Question about transition VFR to NVFR, Specific to Germany

In short; don’t.

First of all, it might cast a bad shadow on your pre-flight planning if your flight ends up ending in the night, and you then at the last moment frantically try to file a flightplan with either FIS or ATC (an abbreviated flightplan will not do, you need a “full” one).

Also, in practice, most FIS units close in the evening time, so might not be available fot that. And ATC (“Radar” in Germany) will hate you for an airfile.

So, whenever you see a remote possibliity your flight might end up in official night, simply file a VFR flightplan. Takes seconds with tools like Skydemon (and only two minutes by phone with the AIS).

boscomantico wrote:

In short; don’t.

First of all, it might cast a bad shadow on your pre-flight planning if your flight ends up ending in the night, and you then at the last moment frantically try to file a flightplan with either FIS or ATC (an abbreviated flightplan will not do, you need a “full” one).

Also, in practice, most FIS units close in the evening time, so might not be available fot that. And ATC (“Radar” in Germany) will hate you for an airfile.

So, whenever you see a remote possibliity your flight might end up in official night, simply file a VFR flightplan. Takes seconds with tools like Skydemon (and only two minutes by phone with the AIS).

Makes sense. Thanks.

italianjon wrote:

3) Does anyone have experience of this, that they can share?

Thanks

I had a similar experience a few weeks back when the blood moon was in the sky and decided to do a night flight to have a proper look at it. I found no real issue with taking off during daylight – maybe 10 minutes before sunset – and flying night VFR. Once airborne, I was handed off to Radar whose only comment was ‘fly as filed, FL 050’. Very enjoyable, very easy to fly – except for being targeted with a laser on the final approach into Paderborn…..

What disappointed me is that I had a GoPro running externally which recorded my GPS position so I could easily identify my location when I was targeted as well as the source of the laser, allowing the police to gain a fairly good location of the Richard Cranium but they didn’t seem too interested…..

Steve6443 wrote:

but they didn’t seem too interested…..