Army airfield
Heeresflugplatz is the name for a military airfield used by German army pilots . The name of the nearest city is placed after the designation. For example, the military airfield near Rheine is called Heeresflugplatz Rheine-Bentlage .
All army airfields have a four-digit ICAO code that begins with ETH. The last letter represents - as far as possible - a reference to the assigned city. If the first letter of the city has already been assigned elsewhere, another free letter is chosen from the place name. For example Fritzlar Air Base: ETHF, Faßberg Air Base: ETHS.
Army airfields are according to their principal use by helicopter units of the armed forces equipped and differ in from air bases the Air Force. The control zones established around most places of this type have reduced visibility minima of 3000 meters flight visibility and 700 feet main cloud base (regular: 5000 meters and 1500 feet). Since helicopters generally fly slower and lower than combat and transport aircraft , flying in bad weather should be made easier.
Most of the time, only an omnidirectional radio beacon and a visual approach aid ( VASIS or PAPI ) as well as the airport's own precision approach radar for instrument approaches (IFR) are available. Some army airfields are not capable of IFR approach at all ( Heeresflugplatz Altenstadt and Heeresflugplatz Roth ). In the few cases where additional approach aids are available, they are installed for training purposes ( ILS at Bückeburg Army Airfield ), operationally ( TACAN at Rheine-Bentlage Army Airfield ) or by a civilian co-user for their own purposes and at their own expense (ILS at Heeresflugplatz Army Airfield) Niederstetten by the Würth company ).
In addition to the aeronautical component, other, non-aeronautical units are usually stationed at an army airfield, which use the military infrastructure but are not dependent on an airfield ( e.g. Air Mobile Brigade 1 at the Fritzlar airfield ). In contrast to (most) Luftwaffe air bases, there is no spatial separation between the airfield and the accommodation and administration area.
Army airfields carry additional barracks names (with the exception of the Faßberg Army airfield , which is the main use of the Air Force Technical School 3 and is referred to by the Air Force as an air base). Sometimes the airfields are better known in the parlance of the troops and the public under their barracks name than under the designation as Army Airfield in connection with the place name. Overall, the designation and signage in Germany - unusual for the Bundeswehr - is very inconsistent. For example, the Celle military airfield is signposted in road traffic as "Immelmann Barracks Air Base ".
The Bundeswehr currently operates the following active army airfields:
The Roth Army Airfield and the Rheine-Bentlage Army Airfield were closed in 2014 and 2017, respectively, and Laupheim is now operated by the Air Force.