What does self-grading mean?
Normally, air traffic control ensures the necessary separation between controlled IFR flights. With self-separation, this responsibility for a specifically designated traffic is delegated to the pilot for a limited section.
The pilot must see the other traffic and ensure the separation themselves. The IFR status of the flight remains; only the responsibility for separation from this one traffic changes temporarily.
New announcement replaces the 2014 regulation
NfL 2026-1-4027 replaces the previous NfL 1-246-14. The legal basis is provided by Section 31 of the German Air Traffic Regulations (LuftVO) and SERA.8005. The announcement sets out the conditions under which air navigation service providers are permitted to apply the procedure in Germany.
The requirements
Self-grading is only permitted if all conditions are met simultaneously:
- only by day
- below FL100
- exclusively in airspace D or E
- only during climb or descent
- the pilot concerned applies for the procedure or consents
- the pilot of the other aircraft also agrees
- the application is limited in time, space or by a specific altitude
Visual contact is crucial
Visual separation requires the pilot to be able to clearly see and track the other traffic. If visual contact is lost or conditions deteriorate, ATC must be informed immediately.
The procedure is therefore expressly not a substitute for regular separation in bad weather or at higher altitudes.
Consent is voluntary
ATC cannot simply mandate self-separation. The pilot concerned must agree, as must the pilot of the other aircraft. Anyone who cannot clearly identify the traffic or is not comfortable with the situation can decline the procedure; in that case, normal ATC separation remains in place.
A classic example
A faster IFR aircraft is descending behind a slower traffic. Both are below FL100, visibility is good and the pilot of the trailing aircraft has the preceding traffic clearly in sight. Under these conditions, ATC can delegate separation responsibility for a limited segment. This makes it possible, for example, to allow a continuous descent that would not initially be possible with normal vertical separation.
What does the pilot actually take over?
The pilot assumes responsibility for maintaining a safe separation from the traffic mentioned. The remainder of the ATC clearance continues to apply. If the pilot loses sight of the traffic, they must inform ATC immediately. The air navigation service provider must establish suitable procedures and avoidance instructions for this purpose.
Why the procedure can make sense
Autonomous separation can give ATC more flexibility. If pilots maintain their own separation in good visibility conditions, unnecessary level-offs can be avoided and climbs or descents can be continued earlier. This can improve traffic flow.
No automatic roll-out everywhere
The NfL does not mean that the procedure will be applied everywhere immediately. The respective air navigation service provider must first establish its own operational procedures, inform the affected units and fulfil regulatory requirements, including a potential safety assessment.
What pilots should bear in mind
Consent to own separation should only be given if the other traffic is clearly identified and can be reliably observed. Glare, haze, clouds, a high own workload or an unfavourable background can be good reasons to refuse the procedure.
Self-separation is also not to be equated with a visual approach. It exclusively concerns the responsibility for separation from a specific traffic during a limited climb or descent phase.
Conclusion
NfL 2026-1-4027 updates the German regulatory framework for station-keeping. The procedure deliberately remains strictly limited and requires the consent of both pilots.
For IFR pilots, one thing above all is crucial: whoever accepts [it] assumes responsibility themselves for a defined section for safe separation from the traffic mentioned. Properly used, self-separation can improve traffic flow – but it should only be accepted if the other traffic can be safely observed at all times.
Source references:
NFL
