Radiotelephony certificates in Germany: to get AZF do i need BZF first?

Question

I've been asked by LBA (German Civil Aviation Authority) to acquire the general radio telephony certificate (AZF) in order to convert my FAA ATP to a German EASA ATPL.

Can I get the AZF immediately or do I have to get the restricted radio telephony certificate (BZF) first?

Answer 1

The agency responsible for issuing aeronautical radio licences is the Bundesnetzagentur (the Federal Network Agency). At their website you can find the requirements for these licenses.

They have five types of licenses:

• BZF II > Beschränkt Gültiges Sprechfunkzeugnis II für den Flugfunkdienst
  Radiotelephone certificate II for the aeronautical radio service with limited validity
• BZF I > Beschränkt Gültiges Sprechfunkzeugnis I für den Flugfunkdienst
  Radiotelephone certificate I for the aeronautical radio service with limited validity
• BZF E > Beschränkt Gültiges Sprechfunkzeugnis E für den Flugfunkdienst
  Radiotelephone certificate E for the aeronautical radio service with limited validity
• AZF > Allgemeines Sprechfunkzeugnis für den Flugfunkdienst
  General radiotelephone certificate for the aeronautical radio service
• AZF E > Allgemeines Sprechfunkzeugnis E für den Flugfunkdienst
  General radiotelephone certificate E for the aeronautical radio service

These licenses have the following areas of applicablity.

• BZF II - radiotelephony within the Federal Republic of Germany in German according to visual flight rules
• BZF I - radiotelephony in German and English according to visual flight rules
• BZF E - radiotelephony in English language according to visual flight rules
• AZF - radiotelephony in German and English according to visual and instrument flight rules
• AZF E - radiotelephony in English according to visual and instrument flight rules

Furthermore, website states the requirements for obtaining the licenses. In case of the AZF and AZF E, they state:

Voraussetzungen für den Erwerb eines AZF oder AZF E

Bewerberinnen und Bewerber müssen mindestens 18 Jahre alt sein oder spätestens drei Monate nach der Prüfung das Mindestalter erreichen.

Das AZF und das AZF E sind nur mit einer Zusatzprüfung zu erwerben, d. h., dass für das AZF das Innehaben des BZF II oder BZF I und für das AZF E das BZF E erforderlich sind.

Which translates approximately like this:

Requirements for the acquisition of an AZF or AZF E

Applicants must be at least 18 years old or reach the minimum age at the latest three months after the examination.

The AZF and AZF E can only be acquired with an additional examination, i.e. holding the BZF II or BZF I is required for the AZF and the BZF E is required for the AZF E.

So you must first acquire the BZF (I or II) to acquire the AZF. If you want to acquire the AZF E, you must have the BZF E.