Case Study: DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH achieves verified GBAS radio coverage and precision auto-landing with Altair (Feko & WinProp)

Altair Solutions Enable Precision Auto-landing at Complex Airports

DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH, Germany’s air navigation service provider, needed to verify GBAS radio coverage at different heights around complex airports (Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich) to ensure reliable GNSS-based precision approaches and auto-landings. Because GBAS performance can be degraded by multipath, interference, and future buildings, DFS partnered with Altair and its propagation tools to model and evaluate signal coverage before making siting or design decisions.

Using Altair Feko and Altair WinProp, DFS built detailed 3D airport models (including 450 Fraport buildings, DEM/topography, vegetation and antenna patterns) and ran 3D ray-tracing with multipath. Altair’s simulations correlated with VDB measurements within +/-3 dB, verified GBAS coverage across the airports, enabled assessment of future structures’ impact, and gave DFS and Skyguide confidence to deploy GBAS stations that support safe, precise auto-landings.

DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH

Ralf Eichhorn

Senior Expert