Is there any special procedure for a change from VFR to IFR when the departure is from uncontrolled airfield in Germany? Ie. in the Czech Republic one is supposed to make a phone call to FIS prior to the departure (see ENR 1.1). I searched the German AIP but haven't noticed anything similar.
No prior phone call required.
Depart, stay in VMC, call FIS once airborne and request the IFR pickup.
At some uncontrolled fields, the person manning the frequency of the field might volunteer to call FIS if you tell them on the radio while still on the ground that you are on a Z-plan. They will then get back to you with an initial transponder code and the radar (not FIS) frequency to call once airborne.
The radar controller will then already expect you and you will not have to call FIS first. However, this is rather the exception and not the rule. Most local frequencies will just wish you a good flight upon receiving the Z-plan information.
At some uncontrolled fields...
At many uncontrolled fields, especially those with few movements, the radio operator can even get the full IFR clearance for you. Just talk about the usual (local) procedure with him while you pay your landing fee.
And usually it is not necessary to fly to your pickup point before getting your IFR clearance. Just call radar when airborne just as you would when flying from a controlled field. They usually will say something like "IFR starts when passing 3000ft, when passing 4000ft fly direct XYZ" which will be 10 waypoints ahead of your intended pickup point!
Actually, small correction Honzo- you are required to make this call only in "sector Cechy" which covers western part of the Czech Republic, not the whole country. This rule was introduced only about 3 years ago blaming too high volume of IFR traffuc poping-up. No comment.
You need a valid Flight Plan and know the MRVA for the area. If the ovc clouds are lower than the MRVA you cannot fly "Z" legally. Then you would have to depart VFR and try to find a way to get on top into controlled airspace for IFR pickup.
Take-off, call ATC with your position and report "standing by for IFR pick-up". That's more or less it.
You HAVE TO STAY IN VMC until you are officially IFR! (ATC will say "IFR starts at ...")
You HAVE TO STAY IN VMC until you are officially IFR! (ATC will say "IFR starts at ...")
Nice theory but you should also mention what the reality in Germany looks like. Somebody might actually believe that this is how it is done here.
Every German IFR pilot is issued magic goggles that make cloud completely transparent when descending below or climbing to MRVA. Also, the radio licence test includes having to say "Visual ground contact, request cancel IFR" without undue hesitation or turning red in the face.
For those not familiar why this is the case: MRVA can be quite high - it is at least 500ft above the base of Class E, which means at least 1,500ft AGL, and in wide areas at least 3,000ft AGL, where they take ground level as the highest point over a rather large-ish area.
A sensible concept when vectoring IFR traffic; completely impractical for IFR/VFR transitions. Hopefully SERA will get rid of it.
Hopefully SERA will get rid of it.
I doubt it. SERA will require Germany to accept IFR in class G. But as you say, the MRVA is at least 500 ft above the base of the class E, so you're still in class E and need to either maintain VMC or adhere to your ATC clearance.
I doubt it. SERA will require Germany to accept IFR in class G. But as you say, the MRVA is at least 500 ft above the base of the class E, so you're still in class E and need to either maintain VMC or adhere to your ATC clearance.
It is still unclear what Germany is going to do about SERA's IFR in G. There is hope that it will be accepted. MRVA is completely unrelated. Class E starts at very low levels in Germany (1500-2500ft AGL) and IFR is allowed in E. Enroute ATC in Germany (and most other Western countries) means radar service that is what MRVA means. For terminal ATC, radar coverage is not required.
So after SERA when IFR in G or E below, there will be no ATC, just like there is no ATC in the UK when you're doing IFR in G.
The fact that Germany has class E almost everywhere is actually a positive side effect of no IFR in G. For where E is not possible (radio contact must be possible), Germany invented the non ICAO conformant class F which is actually not a bad thing. Class E is much better than class G when it comes to services available. Theoretically, Germany could use SERA to declare everything below FL100 as G and reduce the service level to GA to the bare minimum like the UK.
The only real operational problem with German airspace today is the change of flight rules. In the real world, it works very well but it is a little bit dirty. Radar coverage in Germany is excellent and typically you get "identified" within 30 seconds from departing from your VFR aerodrome. Even though there is no official separation yet ("IFR starts when passing 5600ft"), you get separation. Compare that to the UK where you are legal but without a flight plan and no radar service.
In conclusion, today's restriction on IFR in G is mostly an issue for foreign IFR pilots. Local pilots learn how to deal with flight rule changes after they get their IR ticket. I'm all for changing it. EU harmonization is a good thing most of the time.
If you can try to organize a radar frequency before departure. FIS might not be available at some times and you might be stuck without a frequency for the pick up.
