 Approximate time at 125kts: 31 minutes.
Nikolsdorf Airport(LOKL) to Lurnfeld(POI11)
Distance: 20.46NM Bearing: 79° 10 minutes
Depart Lienz-Nikolsdorf Airport and follow the river Drava to the east to the market town of Lurnfeld. The town is located where the river Möll joins the Drava.
Lurnfeld(POI11) to Villach(POI12)
Distance: 23.82NM Bearing: 120° 11 minutes
Track the Drava along its course to the south-southeast to the city of Villach, an important crossroads for southern Austria.
Villach(POI12) to Lake Worth(POI13)
Distance: 9.17NM Bearing: 82° 4 minutes
Turn onto a due east course and gain a visual on Lake Wörth, a long, slightly curved mountain lake. Parallel the South Motorway (highway A2) to the lake, which is surrounded by densely forested mountains of the Gurktal Alps (named for the river Gurk). The lake is the largest in the Austrian state of Carinthia and one of the warmest, making it a popular tourist destination.
Lake Worth(POI13) to Klagenfurt am Worthersee(POI14)
Distance: 9.11NM Bearing: 85° 4 minutes
Traverse the entire length of Lake Wörth to reach the city of Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, the capital of the Austrian state of Carinthia.
The Carinthian Provincial Museum "Rudolfinum" is the largest museum in the city of Klagenfurt and the province of Carinthia, and one of the most important in Austria. It is an important scientific institution thanks to its affiliated provincial library, its scientific staff, and its own publishing house. The museum’s exhibitions feature collections from the fields of archaeology, art, history, folklore, botany, zoology, geology, and mineralogy.
Klagenfurt am Worthersee(POI14) to Flughafen Klagenfurt(LOWK)
Distance: 2.5NM Bearing: 45° 1 minutes
Land at Klagenfurt Airport, located on the northeastern outskirts of the city.
Leg 3
Flughafen Klagenfurt to Graz
Leg Distance: 67.94 Approximate time at 125kts: 33 minutes.
Flughafen Klagenfurt(LOWK) to Drava River(POI15)
Distance: 7.99NM Bearing: 102° 4 minutes
Lift off from Klagenfurt Airport and set a course to the east-southeast. Gain a visual on the Völkermarkter Stausee, a long, narrow reservoir on the river Drava. Approaching the western end of the reservoir, sight a railroad bridge and pass over the Drava just west of the bridge.
Drava River(POI15) to Lavamund(POI16)
Distance: 17.42NM Bearing: 78° 8 minutes
Traverse the Völkermarkter Stausee reservoir and continue following the Drava along its general course to the east to the town of Lavamünd, where the river Lavant joins it.
Lavamund(POI16) to Wolfsberg(POI17)
Distance: 11.57NM Bearing: 334° 6 minutes
Turn to the north over Lavamünd and follow the river Lavant through the Lava valley to the town of Wolfsberg. The Wolfsberg Airfield (LOKW) to the west of town serves as a good visual reference.
Wolfsberg is nestled within the Lavanttal Alps, part of the Central Eastern Alps. Mountains of the Lavanttal Alps are lower and less rugged than those of the High Tauern range.
Wolfsberg(POI17) to Lavant Viaduct(POI18)
Distance: 6.03NM Bearing: 354° 3 minutes
From Wolfsberg, fly due north, paralleling the course of the South Motorway (A2) to reach the village of Twimberg. Just north of Twimberg, the South Motorway crosses the Lavant River over a spectacular bridge, the Lavant Viaduct.
Lavant Viaduct(POI18) to Graz(LOWG)
Distance: 24.93NM Bearing: 75° 12 minutes
Follow the South Motorway to the east, passing from the state of Carinthia to the state of Styria and the city of Graz, Styria’s capital. Land at Graz Airport (LOWG), located south of the South Motorway and west of the river Mur.
Leg 4
Graz to Trieben Airfield
Leg Distance: 51.74 Approximate time at 125kts: 25 minutes.
