Airfield festivals in Germany: small air shows at public-use airfields

No shuttle bus from parking lot P7, no security check, no fence 300 meters away: if you visit an airfield festival for the first time, you are often surprised how close you get to the aircraft. A Bücker stands next to the bratwurst stand, the pilot of the aerobatic plane explains the smoke system to you, and the biplane taxis to the start right in front of you. Airfield festivals are the small, approachable air shows in the German aviation calendar. This guide shows you what to expect, how to find the dates, which rules apply to the displays and how to get the most out of a festival day with propeller aircraft.

Airfield festival: the short answer

An airfield festival is a public event at a small airfield, usually organized by the local air sports club. The program combines aircraft on display on the ground (static display), displays in the air (flying display), sightseeing flights, gliding taster offers and a festival atmosphere for families. Some festivals are cozy club afternoons with a handful of aircraft, others grow into fly-ins with many visiting aircraft from Germany and abroad.

For spotters, these events are interesting for three reasons: you get very close to the aircraft, you see types that almost never show up at commercial airports, and you can talk directly with pilots and club members. The big shows like ILA Berlin or the events in our overview Air shows in Europe offer more spectacle – airfield festivals offer more closeness.

Public-use airfield, special-purpose airfield, gliding site: where the festivals take place

The title of this article mentions public-use airfields, and indeed many airfield festivals take place there. It is not quite that clear-cut, though. German aviation law distinguishes three kinds of aerodromes in the Air Traffic Licensing Regulation (LuftVZO): airports, airfields (landing sites) and gliding sites.

• Airfields (landing sites) are, under Section 49 LuftVZO, aerodromes that, because of the type and scope of their operations, need no obstacle-protection zone under Section 12 of the Air Traffic Act and do not serve only gliding. They are divided into two groups.
• Public-use airfields (airfields for general traffic) must be open to general aviation during their published operating hours. Any pilot with a suitable aircraft may land there, provided the conditions at the field allow it.
• Special-purpose airfields (airfields for specific purposes) serve a particular group of users, such as a club or company traffic. Visiting aircraft usually need prior permission there.
• Gliding sites are meant for gliders and usually also for motor gliders and tow planes.

For you as a visitor, this classification hardly matters on festival weekend: a festival can take place at all three kinds of fields. The well-known vintage aircraft fly-in at Hahnweide near Kirchheim unter Teck, for example, takes place at a special-purpose airfield. For everyday spotting, however, the difference matters: at a public-use airfield you can expect regular visiting traffic on ordinary weekends, at a special-purpose airfield rather club operations. How to find small fields in the first place is explained in the guide Finding small airfields on maps, and how to read their runways and taxiways is covered in Reading AIP aerodrome charts.

Field type	Who may land?	Typical everyday operations	What it means for spotting
Public-use airfield	General aviation at published times	Training flights, visiting aircraft, sometimes business aircraft	regular variety, even outside festivals
Special-purpose airfield	defined group of users, guests usually only with permission	Club or factory flight operations	quiet, festivals are often the best opportunity
Gliding site	Gliding, towing, often motor gliders	Winch launches and aerotows on weekends	ideal for glider subjects, festivals with a club character

What to expect at an airfield festival

No festival is like another, but a few building blocks show up almost every time. You know the classic distinction from big air shows: static display on the ground and flying display in the air.

Static display

The club’s and guests’ aircraft stand on the ground. At small festivals these are mainly trainers and touring aircraft like the Cessna 172 or the Robin DR400, plus gliders, ultralight aircraft and sometimes helicopters from rescue or police services. At festivals with a vintage focus, classics like the Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann, the Piper PA-18 Super Cub, the Dornier Do 27 or the big biplane Antonov An-2 join in. If you are still unsure about the small types, the guides Recognizing light aircraft and Recognizing vintage aircraft in the sky help.

Flying display

In the air, there is usually an alternation of flybys, formation flights by club aircraft, glider demonstrations with winch launch or aerotow, and aerobatics. Aerobatic aircraft like the Extra EA-300 often show the most spectacular program of the day. This is sometimes complemented by model flying, skydivers or ultralight demonstrations. An announcer comments on the action and often gives the type, year of manufacture and special features of the aircraft – handy for your notes.

Sightseeing flights and hands-on offers

Many clubs use the festival to offer sightseeing flights or taster flights in a glider and to win new members. If flying itself appeals to you, the info stands are the best place to ask about training routes like the glider pilot license or the ultralight license. And if you are looking for a gift, you will find ideas under Giving a sightseeing flight as a gift.

Rules for displays: why it is so safe and sometimes so far away

Flying days are not a private matter in Germany. Under Section 24 of the Air Traffic Act, public competitions and shows involving aircraft need a permit from the responsible authority. It can impose conditions and limit the permit in time. It must refuse the permit if facts indicate that public safety or order may be endangered.

Today’s rules are closely tied to the Ramstein air show disaster of 1988. After the catastrophe, aerobatics at flying displays in Germany were first banned and only allowed again years later under conditions: minimum altitudes and minimum distances to the audience, no maneuvers over or toward the spectators, and all displays approved in advance. For you that means:

• The display line runs parallel to the spectator area at a fixed distance. You see aerobatic figures from the side, not over your head.
• Barriers exist for a reason. Even if the festival feels familial, clear zones apply on the apron.
• Military jet aerobatic teams are not part of the program at small airfield festivals. If you want to see them, plan a visit to a big air show, such as ILA or one of the big shows abroad in Europe; the article Aerobatic teams of Europe gives an overview.

