9 February 2023
Delays for private pilots flying into and out of Friedrichshafen that blighted last year’s AERO trade show have forced a rethink by the organisers. Result: new security procedures to speed up the process.
Tobias Bretzel, project manager AERO, said, “Everyone involved has learned from last year. In constructive cooperation with Friedrichshafen Airport, AOPA Germany and the authorities, we have developed a new security concept that significantly speeds up the control process for pilots and their passengers, so that they can take their return flight more quickly, but still safely.”
Many show visitors and exhibitors travel to AERO in their own or chartered aircraft. This year’s event will be held from 19 to 22 April.
The online slot booking system will be open from 10:00 on 6 April.
“There, the mandatory approach and departure slots for the trade fair period can be booked and paid for as a package in conjunction with the trade fair admission and any parking fee due,” said a statement from the event organisers.
“Pilots who are unable to take up their slot and return it online before departure will have their payment fully refunded, and the slot will be released again in the system for others. In the online booking system, the names of the passengers are entered at the time of booking – subsequent changes are also possible.
“Before departure, pilots are asked for their licence at the crew tent and it is checked. It is also checked whether passengers have been registered in advance. Passengers who are not accompanied by the pilot are denied access to the airport premises. This is to ensure that no unauthorized persons enter the airport premises and to make it easier for the authorities and the airport to track who is on the airport premises.
“A shuttle service is available for pilots and their passengers from the crew tent to their aircraft. These shuttle vehicles must be used for safety reasons and allow pilots and their passengers a comfortable transfer to their aircraft.”
Park your aircraft on the apron at Friedrichshafen and take shuttle bus to the show
A separate procedure will be offered for demo flights by AERO exhibitors with customers.
Claus-Dieter Wehr, managing director of Friedrichshafen Airport, added. “We are looking forward to AERO visitors arriving and departing by their own aircraft. We have based our procedures on the security concepts of the AERO before the pandemic. All parties involved are convinced that they have found procedures that allow for quick processing with the highest possible security.”
In addition to Friedrichshafen Airport, AERO visitors can also fly to Markdorf, Constance, Leutkirch and Mengen airfields with their own aircraft.
During the show days, Markdorf Airfield, located approximately 10km west of Friedrichshafen, will be operational from 06:00 UTC to 17:00 UTC for ultralight aircraft and gyroplanes.
Anyone flying in must obtain PPR online at www.SFG-Markdorf.de. On the AERO registration page, available from mid-February 2023, the required data will be recorded and sent by e-mail for reconfirmation by the registrant.
The Markdorf landing fee including handling, parking fees and a regular shuttle service from/to Messe Friedrichshafen is 20 euros per aircraft. As in previous years, there will be no customs clearance and no fuel available at Markdorf airfield.
1 comment
I wasn’t just the security aspects of last year’s show that were difficult. I remember all of the following, none of which particularly featured in my many previous visits:
1) Slot booking system was a joke, waiting for two hours just to get onto the booking site (mitigated by a personal phone call to me, offering free tickets for two days for all on board).
2) Held at Jersey on departure for about 1.5 hours due to a Friedrichshafen slot delay.
3) Arrival at Friedrichshafen was actually its normal no fuss, no delay, so can’t really complain there.
4) Getting to the aircraft on departure was unusually painful, having to mix with scheduled passengers, and the minibus taking a long time.
5) Fuel delivery was efficient.
6) The IFR departure was chaotic with many aircraft wishing to depart simultaneously, causing a 1 hour departure delay which brought into question our arrival back at Jersey (texting AlanM of Jersey ATC in-flight elicited the message that it would cost us £1400 for out-of-hours at Jersey😳). Saved by Paris controllers giving us direct shortcuts down the quiet airways system.