The Federal Supervisory Authority for Air Navigation Services has republished the German rules for so-called visual departures. These are IFR departures where a pilot may deviate wholly or partially from a published instrument departure procedure under visual meteorological conditions. Among other things, the prerequisites are that the pilot can maintain visual contact with the ground up to a specified altitude and can ensure obstacle clearance themselves. The new NfL 2026-1-4035 replaces the previous regulation from 2025 and applies

The Federal Supervisory Office for Air Navigation Services has republished the German rules on self-separation. The procedure allows ATC, under clearly defined conditions, to temporarily transfer responsibility for the separation between two aircraft to the pilots. This is only permitted during the day, below FL100, in airspace D or E, and during a climb or descent. Both pilots involved must agree.

To acquire a towing rating for a powered microlight aircraft, under the currently applicable Air Traffic Personnel Regulation (Luftverkehrs-Personalverordnung), at least 30 flight hours as pilot-in-command of powered microlight aircraft are required. Flight experience on classic aeroplanes cannot currently replace this requirement – not even if the applicant already holds a PPL and an aeroplane towing rating. In practice, a previous regulation still occasionally causes misunderstandings. The legal situation is now, however, unambiguous. The

The Federal Supervisory Office for Air Traffic Control (BAF) has comprehensively updated German procedures for loss of radio communication. The new notice comes into effect on 9 July 2026, replacing the previous regulation from the spring of 2026. The aim is to provide IFR pilots with clear and uniform instructions for action in one of the most critical events in instrument flight – the complete loss of radio communication. Approaches via RNAV-STARs and aerodrome-specific procedures for major German airports are particularly affected.

With effect from 23 July 2026, new procedures from DFS Aviation Services GmbH (DAS) for low visibility flight operations will come into force at several German commercial airports. The new notice replaces the previous regulation from 2024 and describes in detail how Low Visibility Procedures (LVP), Low Visibility Take-offs (LVTO), the protection of ILS facilities, and instrument approaches will be carried out in the future. Although there will be no fundamental changes in the cockpit for IFR pilots, nevertheless

From July 2026, DFS Aviation Services will be introducing new procedures for so-called reduced runway separation at the airports it manages. The aim of this measure is to utilise existing infrastructure more efficiently and increase the capacity at regional and commercial airports without compromising safety. Under clearly defined conditions, the new regulations will permit shorter distances between aircraft operating on the same runway. For General Aviation, this brings

With effect from 15 June 2026, the Federal Ministry of Transport has established two new temporary flight restriction zones within the Bremen flight information region. The areas „ED-R Eickhofer Heide“ and „ED-R Siedener Moor“ will be active initially until the end of the year and are intended to secure flight demonstrations and special aviation activities. For general aviation pilots, this means additional attention during flight preparation, as significant restrictions on air traffic will apply during the activation periods. The measure highlights

With the publication of NfL 2026-1-3812, the Federal Ministry of Transport has announced an up-to-date interpretation by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the operation of N-registered aircraft with European Part-FCL licences. The publication does not introduce new regulations; rather, it essentially confirms a legal opinion that has been held by many aviation law experts for years. For pilots, aircraft owners, and operators, the announcement primarily creates greater legal certainty regarding the conditions under which N-registered aircraft can be operated within Europe.

DFS German Air Traffic Control is introducing a new, standardised nationwide start-up procedure for instrument flights with effect from 9 July 2026. The aim of the regulation is to improve the management of traffic flows at controlled airports and to ensure more efficient use of aprons and taxiways. In future, pilots of IFR flights will only be required to request their approach clearance once it has been confirmed that the engines can actually be started within a few minutes. The change may seem insignificant at first glance, but it is

With a new announcement, the Federal Ministry of Transport has adapted the procedures for converting older national pilot licenses to the current European legal situation. The new regulation concerns aeroplane, helicopter, glider, motor glider and balloon pilots who are still holders of historical German airman's certificates or national licenses. At the same time, the conversion procedures that were previously in force from several earlier publications are being replaced. The new version creates more clarity for affected pilots regarding the prerequisites that must be met today in order to have national qualifications.

The Federal Aviation Office has published a comprehensively revised regulation on the continued airworthiness of national aircraft. The new notice replaces several previous regulations and, for the first time, creates a consolidated basis for the application of European maintenance rules to German aircraft that do not fall under regular EASA approval. For owners of historic aircraft, homebuilt aircraft, certain special categories, and other nationally approved aircraft, this results in important clarifications regarding maintenance, airworthiness checks, approvals, and responsibilities. The changes do not affect

In a recent announcement, the Federal Ministry of Transport has re-regulated the use of unmanned aerial systems by authorities and organisations with security tasks in control zones. The specifications create a clear legal and operational framework for drone flights by police, fire services, and other emergency forces in particularly sensitive airspaces. The aim is to ensure the operational capability of these systems without endangering the safety of manned air traffic.

With new principles, the Federal Ministry of Transport has re-regulated the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles in control zones of German airfields. The aim is to reconcile the increasing use of drones with the requirements of manned air traffic. The regulation creates a clear structure for the use of UAS in sensitive airspace for the first time and defines uniform procedures for permissions, operating limits and responsibilities.

With a recent publication, the German Air Navigation Services (DFS) has comprehensively updated and clarified the procedures for flight operations in low visibility conditions in Germany. The regulations specifically concern the protection of ILS systems, the execution of instrument approaches, and take-off procedures in restricted visibility. The aim is to further enhance the safety and stability of flight operations under challenging weather conditions, while simultaneously creating clear, standardised procedures for pilots and air traffic control.

With a recent publication, the procedures for radio communication failure in German airspace have been comprehensively revised and specified. The new regulations define detailed procedures for instrument flights, particularly in connection with modern RNAV procedures, standard approaches, and aerodrome-specific characteristics. The aim is to increase the predictability of flight behaviour in airspace and further improve safety in an already critical situation.

The entry into force of the new airspace structure on 19 March 2026 will result in several significant changes for general aviation in Switzerland. The focus will be on adjustments around Bern Airport, in particular a new instrument approach to runway 32, as well as further developments in the complex airspaces of Sion and Zurich. The changes also affect gliding, particularly in the Jura. The following article highlights the most important changes, categorises them in operational terms and

Many European pilots fly aircraft with US registration, recognisable by the registration prefix „N“. This practice has been common in general aviation for years, for example for business jets, certain aircraft types or owners who have registered their aircraft in the USA for regulatory or operational reasons. A recent communication from the European Aviation Safety Agency and the German Federal Ministry of Transport now points to an important interpretation by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). According to this

Airworthiness directives are among the most important instruments of flight safety. They oblige owners and operators of aircraft to implement safety-relevant changes, inspections or modifications within specified deadlines. In Europe, the procedure for publishing and implementing such instructions has changed significantly in recent years. Whereas in the past, national authorities often transposed airworthiness directives into national law themselves, instructions from the European Aviation Safety Agency now also apply directly in Germany. The German Federal Aviation Authority has

In German airspace, there are frequent situations in which two aircraft come unexpectedly close to each other. Such incidents are referred to as AIRPROX - Aircraft Proximity - and are considered important indicators of potential safety risks in air traffic. In a new announcement, the Federal Supervisory Authority for Air Navigation Services has updated the official reporting channel for such incidents. In future, reports will be made via the European Aviation Reporting Portal, which will also make them part of the European occurrence reporting system