Background and legal basis
In Germany, flight restriction zones are established on the basis of Section 17 of the Air Traffic Regulations (LuftVO). This authorises the Federal Ministry of Transport to establish temporary restricted areas in airspace for safety or protection reasons. In the case of "ED-R Mahlwinkel", the measure serves to carry out military exercises or trials that take place in the Saxony-Anhalt region.
Expansion of the restricted airspace
The flight restriction area "ED-R Mahlwinkel" is clearly defined:
- Lateral limitation: Circle with a radius of 7 nautical miles around the coordinates 52°22'52" N and 11°49'21" E, with the exception of parts of the existing area ED-R 74.
- Vertical limitation: From ground level (GND) to 7,000 feet above sea level.
- Temporal effectiveness: 21 to 23 October 2025, from 06:00 UTC to sunset.
This is a large-scale closure affecting all visual air traffic over several days.
Type of restrictions
During the activation periods, all flights in this area are prohibited - this also expressly applies to the operation of model aircraft and unmanned aerial systems (drones). The only exceptions are flights that have been cleared in advance by the responsible air traffic control centre. These include
- military aircraft and flights on behalf of the Bundeswehr,
- State aircraft,
- Police flights,
- Rescue and disaster control operations,
- Ambulance flights,
- Flights according to instrument flight rules (IFR).
For VFR pilots, this effectively means an absolute ban on flying through. IFR traffic, on the other hand, can be carried out after prior clearance under the control of Langen Information.
Communication and information
Pilots can find out about the current status of the area on the frequencies 119.825 MHz and 132.650 MHz ("Langen Information"). Here you can find out whether the area is activated or whether clearance can be granted in exceptional cases.
The notice expressly points out that transit authorisations are possible in individual cases, but only under clear control and approval.
Significance for general aviation
For general aviation, especially VFR pilots in northern and central Germany, the establishment of the "ED-R Mahlwinkel" means a restriction that must be taken into account when preparing for flights. Clubs and private pilots in particular should adapt their routing in order to fly well clear of the area.
Such temporary airspace closures are not an isolated case. They are set up time and again to safeguard military exercises, safety-related trials or major events. For pilots, this shows how important it is to continuously check NOTAMs and notices to airmen (NfL) before every flight.
Conclusion
With the designation of the temporary area "ED-R Mahlwinkel", the airspace over Saxony-Anhalt will be restricted for three days. The measure emphasises the growing importance of flexible airspace structures, which on the one hand enable military and security-related activities, but on the other hand must create planning security for civil aviation.
The following applies to pilots: Anyone travelling in the Bremen flight information area in October 2025 should keep a close eye on the activation times and coordinates of this restricted area - otherwise there is not only a risk to safety, but also serious legal consequences.
Source references:
NFL (the link requires a subscription to Eisenschmidt)