@dublinpilot – thanks, thats what i meant.
with regard to doing german radio communication without a radio licence allowing that could become an issue. but indeed, i never heard about anyone getting busted for this neither.
I (trained in Switzerland) understood the rules that the English profiency check does not allow for talking German on the radio.
Years ago I had an interesting exchange about doing German radio without the language proficiency check in German, but having the German RT. (Background on that: I had a UK issued EASA-licence at that time and the UK CAA didn’t put any non-English language proficiency on the licence.)
LBA’s bottom line was that you could do German radio calls provided you have a RT which explicitly allows for that; but having the German language proficiency check wasn’t a factor as long as an English LP was on the licence.
And this seems in-line with EASA FCL55:
FCL.055 Language proficiency
(a) General. Aeroplane, helicopter, powered-lift and airship pilots required to use the radio telephone shall not exercise the privileges of their licences and ratings unless they have a language proficiency endorsement on their licence in either English or the language used for radio communications involved in the fligh.
So it is really “just” about the RT licence allowing for German radio calls (although apparently someone who is able to get the German RT licence should somehow be at least at Level 4, how else to pass the exam……..)
Remember from Switzerland you need some airport with customs anyway and I guess nearly all of those will also do English radio.
Actually English is (was) the primary language used in radio calls in Switzerland. However that rule got changed again and it seems one can do RT in French or German again, next to English; at least on the smaller airfields.
Side note: Despite the (potential) issues about multiple languages used on the same frequency, I experienced that when flying to a smaller French-speaking airfield in CH, the other pilots immediately turned from French to English once they noticed my English radio calls.
There were rumours that some Luxembourg pilots got into trouble for using French on the radio (flying to French-only A/A aerodromes). So first I got a letter from the French CAA that I’m allowed to use French on the radio (valid in France only), by swearing in writing on my honour that French is my native language. Then with that letter I got the Luxembourg CAA to put a French LP6 in my licence.
MikeWhiskey wrote:
But calling the airfield could help; maybe they have someone who can do the radio communication in English…..
Radio communication at uncontrolled airfields is primarily meant for aircraft to aircraft alignment and situational awareness.
It is completely unclear to me how a call to someone at the airfield could change the fact that other pilots there need you to talk German. It sounds a bit like the (unfortunately common) mindset of “the Flugleiter must not tell me anything but if he tells me something I like to hear I’m more than happy to accept him as authority”.
Therefore in al clarity: A Flugleiter in Germany does not have the authority to overrule regulations made in the AIP if it is not for the prevention of an imminent danger. He can’t allow you to fly to the field without fulfilling the language requirements, he can’t allow you to do radio comms in Englisch if the Frequency is “German only” and he can’t allow you to fly a different pattern if one is prescribed in the AIP.
To the original question: To do radio comms in German language you need some kind of language certification. Could be BZF I/II or German language proficiency. BZF E (English only) and English language proficiency is not enough – same rule as in France with French only frequencies.
Malibuflyer wrote:
To the original question: To do radio comms in German language you need some kind of language certification. Could be BZF I/II or German language proficiency. BZF E (English only) and English language proficiency is not enough –same rule as in France with French only frequencies.
I’ve just corrected that for you.
I know nothing of the German rules/regs, but there is absolutely nothing in the French rules/regs to say you need French language licence certification for a Fr-only aerodrome…only that you must use French on the radio.
lionel wrote:
There were rumours that some Luxembourg pilots got into trouble for using French on the radio (flying to French-only A/A aerodromes). So first I got a letter from the French CAA that I’m allowed to use French on the radio (valid in France only), by swearing in writing on my honour that French is my native language
Just rumours, if someone is fined I am sure $$ evidences will show on the front AOPA pages 
In your case, native French speaker, it’s not about being allowed under some letter, you need to speak French malgres toi, c’est obligatoire (French pilots have to speak French under the law), it’s a tough situation
But calling the airfield could help; maybe they have someone who can do the radio communication in English…..
Radio communication at uncontrolled airfields is primarily meant for aircraft to aircraft alignment and situational awareness
Correct, that was meant as a workaround for the OP to land at an airfield which is limited to German only.
At these uncontrolled airfields the airfield operator is setting the rules (not discussing whether these makes sense). So when they can bring someone with ELP4 than that might be a workaround.
To the original question: To do radio comms in German language you need some kind of language certification. Could be BZF I/II or German language proficiency. BZF E (English only) and English language proficiency is not enough
That is not 100% correct. As I wrote above a German RT licence would be required, not necessarily the LP4 in German (although in real life that might go in tandem).
And to be clear, what I wrote above was with regard to German regulation, and not regarding France (they might have different rules as, AFAIK, RT stuff is a regional regulation and not EASA-regulated).
EDIT: Of course the OP, as well as the other pilots flying at the airfield, should be able to understand the position reports (and whathever reports) to get an appropriate situational awareness.
On one hand the smaller German airfields might not be that busy (?) and more importantly understanding the other radio calls might well be possible without German LP4 in the licence.
MikeWhiskey wrote:
Bottom line: Unfortunately no. But calling the airfield could help;
yeah what he said. I also have BZF English Only. I visited German only airfields before but each time I called in advance and askem them if that was okay.
Ibra wrote:
In your case, native French speaker, (…) you need to speak French malgres toi, c’est obligatoire (French pilots have to speak French under the law)
I’m not French. However, I usually speak French on the radio in France anyway. After a few minutes, the controller usually forgets I contacted hir in French and addresses me in English.
lionel wrote:
I’m not French. However, I usually speak French on the radio in France anyway. After a few minutes, the controller usually forgets I contacted hir in French and addresses me in English
The law never clarified it’s scope, for sure an AF Captain, French citizen flying to CDG will have to speak French
I don’t think anyone received a fine but it was well policed by AF union not DGAC
lionel wrote:
I’m not French. However, I usually speak French on the radio in France anyway. After a few minutes, the controller usually forgets I contacted hir in French and addresses me in English.
Im not French, I usually speak to controllers in English, but I have the reverse problem… Usually the controller forgets I contact him/her in English and they address me in French… 
