The European Championships, which will be held in ten cities across six German states, including the majority of matches in North Rhine-Westphalia, will begin in Munich and culminate in the final in Berlin. This international event requires extensive security measures, including the establishment of temporary flight restriction areas, known as ED-Rs (restricted areas).
Planning and coordination of flight restrictions
The temporary flight restrictions are activated by NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen), an internationally standardised method for informing aviation personnel about significant changes in airspace or at airports. Police Director Martin Landgraf from the Baden-Württemberg Police Helicopter Squadron explained the planned airspace restrictions in detail at AERO 2024. These plans are not only being carried out locally, but also in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Defence and the Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport. The official announcements and details of the restrictions will be published in the "Nachrichten für Luftfahrer" (NfL) from calendar week 17.
Differentiated security levels
Depending on the current safety assessment, there are three safety levels for the flight restriction areas:
- Level 1: ED-R with a radius of 2 NM (nautical miles) exclusively for unmanned flying objects, without restrictions for manned aviation.
- Level 2: ED-R with a radius of 3 NM for visual flight, supplemented by a TMZ/RMZ (Transponder Mandatory Zone/Radio Mandatory Zone) with a radius of 12 NM.
- Level 3: More comprehensive restrictions with an ED-R of 30 NM radius for visual flight.
Special regulations and preparation for flight operations
The ED-Rs will be activated around three hours before the start of the match, with scheduled match times at 15:00, 18:00 and 21:00, which means that the airspace can largely be used normally in the morning hours. Special regulations apply to instrument flight rules (IFR): IFR flights are only permitted if they lead to or from an aerodrome that is certified in accordance with Annex 17 of the ICAO.
Significance for the aviation community
Martin Landgraf, who is an active private pilot himself, emphasised that the safety measures are necessary, although efforts are being made to keep the restrictions as minimal as possible. He encouraged all pilots to prepare their flights carefully and to check all relevant NOTAMs in order to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings.
The European Football Championship is a challenge, but also an opportunity to demonstrate flexibility and co-operation between aviation authorities and the aviation community to ensure safety and fairness for all involved.
Source references:
Aviation magazine