Background to the measure
For many years, major events of a political nature in Germany have been supplemented by temporary airspace regulations to ensure the protection of event participants. Federal and state authorities as well as DFS work closely together on this. For the North Sea Summit in Hamburg, it was decided to regulate air traffic both in the vicinity of the event venue and in the wider surrounding area. Such measures were already common practice at previous political meetings, NATO meetings or summits and are carried out in accordance with fixed legal requirements.
ED-R „Hamburg“: complete flight ban in the core area
The most sensitive area is covered by a temporary flight restriction area. This is legally defined as ED-R and is centred on a fixed coordinate point.
The most important opening parameters are
- Circular radius of 3 NM around the reference point in the urban area
- Vertical range from ground to flying surface 100
- Valid on 26 January 2026 from 08:00 to 23:00 UTC
All flights are prohibited within this core area. This applies to manned aircraft as well as drones and model aircraft. Only a few exceptions are permitted, such as
- State aircraft in direct connection with the event
- Mission flights by the Bundeswehr and police
- Rescue and disaster control
- Ambulance flights
- IFR flights with special safety requirements
Photo, video, survey and training flights are not permitted - even if they are conducted in accordance with instrument flight rules. VFR transit authorisations are generally not issued. Violations will be prosecuted, as this is a safety-relevant measure.
RMZ/TMZ „Hamburg“: extended monitoring in the surrounding area
A mandatory radio and transponder zone will be set up in the wider vicinity of the ED-R. The purpose of this zone is to keep air traffic under control and to facilitate safety-related enquiries in the extended airspace.
Their properties are as follows:
- Radius 12 NM around the same reference point
- Vertical range from the ground to the lower limit of airspace C Hamburg
- Valid on 26 January 2026 from 08:00 to 23:00 UTC
In contrast to the ED-R, this is not a flight ban, but a reporting and monitoring obligation. VFR pilots must:
- Use the POLICE INFO radio channel
- submit an initial report with position, altitude and intention
- Maintain permanent listening readiness
- broadcast the transponder code A6317
- report the trip out of the zone
It is important to note that even if the ground radio station does not respond, the reporting obligation still applies. The entry and exit reports must still be submitted.
The only exceptions are police, rescue and ambulance flights as well as drones and model aircraft up to 120 metres above ground. IFR flights are not affected.
Impact on general aviation
There are several practical consequences for pilots:
- Careful flight planning is essential.
- VFR visual flights around Hamburg are only permitted with radio and transponder in the above-mentioned time window.
- School, photo or training flights are prohibited in the core area and impractical in the surrounding area.
- Unmanned aircraft may not be operated at all in the ED-R and only to a limited extent in the RMZ/TMZ.
- Non-equipped aircraft (without transponder or without radio) must avoid the area.
- Flight schools and charter companies should inform customers in good time to avoid incidents.
Anyone intending to fly in or through the ED-R area must notify the police in advance and requires individual authorisation. Whether this is granted is at the discretion of the authorities.
Practical tips for preparation
The following procedure has proven effective for flight operations in such situations:
- Timely NOTAM enquiry before every take-off
- Addition of alternative areas to the route planning
- Checking the transponder including code mode
- Test radio equipment and note frequencies
- Select alternative flight days if required
- Plan VFR detours or diversions
It is also important to know that Hamburg's airspace is already comparatively structured without a summit due to control zones, approach procedures and traffic at Hamburg Airport. The additional restrictions make it even tighter for VFR traffic.
Conclusion
The North Sea Summit on 26 January 2026 will lead to significant temporary restrictions around Hamburg. The combination of ED-R and RMZ/TMZ is not unique in Germany, follows familiar safety patterns and primarily affects civil visual air traffic and unmanned aerial vehicles. For general aviation, this means one thing above all: proper preparation, reliable equipment and the timely provision of information. Those who take these points into account can avoid conflicts and remain on the safe side both legally and operationally.
Source references:
NFL (the link requires a subscription to Eisenschmidt)
