Is it correct that under EASA a statement of English language proficiency is supposed to be good for all of EASA-land, but actually this is ignored in some places?
That was the intention, that having a valid ELP entry, you were ok for flying across Europe. However the French started by demanding a valid LP for French to fly to non-international airfields in France and soon Germany followed suit for flights to local airfields. It has lead to the situation in which we currently find ourselves.
Germany is a poor example here, because you are not supposed to land at any airfield in Germany that is unattended (“Flugleiterpflicht”). And as almost 99 percent of the airfields in Germany (gliding and microlight sites apart) are staffed with radio operators that are English language proficient, you shall be fine with “only” ICAO lavel 4 in English there.
Three comments:
1: This is where the AIP refers. If the current AIP shows that the language is German (e.g. on the approach chart for Borkenberge – EDLD – you can see 135.000 Ge as opposed to EDWQ which shows 118.625 En / Ge ) then the ONLY allowable Air Traffic Communication IS German.
2: I personally know some of the “Flugleiter” at various fields local to me, a large number these do speak english but they do NOT have the requisite Level Proficiency hence they will NOT speak english because:
a) there is no requirement for a Flugleiter to speak english at an airfield where the published language is German and German only.
b) Any misunderstanding between an aircraft and the Flugleiter could lead to personal consequences for the Flugleiter, should his use of a non-approved language, or his use of a language he was not proficient in, have been perceived to have caused a potential hazard.
3: Please refer to the link I posted above. Again, this is the view of the LBV Brandenburg, other regional authorities in Germany may have differing views. In their opinion, you DO require a German Language Proficiency entry in order to legally converse Air / Ground at airfields which have the specified language indicated in the AIP as “German”.
What are the likely indicators which the German or French police use to catch people?
Would they look out for non-native aircraft (e.g. N-reg, G-reg etc) flight plan filing for non-Customs airports? They need to go on something in advance because the pilot will usually disappear quickly after landing so they can’t “interview” him/her.
I can certainly avoid non-Customs airports in Germany and France (and usually do, not only because I have to fly to a Customs airport from the UK – Libourne and Peenemunde being exceptions in 2013) but many foreign pilots may want to visit some of these places.
In their opinion, you DO require a German Language Proficiency entry in order to legally converse Air / Ground at airfields which have the specified language indicated in the AIP as “German”.
Yes. Also in my opinion. But “Ge” only airfields are fairly rare compared to “Ge/En” airfields, at least in the parts of Germany where I usually fly. Again, as alread written somewhere else: If those “Ge” only airfields don’t want the business, don’t give it to them. All they have to do is to send their radio operator(s) to an English language RT course which takes less than a weekend and costs something like 200 Euros. After that, they can change their status to “Ge/En” and start collecting landing fees big size….
I doubt anybody ever got fined for not having a LP entry when landing in Germany. Never heard about it.
And while more and more German pilots get the LP level 6 for German, it is still true that the vast majority of the pilot population does not have it. You need to request a new license and pay 35 € to have it entered.
I personally know some of the “Flugleiter” at various fields local to me, a large number these do speak english but they do NOT have the requisite Level Proficiency hence they will NOT speak english because:
They do not need the LP (language proficiency), they need an English language radio license, called BZF I (VFR) or AZF (IFR) in Germany.
Also, I have to comment on the above, just to avoid people getting confused…
In reality, in Germany, the ratio between “german only” and “german+english” airfields is roughly 50/50 (just flipped through the Jepp once again to come up with the estimate). Not anywhere near 99:1.
Obviously, if one only looks at aifields with IFR / asphalt / customs, then most airfields do offer English on the radio, but that wasn’t the point.
Also, as Steve pointed out, at some of the “german only” airfields, it might be possible to find a Flugleiter who does speak English, but you can’t count on it. Only way to be sure is ask via telephone in advance (a phonecall is required anyway, for PPR in most of these cases).
Only way to be sure is ask via telephone in advance (a phonecall is required anyway, for PPR in most of these cases).
Would an affirmative reply to such a phone call absolve the pilot of the “GLP” (German language proficiency) requirement?
They do not need the LP (language proficiency), they need an English language radio license, called BZF I (VFR) or AZF (IFR) in Germany.
That may be the case but if the Flugleiter only has a BZF II….. and yes, I know quite a few who only have the BZF II….
What are the likely indicators which the German or French police use to catch people?
I have been both PIC and passenger in planes subjected to ramp checks by the BR when arriving at destinations or returning to my home base, these checks are unannounced, they don’t need a reason to demand proof that your W&B is correct, that your planning was carried out diligently and that your maps are actual.
As for the fact that nobody has been fined for not having an LP entry, to that statement I would just like to add the word yet.
Concerning the comment that most of the German airfields in the poseter’s immediate area are listed for use with Ge / En radio, I looked at the airfields within around half an hour flight of my home base (ignoring glider and ultralight fields) and, with the exception of Dusseldorf, Paderborn, Muenster / Osnabrueck and Dortmund (which are more or less “international” airports), only 3 offer English (Bielefeld, Essen, Meinerzhagen) whereas the following 23 are Ge only:
Achmer, Arsnberg, Bohmte-Bad Essen, Borkenberge, Brilon, Detmold, Dinslaken, Hamm, Haxterberg, Kamp-Lintfort, Krefeld, Leverkusen, Marl, Melle, Meschede-Schueren, Nordhorn-Lingen, Oerlinghausen, Osnabrueck-Atterheide, Porta-Westfalica, Rheine-Eschendorf, Soest, Stadtlohn, Telgte.
I can understand that in the south there could be more traffic coming from abroad – Switzerland, France, Austria, Italy etc hence airfields offering english – but here we have sufficient pilots coming over from Holland or Belgium…
Having done that list, it shows me just how fortunate we can count ourselves in Germany, with so many locations to fly to within half an hour….. if only the bureaucracy in GA could be dampened down….. 
Would an affirmative reply to such a phone call absolve the pilot of the “GLP” (German language proficiency) requirement?
“Wo kein Kläger, da kein Richter” we say in Germany (Where there is no plaintiff, there is no judge)… Legally, no phone call in the world can override an airfield’s approval. If it is German language only, then you need to be compliant. But if the tower guy tells you over the phone that he understands English well enough to bring you in, he will certainly not report you. Unless there are some French SAFA ramp inspectors on the field (but usually, they stay in their own country), you will have nothing to fear 
I’m still trying to get my LP German i to my UK EASA Licence.
( and my aero tow rating, but this is another issue).
They have software issues at CAA and can only endorse one LP.
… but the French accept the LP French on a separate piece of paper. I think it must be the same with a LP German.
