Background to the measure
Flight restriction areas, known internationally as "ED-R" ("Restricted Area"), serve to protect civil aviation from dangers posed by military exercises, technical trials or safety-critical ground facilities. They are an important part of German airspace management and are regularly updated.
The regulation that has now been published introduces a number of new or adapted areas and thus creates more transparency and safety for air traffic. It is particularly important to emphasise that there are exceptions for IFR flights (instrument flight rules) in most cases, as these are directly managed and monitored by air traffic control.
General regulations for ED-R areas
Flying through areas with flight restrictions is generally prohibited unless special conditions are met. These include, for example
- express authorisation from the Federal Supervisory Authority for Air Navigation Services (BAF),
- a clearance from the responsible air traffic control centre,
- authorisation from the military user of the area,
- or prior agreement for rescue flights.
DFS can also announce changes at short notice, such as a reduction in effectiveness or an adjustment to the altitude separation, via NOTAM. For pilots, this means that an up-to-date briefing is mandatory before every flight.
New and customised areas at a glance
ED-R 1 (Garching)
- Radius: 0.8 nm around the point 48°16'07''N / 11°40'28''E
- Vertical: GND up to 3600 ft MSL
- Temporal effectiveness: 24 h daily
- Special feature: IFR flights excluded
ED-R 3 (Geesthacht/Krümmel)
- Radius: 1.1 nm around the point 53°24'25''N / 10°25'10''E
- Vertical: GND up to 2200 ft MSL
- Effectiveness: 24 hours a day
- IFR flights excluded
ED-R 4 (Wannsee, Berlin)
- Boundary: Sector with a radius of approx. 2 nm south-west of Berlin
- Vertical: GND up to 2200 ft MSL
- Effectiveness: 24 hours a day
- IFR flights excluded
ED-R 5 (Biblis)
- Radius: 0.8 nm around the point 49°42'34''N / 08°24'56''E
- Vertical: GND up to 2300 ft MSL
- Effectiveness: 24 hours a day
- IFR flights excluded
ED-R 6 (Brokdorf)
- Radius: 0.8 nm around the point 53°51'08''N / 09°20'42''E
- Vertical: GND up to 2000 ft MSL
- Effectiveness: 24 hours a day
- IFR flights excluded
ED-R 7 (Brunsbüttel)
- Radius: 0.8 nm around the point 53°53'33''N / 09°12'11''E
- Vertical: GND up to 2000 ft MSL
- Effectiveness: 24 hours a day
- IFR flights excluded
ED-R 8 (Emsland)
- Radius: 0.8 nm around the point 52°28'19''N / 07°19'16''E
- Vertical: GND up to 2100 ft MSL
- Effectiveness: 24 hours a day
- IFR flights excluded
ED-R 10 (Todendorf-Putlos)
- Extensive military training area on the Baltic coast
- Several sectors with different height limits
- Partly until 40,000 ft MSL active
- Effective time: Monday 07:00 UTC to Saturday 14:00 UTC (except public holidays)
- If necessary, the upper limit of individual sectors will be raised to 40,000 ft at short notice, recognisable by NOTAMs
Practical implications for general aviation
For most of the smaller ED-R areas, the new regulation means that VFR pilots will have to be more careful near the ground. Glider and microlight pilots in northern Germany (Brunsbüttel, Brokdorf, Emsland) and in the Rhine-Main area (Biblis, Garching) in particular will have to adapt their flight preparation.
The large restricted area Todendorf-Putlos primarily affects the Baltic coast. Extensive military firing exercises are planned here. Due to the altitude separation up to 40,000 feet, this area is also relevant for IFR scheduled flights, which are rerouted in coordination with air traffic control.
Significance in an international context
The establishment of such areas is in line with international standards. Many countries maintain comparable restricted areas, particularly in the vicinity of nuclear power plants, defence facilities and military training areas. With the new regulation, Germany is aiming for greater clarity and standardised federal requirements.
Conclusion
With the new ED-R areas, which will come into force from October 2025, the Federal Ministry of Transport is creating more safety for civil aviation. However, pilots must be prepared for additional restrictions and careful flight planning. For general aviation in particular, it is crucial to consistently include the daily updated NOTAMs and the status of the restricted areas in flight preparations.
Source references:
NFL (the link requires a subscription to Eisenschmidt)