Germany Man Spricht English

[172510]

I'd like to fly to Germany this summer.
There are many nice looking airfields in Germany, but when I take the Jeppesen VAC, I read "ge", which means "you must speak German".
What are the nice "ge, en" airfields in Germany?

[Oldpilot55]

Just back from Damme, nr Osnabruck. Nice folk, very nice folk. If you are agriculturly minded they will sell you very fine Grimme potato picking machinery, but not at the airfield.

[Cobalt]

Inofficially: Most (ge) only airfields are quite capable of (en).

Officially: You are not allowed to use any language in RT unless you have at least ICAO level 4 in that language entered in your licence. So even if you were fluent in German - unless you have that it writing you must remain shtum - just arrive non-radio.

[Cobalt]

I would recommend

Juist EDWJ, on a small Island off the north coast - runway next to the dunes, walk across them and you are at a sandy beach, with the downwind leg out over the sea (it is THAT close to the airfield). No fuel, though. No cars allowed on the island, if you want to stay overnight you get to go to the village in a (utilitarian) horse-drawn carriage! The other islands (except perhaps Borkum and Sylt) are also nice destinations. Borkum is too large, and Sylt-Westerland airfield is too far away from any useful beaches).

Konstanz EDTZ - stunning sourroundings at Lake Constance, picturesque old city very close to the airfield. They actually speak English officially.

Berlin-Tempelhof is, unfortunately, closed.

[maehhh]

Of course FIS and ATC at all controlled Airports speak english.

Since RT is not mandatory for uncontrolled airfields u could go in 'ge' fields as well, even if the guy on the ground doesn't understand u (which is rare, but I've seen it happening, for example in EDLH). For this case I would suggest to write down the German words for downwind (Gegenanflug) base (Queranflug) and final (Endanflug) somewhere on your log... That should be sufficient to let people know what's going on :ok:

I don't have an AIP handy at the moment but if I remember correctly Hildesheim (EDVM) is ge, en.

Enjoy your trip, Germany is a nice place for flying!

[WestWind1950]

Since RT is not mandatory for uncontrolled airfields u could go in 'ge' fields as well, even if the guy on the ground doesn't understand u (which is rare, but I've seen it happening, for example in EDLH). For this case I would suggest to write down the German words for downwind (Gegenanflug) base (Queranflug) and final (Endanflug) somewhere on your log... That should be sufficient to let people know what's going on

wrong! radio IS required at all airfields, controlled and/or unkontrolled! You better not just land without permission, and if the guy in the tower doesn't speak English, or no one is there, you can get in a LOT of trouble.

One German authoritiy (Brandenburg) is also now insisting on you having at least German level 4 in your licence if you want to radio in German, so just knowing a few phrases won't work (and can be dangerous!). I believe it's similar in France with French?

Anyway, there are enough fields that have ge/en... most of them public. It's usually the more restricted special airfields that have only ge and you usually wouldn't want to fly to them anyway.

Worms is a nice airfield with a very good restaurant. At Speyer there's a great aviation museum... really worth a visit (and I usually don't care for museums lol).

[maehhh]

You better not just land without permission, and if the guy in the tower doesn't speak English, or no one is there, you can get in a LOT of trouble.

Permission? Who should give you permission to land on a 'public airfield' (Verkehrslandeplatz) during operational hours (... unless we are talking about PPR of course, but then luckily there is no ICAO L4 requirement for your mobile phone, even in Brandenburg :E )?

Landing at an airfield without a responsible person at site (= closed) is a totally different story of course...

However as I said I don't have any official publications at hand at the moment so I can hardly proof you wrong. And I certainly don't want to argue with anyone that using RT is best practice (and expected) when a serviceable radio is on board...

[achimha]

The AIP will tell you whether radio contact is required. When in doubt, just give them a call and I am sure it will work out.