Graz(LOWG) to Graz(POI19)
Distance: 5.5NM Bearing: 345° 3 minutes
Depart Graz Airport and turn to the north to pass over Graz. The old town of Graz and Schloss Eggenberg (located on the western edge of the city) are both United Nations World Heritage Sites and Graz is a member of the United Nations Creative Cities Network.
Graz(POI19) to Deutschfeistritz(POI20)
Distance: 7.49NM Bearing: 330° 4 minutes
Gain a visual on the Pyhrn Autobahn (A9) while over Graz, and follow it north out of the city through the Mur Valley to the market town of Deutschfeistritz. The town, which dates to Roman times, is located near the juncture of the Central Eastern Alps and the Northern Eastern Alps.
Deutschfeistritz(POI20) to St. Michael(POI21)
Distance: 15.51NM Bearing: 298° 7 minutes
Track the Pyhrn Autobahn to the northwest to the market town of St. Michael in the historic region of Upper Styria. The town is easily recognizable by the traffic junction where several roads and railroad lines intersect. Be alert that the highway passes under a mountain in the Glainalm Tunnel.
St. Michael(POI21) to Trieben Airfield(LOGI)
Distance: 23.24NM Bearing: 289° 11 minutes
Continue following the Pyhrn Autobahn to the northwest, traversing the Liesing Valley. Pass over Timmersdorf Airfield and then search for Trieben Airfield (LOGI) in the Lieding Valley. Gain a visual on Trieben Airfield, located parallel to and directly south of the Pyhrn Autobahn, and land.
Leg 5
Trieben Airfield to Unterwössen Airfield
Leg Distance: 107.34 Approximate time at 125kts: 52 minutes.
Trieben Airfield(LOGI) to Versbichl(POI22)
Distance: 7.76NM Bearing: 283° 4 minutes
Lift into the sky at Trieben Airfield and follow the Pyhrn Autobahn to the west-northwest to the village of Versbichl. The route traverses the northeastern base of the Rottenmann and Wölz Tauern, part of the Central Eastern Alps.
Versbichl(POI22) to Altenmarkt(POI23)
Distance: 37.7NM Bearing: 251° 18 minutes
Maintain course and fly into the Ennstal Valley. Fly over the airfields of Aigen Im Ennstal (LOXA) and Niederoeblarn (LOGO). The region is a popular ski area and extends south of the Enns Valley and the historic Lungau region. The route traverses the historic region of Pongau as it leaves the province of Styria and enters the province of Salzburg. Gain a visual on the Tauern Autobahn (A10) and pass over the town of Altenmarkt, through which it passes.
Several hotels and the majority of the ski lifts are located in the south of the municipality of Altenmarkt and thus the core of the Zauchensee-Flauchauwinkel-Kleinarl ski area, which extends far to the west.
Altenmarkt(POI23) to St. Johann(POI24)
Distance: 9.06NM Bearing: 252° 4 minutes
From the Tauern Autobahn, the federal road 163 branches off and leads in a south-westerly direction to the Salzach valley, to the town of St. Johann in Pongau.
St. Johann in Pongau is one of the centers of winter sports tourism in Austria.
St. Johann(POI24) to Hochkonig(POI25)
Distance: 7.09NM Bearing: 305° 3 minutes
Set a course to 306° M and climb to an altitude of 10,500 feet. Gain a visual on Hochkönig, the highest mountain in the Berchtesgaden Alps and one of the most geographically prominent mountains in the entire range of the Alps. Continue toward the peak and fly over its summit (9,649 feet above sea level).
Hochkonig(POI25) to Konigssee(POI26)
Distance: 8.27NM Bearing: 330° 4 minutes
Over the summit of Hochkönig, adjust course to 330° M. Descend in altitude and gain a visual on Königssee, a mountain lake in Bavaria, Germany. Fly over a mountain ridge to enter Germany and descend altitude by reducing throttle and deploying flaps.
Pass over the lake and a peninsula that protrudes into it from its western shore, the location of the pilgrimage church St. Bartholomä.
