That conclusion is simply not true. Yes, German CAA offices (most local ones for smaller airfields, not the LBA) might not have any authority on G-reg aircraft and/or UK pilot papers, but they can request all pilots to have a German radio certificate, which you can also obtain separately from your ICAO license. Germany has here some non-standard rules, which differ from ICAO standards. This is exactly a painful thing, as each country can introduce some additional rules, like this Flugleiter mandatory thing in Germany as well. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t agree with this requirement at all (in my opinion entire Europe should be English-only), however, I just want to point out the legal requirements inside Germany (and Austria, as they have also some German-only aerodromes).
And no, most countries don’t have an additional radio operator privilege. That’s why you can legally operate radios in French in France, Italian in Italy, Spanish in Spain etc. as long as you have a valid English language proficiency entered in your ICAO license.
Again, chances to get prosecuted are extremely low. Especially if you operate radios in English, which most German-only airfields tolerate, at least in Germany. I’m however not familiar with the situation in Austria.
Frans wrote:
like this Flugleiter mandatory thing in Germany as well
You are mixing “airfield rules” with “licensing rules” (G-reg is flown on UK papers under ICAO, it’s radio panels, feet carpets and headset microphones are always attached to the UK soil and UK regulations when it comes to pilot, radio, aircraft papers)
This is no different from France (or Zimbabwe), someone in N-reg can operate radio and speak French in ‘FR-only airfields’ (or Zambian), the DGAC (or Zambia CAA) can’t do nothing about it and they just have to get on with it, the local pilots may not like it neither but they have to just swallow it under ICAO, maybe less so now with requirement for dual local papers for resident operators 
Frans wrote:
And no, most countries don’t have an additional radio operator privilege
Some do as I said UK FRTOL & US FCC are separated Radio Operator Certificates and they have to be accepted by LBA in lieu of BZF Radio Operator Certificate, I would agree with you on F-reg as DGAC/PTT do not give separate RT paper (the BZF paper is likely obligatoire)
Again we are not talking language proficiency but radio privileges !
Why would any Fr.only airfield object to anyone talking French? It’s a language Fr. not a nationality thing.
gallois wrote:
Why would any Fr.only airfield object to anyone talking French?
Of course, you need to talk French in FR-Only airfields, you have to to be legal
The context is that no one objects to you talking French on Zambian PPL while in Zambian aircraft (on Zambian papers you won’t have “French LP +Level 4” on your PPL issued by DGAC and you don’t have French Radio Operator certificate issued by French Post Telephone and Telegraph Office, however as you are fully ICAO compliant, you can still talk French on radio in Zambian aircraft using Zambian PPL if you are fluent in French without any additional papers)
In Zambian PPL, you have Bemba and English written somewhere plus maybe separate paper for RT operator privilege, the radio privilege (in ANY language) is automatically included in that ICAO license if it’s associated with ICAO aircraft reg…
The talk about the pilot having BZF required on top of his Zambian papers is simply nonsense (even if you are not fluent in German, under ICAO, you can legally bring interpreters who is German fluent and holds radio operator certificate to speak on your behalf and fly to German-only airfields)
Am I the only pilot reading this thinking “whatever the law, what happened to airmanship?”
I’m a lucky chap in that English is my first language. That doesn’t mean that I don’t learn or have written down a few circuit position words if I’m visiting a small aerodrome in Europe where the locals may not understand English. If I hear the local language spoken I will possibly use English first, then the local language phrase or even have my multi-lingual GF/partner say something on the radio in the local language if it helps situational awareness for me and others. At the very least locals will hear there is a dodgy foreigner approaching their aerodrome and keep a good lookout or even keep clear for 5 mins while I land or take off!!
I’d rather break the law and be alive than be dead…
Regards, SD..
@skydriller
+1
skydriller wrote:
I’d rather break the law and be alive than be dead…
In normal flight, if you speak French in FR only airfields you are not breaking any law, you are complying wit it (contrary to some beleifs, the law is that you speak French in FR airfields without even holding DGAC license with French radio exam)
Now when security is compromised even if you don’t speak French you are not breaking the law neither, in France, you can legally speak any language on radio if you are about to die, even Creole works if it’s the right thing to do for safety in Wallis-Fatuna, you only break the law if you speak Creole or English in ‘FR Only’ airport without safety justification: no one is in tower or circuit in sunny day
If you are ICAO compliant, there is zero mention in French laws that you need a French license or French radio exam or endorsement to speak French on radio in ‘French Only’ airports, the same there is zero mention in German laws that some US aircraft flown with FAA PPL need BZF to speak German on radio in ‘German Only’…these associations are done mostly by some pilots in their heads based on restrictive views of the laws and limited understanding of ICAO standards
Things gets very ridiculous when we claim that German citizen who is native German speaker can’t fly US N-reg aircraft to his ‘German only airfield’ as he does not have German BZF printed or attached to his FAA PPL: the Flugleiter will ground him, LBA and small German Offices will throw him into prison cells without handing him to the FAA and US Feds for a fair trial
Sprinkle any radio calls in French with a few of these filler words and everything will be ok. You may even get FLP6
Pronunciations please.. The Germans and Brits will pronounce ‘hein’ as something that a Frenchman may not understand
Actually…for French, there is a magic word… one word, one single word that is good for most stuations – but be carefully how you use it :