You know, German controllers had to take English classes, first were the naval controllers as you can see here

gh5xu35bAxA

[Dg800]

wrong! radio IS required at all airfields, controlled and/or unkontrolled! You better not just land without permission, and if the guy in the tower doesn't speak English, or no one is there, you can get in a LOT of trouble.

Permission from whom? The UNICOM frequency?
I never heard of an uncontrolled airfield having a tower frequency, even in Germany. What's the tower there for?

Ciao,

Dg800

[dublinpilot]

Two years ago I wanted to go to Juist who were listed a 'Ge' only on the Jepp plate.

I wrote them a nice email and asked if there was any way that a non-German speaking pilot could visit, and they told me that they were more than happy to accept me using English as they spoke fluent English (which they did).

I'd suggest calling/writing to anyone that you want to visit that is listed as GE only and see what they say.

[Denti]

@DG800, in Germany uncontrolled airfields have opening times. During those times someone has to be there and man the radio. If nobody is there the airfield is closed or PPR and landing without permission is an unauthorized landing outside of an active airfield and will be prosecuted accordingly. Quite mad way of running things if one is used to a more sensible way like most countries outside Germany.

Best way is to mail and ask if someone is there and able to speak English, the younger generation usually has no problem with that.

[what next]

I'd suggest calling/writing to anyone that you want to visit that is listed as GE only and see what they say. Good plan! In Germany, you are not allowed to operate from unattended airfields ("Flugleiterpflicht" is the word to google for). Even if the girl or guy who "attends" the airfield can not legally give you takeoff or landing permissions. "Takeoff/land at own discretion" is all they can say. But in order to find out if the airfield is manned, calling by phone or radio are the only options. Radio is not really required, the landing direction is marked with the "landing-T", the windsock tells you about the wind and the traffic pattern to follow is published for all German airfields in the AIP and/or the Jeppesen (former Bottlang) manuals and the rules of the air tell you how to behave.

So in my understanding, flying non-radio to an airfield that has "ge" radio only is perfectly legal even without ICAO level 4 in German language!

There are some airfields now with automatic radio transmissions (giving landing direction and weather information) that are activated by incoming calls and can be used if no more than three aircraft are in the traffic pattern. After that, the radio operator (who has to be at the airfield all the time even if the autoresponder is in operation) must take over. Dahlemer Binz (EDKV) and Bautzen (EDAB) are two of those!

Denti: ...in Germany uncontrolled airfields have opening times. During those times someone has to be there and man the radio.

Someone "should be there"... Many small airfields are one-man-shows and if that one man is sick or dosen't hear his alarm clock, then the airfield is closed even during published operating hours (without any NOTAM, because the person who could issue the NOTAM is sleeping in his bed). As Ryanair had the pleasure to find out at Altenburg not so long ago.

[Dg800]

@DG800, in Germany uncontrolled airfields have opening times. During those times someone has to be there and man the radio. If nobody is there the airfield is closed or PPR and landing without permission is an unauthorized landing outside of an active airfield and will be prosecuted accordingly. Quite mad way of running things if one is used to a more sensible way like most countries outside Germany.Of course you only have to land during opening times, no one is disputing that. The Flugleiter is however not a tower controller and cannot/will not grant or deny anybody permission to land. If the field is open it is still perfectly legal to land and depart without making any radio calls whatsoever, just fly the pattern and provide your own separation.

[Ultranomad]

Yes, most airfields in Germany have English-speaking people at the tower, but it would be good airmanship to call them in advance and ask. A couple of aerodromes I could recommend:
Leverkusen (EDKL) - a good place to land if you are coming to Cologne. Quiet on weekdays, but lots of gliders, paragliders and sightseeing flights (including Ju-52) on weekends.
Stadtlohn-Vreden (EDLS) - a full-fledged local airport right on the Dutch border, near Enschede. Lighted runway. In the darker season of the year they allocate two days a week for night flying practice, staying open after sunset (until 2100 LT if I remember correctly) with no surcharge. A maintenance facility on the field is owned by Mr. Dieter Gehling, a friendly and very knowledgeable engineer and pilot.

