Great example that additional rules tend to hurt the conscientious while they get ignored by the ones they are targeted at.
Phil,
I was planning a trip to Germany but this has really put me off.
It should not put you off at all!
Germany is one of the easiest VFR countries to fly as long as you keep to the charts and to the rules. They also have lots of VFR airspace as opposed to France or Belgium, where airspaces are extremely dense and complex. I never had a problem anywhere (in recent years) but one needs to keep to the letter and dot the i's a bit more vigorously than elsewhere, particularly at airports where there is known trouble. If you read German, eddh.de is a pretty good site to get pireps for many places.
Strict adherence to traffic patterns and departure/arrival routes is highly recommended as well as conservative flying in terms of wx and other limits (day/night) e.t.c, PPR requirements and so on, then not a lot can really happen.
In Germany, many of the known cases of abuse of the law had a personal note in it too. As a foreigner you mostly won't have problems along those lines either.
what next
Ok, noted. You have a point, I have others with them but I did tell them directly. Still, on the whole I think they are certainly the ones who are the most vigilant against the current overregulation problem and their input is really needed. I wonder how many people only woke up to impending doom from FCL and other stuff due to PuF while even the larger mags and organisations were blisfully asleep...
So you have met Erich von Däniken as well? He is indeed a very fine gent, very accessible for a "celebrity" and always open to talk and fun. I met him many times in the old days. Once I asked him something about one of his theories and he told me to give him my address he would send me some materials about it. A few days later, a huge package full of material arrived. I went to see him again when he opened his Mystery Park (which I found great btw, but which got built in the wrong country to succeed) and he personally took us around. My experience with him is that he won't rant randomly at scientists in general but he will take (justified) exception to those who attack him personally and without real argument but simply declare him insane.
Best regards Urs