Konigssee(POI26) to Berchtesgaden(POI27)
Distance: 5.13NM Bearing: 7° 2 minutes
Traverse the western shore of Königssee to its northern tip, then remain on course to the town of Berchtesgaden, today a well-known mountain resort area.
Berchtesgaden(POI27) to Bad Reichenhall(POI28)
Distance: 7.57NM Bearing: 318° 4 minutes
Turn to the northwest and follow the Bundesstraße 20 through a picturesque valley to the town of Bad Reichenhall, situated on the border with Austria.
Bad Reichenhall is located in the Saalachtal valley, framed by the foothills of the Berchtesgaden and Chiemgau Alps.
Bad Reichenhall(POI28) to Unterjettenberg(POI29)
Distance: 3.81NM Bearing: 213° 2 minutes
Turn 90° turn to the southwest over the town and follow the Saalach river over the Saalachsee lake to the village of Unterjettenberg. Gain a visual on the river Saalach, which runs to the northwest from the town.
Unterjettenberg(POI29) to Inzell(POI30)
Distance: 5.31NM Bearing: 320° 3 minutes
Change course 90° to the northwest. Pass just to the east of the town of Schneizlreuth and sight the river Saalach flowing into Germany from Austria. Maintain course and follow federal road 305 through the the Weißbachschlucht to the town of Inzell.
Inzell(POI30) to Reit im Winkl(POI31)
Distance: 12.16NM Bearing: 244° 6 minutes
Track road 305 to the west-southwest to the Austrian border and the municipality of Reit im Winkl.
Reit im Winkl(POI31) to Unterwossen Airfield(EDUE)
Distance: 3.48NM Bearing: 334° 2 minutes
Adjust heading 90° to the north and follow road 305.
Another 90° bend to the northwest is necessary to follow the main road 305 to Unterwössen, which is surrounded by spectacular mountains of the Bavarian Alps. Land at Unterwössen Airfield (EDUE), located on the western outskirts of the town.
Leg 6
Unterwössen Airfield to Oberpfaffenhofen
Leg Distance: 61.09 Approximate time at 125kts: 29 minutes.
Unterwossen Airfield(EDUE) to Bernau am Chiemsee(POI32)
Distance: 5.4NM Bearing: 328° 3 minutes
Depart Unterwössen Airfield and fly north, traversing the western edge of the Chiemgau Alps. Fly to the town of Bernau am Chiemsee, located along Bundesstraße 305 and just south of lake Chiemsee. Called the “Bavarian Sea” due to its popularity with tourists, the lake is one of the most spectacular features of the Bavarian Alps and comprises several islands.
Bernau am Chiemsee(POI32) to Inn River(POI33)
Distance: 10.08NM Bearing: 265° 5 minutes
From Bernau am Chiemsee, follow Autobahn 8 west to its juncture with the river Inn.
Inn River(POI33) to Holzkirchen(POI34)
Distance: 17.65NM Bearing: 280° 8 minutes
Continue following Autobahn 8, passing over the Seehamer See lake to reach the junction with federal highway 318 and the market town of Holzkirchen.
Holzkirchen(POI34) to Lake Starnberg(POI35)
Distance: 16.03NM Bearing: 269° 8 minutes
At Holzkirchen, set a course due west and gain a visual on the north-south trending Lake Starnberg and pass over its midsection. The lake is the second largest freshwater body on the northern edge of the Alps after Lake Constance.
Lake Starnberg(POI35) to Starnberg(POI36)
Distance: 6.52NM Bearing: 9° 3 minutes
Fly to the north end of the lake and the Bavarian town of Starnberg. Starnberg is located in the heart of Fünfseenland, or “Five Lakes Country,” which comprises several beautiful Bavarian alpine lakes, including Lake Starnberg.
Starnberg(POI36) to Oberpfaffenhofen(EDMO)
Distance: 5.41NM Bearing: 330° 3 minutes
From Starnberg, follow the country road that leads out of the city to the northwest until gaining a visual on Oberpfaffenhofen Airport (EDMO). Land at the airport to bring this incredible 3-part journey of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria to a close.