[AN2 Driver]

It is unfortunately a fact that if one does not have a German Level 4, one is forbidden by law to talk a word of German on the radio. Period. The same goes for France, where I have heard of several cases where people got prosecuted after landing on a french only airport without a Level 4 in French.

It is total madness but that is the way EASA wants it.

[werewolf]

" The same goes for France, where I have heard of several cases where people got prosecuted after landing on a French only airport without a Level 4 in French. "
Never heard of that ... Please more precision : where ? when ?

[Ultranomad]

AN2 driver, by the way, I was seriously thinking of adding a French level 4 endorsement to my Czech license, but couldn't find any place in Europe where a foreigner could take a French language proficiency test officially recognised by the aviation authorities. Everything I found was about a radio operator license test, the results of which aren't endorsed in the pilot license in any way. I only know of a French language endorsements being given in Canada - do you know of any European ones?

[Denti]

AN2 driver, nobody in germany has a level 4 german entry in his license. It is simply not possible to get it apart from those pilots registered within brandenburg (less than CPL only), even for those only since begin of june 2012. As there are no definitions for any language proficiency levels apart from english there is no way to test it and therefore no way to put it into a license.

There is a german radio operators license, however that is not a ICAO level 6 entry (level 6 since it is valid for life).

[achimha]

Ultranomad, you can take the test at the DGAC, the French CAA. They cannot enter anything into your Czech license but they will give you a sheet of paper which they consider to be sufficient. That is what they told me, I have the same problem with my German license.

[L'aviateur]

To be honest I've roamed into quite a few small airfields in Germany and never had a problem, in fact quite the opposite, had great service and a warm welcome at all of them. Germany is a pleasure to fly in.

[piperboy84]

I watched a video a few years back of a guy who spoke only English flying into a German field without prior permission and it seemed to go ok at first, I think the RT he used went something like "Broad sword to Danny Boy , Oberhaaven tower this is xxxx with the 5th Junkers squadron in bound for landing" If i remember correctly he may have had an engine out. The tower was really helpful initially but after picking up his passengers who had been visiting the Schloss Adler the tower was decidedly less friendly on his departure.

[WestWind1950]

The Flugleiter is however not a tower controller and cannot/will not grant or deny anybody permission to land. If the field is open it is still perfectly legal to land and depart without making any radio calls whatsoever, just fly the pattern and provide your own separation.

@dg800
The "Flugleiter" is the representative of the airfield owner. He CAN forbid a landing if the landing is outside the certification, which would actually be the case if it's ge only. If you land anyway (which would mean you are trespassing), he is supposed to report you to the local authorities (but often they will close an eye and give you a warning, after all, the do like you visiting and perhaps your revenue... ). IF the authorities find out about your landing, then be prepared to pay a fine.

There are no German level 4 examiners, yet. But there are some for German level 6 and the LBA has been adding German level 6 to German citizens for some time.

It is total madness but that is the way EASA wants it.

It is primarily an ICAO requirment, NOT an EASA one!

[LTCTerry]

I speak German on the radio every time I fly. I have nothing but Level Six English on my German licenses.

I converted my lame Federal Communications Commission Restricted R/T license into a German VFR & IFR one simply by doing a simulated departure and arrival "auf Deutsch" as a test. It was far easier to get permission to speak German (a foreign language for me) than it was to document my native-speaker status for English.

I'm pretty sure I can use German in Austria or Switzerland, too.

Terry

[achimha]

I'm pretty sure I can use German in Austria or Switzerland, too.

Actually you can't but there have not been any reports about this being prosecuted. Only the French are reported to enforce the ICAO language proficiency regulations so far.

Note that your radio license is not related to the ICAO language proficiency. You need a radio license because the aviation radio frequencies are part of a radio band that requires a license in order to participate. It's a shame the administration was not able to derive the ICAO language level from the radio license.