How to find airfield festivals

Most festivals are organized by volunteer clubs, and the dates are scattered accordingly. To our knowledge there is no central, complete calendar for all airfield festivals in Germany. With a combination of sources you still get a good overview.

The season runs essentially from spring to autumn, with a focus on the summer months. Many clubs celebrate anniversaries with a festival, and some meetups take place only every two years. Besides the club festivals, open days at airports and maintenance bases and the Bundeswehr days and open days of the Air Force are also worthwhile, offering a completely different selection of aircraft.

The festival day from a spotter’s perspective

An airfield festival has its own rhythm, and if you know it, you go home with a lot more pictures.

Time window	What happens	What you make of it
Day before and early morning	Visiting aircraft arrive, apron still empty	Arrivals and landings, clean pictures without crowds
Morning	Static display fills up, first sightseeing flights	Details, cockpits, conversations with pilots
Midday and afternoon	Main program with displays	Aerobatics, formations, gliders in the air
Late afternoon and evening	Guests depart, crowds thin out	Takeoffs in soft light, last taxiing shots

The off-peak hours in particular are often more valuable for spotters than the main program. A vintage aircraft landing in calm light in the morning usually makes a nicer picture than the same aircraft at midday in backlight over the crowded field. If you are interested in the small aircraft outside festivals too, you will find fitting ideas in the guide Spotting general aviation and in the article Spotting at small regional airports.

Photo tips for propellers, vintage aircraft and aerobatics

Airfield festivals make different demands than a day at the fence of a major airport. The distances are shorter, the aircraft smaller, and almost everything has a propeller.

• Do not freeze the propeller: With very fast shutter speeds the propeller stands still, and the aircraft looks parked. With slower speeds you get the propeller disc you want. How to find the right speed is shown in the guide Photographing propellers.
• Practice panning: Slower shutter speeds demand clean panning. Use the first flybys as a rehearsal and check sharpness at magnification.
• Adjust focal length: For the static display, a standard zoom is often enough. For displays and landings, a telephoto zoom up to 300 or 400 millimeters is usually sufficient – you rarely need more at small fields.
• Check the sun position: The display line is fixed, your position in the spectator area only partly. Check in advance whether you will have the sun behind you at main program time, and if necessary find a spot farther along the edge of the spectator zone.
• Mind the background: In front of festival tents, crowd barriers and parked cars, even beautiful vintage aircraft lose out. A slightly lower vantage point or a step to the side puts the aircraft against sky or meadow.
• Collect details: Nose art, cowlings, instruments, registrations on the vertical stabilizer – at festivals you get access to details you can never photograph otherwise. Always ask the owner before looking into the cockpit.

You will find more tips on exposure and autofocus at displays in the article Photographing air shows. What belongs in your bag is listed in the air show day checklist.

Airfield festival or big air show?

Both kinds of events have their appeal. The decision depends on what you want to see and how much effort you want to put in.

Criterion	Airfield festival	Big air show or trade fair
Closeness to the aircraft	often very close, sometimes with conversations at the aircraft	usually larger distances and stricter zones
Aircraft types	GA, gliders, vintage aircraft, aerobatics	plus military, airliners, manufacturers’ new products
Crowds	manageable	often very large, long trips and waiting times
Cost	usually low admission or free	generally much higher ticket prices
Plannability	program at short notice, weather-dependent	fixed program, early announcement

If you want to combine both, visit for example the trade fair AERO Friedrichshafen for the new products in general aviation and a few club festivals nearby in summer. Glider fans like to combine a festival with a visit to the German Gliding Museum on the Wasserkuppe.

What to keep in mind

• Respect for volunteers: Most helpers work voluntarily. Follow their instructions, even if an area is being closed off.
• Barriers apply to you too: A good photo is no reason to climb over barrier tape. Taxiing propeller aircraft are dangerous, and the pilots often see little ahead.
• Other people’s property: Do not touch displayed aircraft and do not climb on wings. Many vintage aircraft are delicate and are preserved with great effort.
• Hearing protection for children: Aerobatic aircraft and radial engines are loud. For small children, earmuff-style hearing protection is worthwhile.
• Plan for the weather: In wind, rain or low clouds the flying program is shortened or canceled. The static display is often still worth it.
• Clarify how to get there: Small fields are usually out of town, and parking is limited. Check whether the organizer offers a shuttle or overflow parking.

Conclusion

Airfield festivals are the counter-model to the big air show: smaller, quieter and much closer. Whether at a public-use airfield, a special-purpose airfield or a gliding site – you experience vintage aircraft, aerobatics and gliding from a few meters away, get talking with pilots and see types that never show up at a commercial airport. The displays run under strict rules, considerably tightened since Ramstein, and you find the dates mainly through clubs and regional sources. If you come early, leave late and adjust your shutter speed to the propeller, you will have the best pictures at the end of the day.