It’s been suggested that most ban it. The UK allows it – as is well known. Germany doesn’t allow it.
I recall somebody researching this a few years ago and finding that actually most in Europe do not prohibit it explicitly, therefore it is legal.
The SERA rules are supposed to legalise it everywhere but we are now seeing most countries doing various forms of rearguard actions to frustrate the very very few EASA initiatives that are actually useful.
You should also consider “how much uncontrolled airspace is there”. Germany has almost none, you cannot even do a legal VFR pleasure flight without entering controlled airspace (which is E in most countries, i.e. does not require approval).
The “IFR OCAS ban” in Germany only affects departure and arrivals at VFR aerodromes. That is the theory, in real life it does not, departure into IMC before getting a clearance and arrival via DIY IFR is standard practise in Germany. If it weren’t, there would be more pressure to lift that stupid ban but most pilots seem to be content and just do their thing.
Well, obviously, providing you don’t do “IVFR” near any airport, so that nobody can see you do it, and providing you have enough money to hire a competent lawyer (say, €10k for 1-2 days’ work) there is zero chance of getting successfully prosecuted.
That is how instrument-competent (usually IMC Rated) Brits have been flying around Europe for decades. Enroute, nobody can see you. You just don’t get access to nice high altitudes, so usually can’t reach VMC on top, so need to pick the wx carefully to not get iced up, etc. Which is why Senecas and Aztecs are so good for VFR touring 
But that isn’t my question 
Also, how they make it work at Egelsbach, reportedly departing into say OVC005, I don’t know.
Achim,
what do you mean “almost none”? As far as I know there’s airspace G everywhere in Germany below E, and if you really want you can cross the whole country in uncontrolled airspace below 1000 ft AGL with the exception of cities etc.
As far as I know there’s airspace G everywhere in Germany below E, and if you really want you can cross the whole country in uncontrolled airspace below 1000 ft AGL with the exception of cities etc.
Germany is like Russia, there are almost no cities, right? The 2000ft AGL rule applies to a very large part of the republic.
Denmark has IFR in G.
You can avoid the towns easily, and little villages can be overflown in 500 ft AGL, AFAIK.
If I remmeber correctly the minimum height is 500 ft AGL outside of cities and towns, and since Airspace E mostly starts at 1700 ft AGL or even 2500 ft AGL it’s not really a problem to fly in airspace G. The rule for all areas outside towns and cities is 1000 ft above the highest obstacle in a radious of 600 m. I’ve flown through all of Germany in bad weather under low clouds like that.
I’ve flown through all of Germany in bad weather under low clouds like that.
When I was younger, I have flown all of Germany in bad weather inside low clouse like that. Following the motorways on the GNS430 moving map, because where there are motorways, there are no mountains (there are not many motorway tunnels in Germany…). But I’m older now and won’t do it again, promised
You can avoid the towns easily, and little villages can be overflown in 500 ft AGL, AFAIK.
Have a look at the German law: § 6 LuftVO. It requires you to fly 2000ft AGL unless there is a valid reason that prevents you from maintaining that altitude. You are not allowed to fly across Germany at 1500ft AGL when the weather is nice. The 2000ft AGL rule is a difference from SERA that Germany is going to keep.
Have a look at the German law: § 6 LuftVO.
Yes. But read also para (3) of that law “Überlandflüge in einer geringeren Höhe als 600 Meter (2000 Fuß) über Grund oder Wasser dürfen unter Beachtung der Vorschriften der Absätze 1 und 2 angetreten oder durchgeführt werden, wenn die Einhaltung sonstiger Vorschriften und Festlegungen nach dieser Verordnung, insbesondere die Einhaltung der Luftraumordnung nach § 10, der Sichtflugregeln nach § 28 oder von Flugverkehrskontrollfreigaben, eine geringere Höhe erfordert.”
This means that you can fly lower than 2000ft, if for example maintaining VFR rules makes it necessary. So with clouds at 1000ft, you can legally fly at 999ft all across Germany. Really!
Wrong. Read the whole text!
Über Städten, anderen dicht besiedelten Gebieten, Industrieanlagen, Menschenansammlungen, Unglücksorten sowie Katastrophengebieten beträgt die Sicherheitsmindesthöhe mindestens 300 Meter (1.000 Fuß) über dem höchsten Hindernis in einem Umkreis von 600 Metern, in allen übrigen Fällen 150 Meter (500 Fuß) über Grund oder Wasser.
If necessary for operational reasosn it is legal to fly a minimum of 500 ft AGL
Don’t want to bore our english friends with all details, but if you read the text again you will see that while they first write 2000 ft AGL they later write that less than 600 ft AGL down to a minium of 500 ft AGL is legal if necessary. If you don’t fly directly over towns and there’s low clouds you can legally fly at 500 ft AGL.
