Germany Man Spricht English
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: France
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Germany Man Spricht English
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?
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?
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: QLD
Age: 35
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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
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!
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
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!
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Who cares? ;-)
Age: 74
Posts: 676
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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
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).
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: QLD
Age: 35
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
)?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...
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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
You know, German controllers had to take English classes, first were the naval controllers as you can see here
Last edited by achimha; 8th Jun 2012 at 10:43.
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Milano
Age: 53
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
I never heard of an uncontrolled airfield having a tower frequency, even in Germany. What's the tower there for?
Ciao,
Dg800
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Dublin
Posts: 2,547
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: I wouldn't know.
Posts: 4,499
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
@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.
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.
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Near Stuttgart, Germany
Posts: 1,096
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
I'd suggest calling/writing to anyone that you want to visit that is listed as GE only and see what they say.
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.
Last edited by what next; 8th Jun 2012 at 12:50.
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Milano
Age: 53
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
@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.
Last edited by Dg800; 8th Jun 2012 at 12:52.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: LKBU
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.
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.
It is total madness but that is the way EASA wants it.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Caen Normandy France
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
" 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 ?
Never heard of that ... Please more precision : where ? when ?
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: LKBU
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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?
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: I wouldn't know.
Posts: 4,499
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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).
There is a german radio operators license, however that is not a ICAO level 6 entry (level 6 since it is valid for life).
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 32°55'22"S 151°46'56"E
Age: 39
Posts: 594
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
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.