Background to the new regulation
Since April 2023, standardised principles for firefighting and rescue services at airports have applied in Germany, which were developed jointly by the federal and state governments. They are based on international ICAO guidelines, which set minimum standards for the provision of fire engines, rescue equipment and response times. While large international airports have been fulfilling these requirements for years, there have been considerable differences in the authorisations and requirements for smaller airports.
With the general ruling that has now been published, Schleswig-Holstein is one of the first federal states to adapt its existing aerodrome licences to these standards in a uniform manner. All previous references to older guidelines or Notices to Airmen (NfL) are therefore no longer valid.
Scope of application
The new requirements apply to:
- Airfields and Special landing sites according to § 49 LuftVZO
- Gliding area according to § 54 para. 2 LuftVZO
- All aerodromes that not fall under European Regulation (EU) 139/2014, i.e. primarily smaller seats outside of international scheduled and charter flights.
This particularly affects the numerous glider airfields and smaller airfields in Schleswig-Holstein, which are mainly used for general aviation.
Objectives of standardisation
The aviation authority is pursuing three key objectives with the implementation:
- Standardised safety level: Regardless of the size and location of the site, comparable minimum standards should apply everywhere. This applies in particular to the provision of suitable fire engines, trained personnel and defined deployment times in the event of an emergency.
- Clear responsibilities: Aerodrome operators are obliged to ensure proper operation at all times. This also includes providing rapid assistance in the event of an aircraft accident.
- Legal clarity: Previous decisions sometimes contained contradictory regulations or references to old requirements. These will be replaced by the new principles, creating a clear legal situation for both operators and supervisory authorities.
Practical effects on aerodromes
For larger airports, the order hardly changes anything, as they already operate according to ICAO standards. However, for smaller airports - such as glider airfields or special landing sites - the adjustment means additional organisational effort.
In future, operators must ensure that:
- Fire protection vehicles with sufficient extinguishing agent capacity are available,
- Emergency services are regularly trained,
- Alarm and deployment plans are available and regularly reviewed,
- the Operating times are dimensioned in such a way that intervention is possible within a few minutes after an accident.
The principle of proportionality applies here: the requirements are based on the volume of traffic and local conditions. This means that aerodromes with high traffic volumes or special risks can be subject to stricter requirements, while only the minimum standards apply to very small aerodromes with reduced flight operations.
Significance for general aviation
The new regulations provide increased safety for pilots in general aviation. In the past, the equipment for emergencies was very different, especially at smaller aerodromes. The standardisation ensures that quick and appropriate assistance is available in the event of an emergency - regardless of whether it is a sports aircraft, a glider or a business aircraft.
At the same time, however, the costs for the operators of small aerodromes are also increasing, as they now have to invest more in personnel, equipment and training. In the medium term, this could represent a financial burden for some gliding sites or small clubs.
International categorisation
The harmonisation follows a global trend: the ICAO stipulates minimum requirements for fire protection and rescue services for all member states. Many European countries have already implemented these requirements. With the current decree, Schleswig-Holstein is ensuring that smaller airports also achieve international comparability.
Source references:
NFL (the link requires a subscription to Eisenschmidt)