the lack of a free AIP is indeed a pity. However, you will often find the VFR approach charts published on the WEB-sites of some fields. The IFR-charts are available through
Eurocontrol anyway. In addition there is a WEB-site that has got mini VFR approach charts:
AIRPORT Flughafen Flugplatz Pilot
Steve mentioned the Flight Information Service (Bremen, Langen, Munich). Bremen is frequently overloaded and does not provide basic information services due to workload. This is almost never happening in the Langen of Munich sectors (might be different during the weekend of Tannkosh). FIS does talk Germany and English. Typically you tell them: call sign, type of aircraft, route, position, and altitude. You be getting a generic squawk code (370x in the Langen sector). FIS will not give any clearances to e.g. cross a Charly airspace but will coordinate such things with RADAR. They may forward a clearance from RADAR to you or hand you over. They will also close your flight plan if you tell them that you have got the airfield in sight and that your landing is secured (saves you a call). You may want to register with the Germany ATC-WEB-site (
https://secais.dfs.de/pilotservice/home.jsp?lang=en) You can file flight plans and get NOTAMs, etc.
Most small airfields to only talk German (on the radio) to you by default. However, try English even if the AIP say German only. Most of the "Fritzens" that do the ATC on small field speak enough English to get you down.
There only a few airfields that are inside a class D/CTR-airspace (e.g. Mannheim, Braunschweig, ...). Most of the small fields are uncontrolled airfields. However, I are not allowed to land without having a "Flugleiter" on side. There are a few fields that do feature an automated "Flugleiter", which will reply to your initial call and give you active runway + Wind. Some of the German "Flugleiters" do however behave as if their field would be in a class D/CTR-airspace. Don't let them fool you: you are the PIC, you take the decisions and a Flugleiter does only have to provide information such as Wind, traffic information, etc.
Airspace: there is Charly airspace from FL100 an higher (slightly higher near the alps). Airspace Golf is normaly from 0 to 2500 AGL, unless otherwise specified (0...1700 AGL or 0...1000 AGL near CTRs). Most of German VFR airspace is class Echo. There are very few restricted or danger areas. FIS will tell you if they are active or not.
so much about "Flying in Germany in a nutshell"
Happy landings in Germany
Mark