All aircraft flying in German airspace under instrument flight rules fly under the control of DFS. Our qualified staff and modern technology ensure the greatest possible safety – 365 days a year, around the clock.
DFS ensures that all flights in German airspace reach their destinations safely. Our air traffic controllers at airports or in the radar control centres play a vital role in this. They ensure that there is always sufficient separation between aircraft. But how exactly do air traffic controllers do their jobs? In this section, you will find out more.
What tools does a pilot use to navigate safely? How do our air traffic controllers know where exactly each aircraft is? And how does the communication between air traffic controllers and the cockpit function? DFS maintains a modern technical infrastructure to enable safe flight. You can learn more about the most important technologies in this section.
The primary objective of DFS is to ensure the safety of air
traffic over Germany. To this end, we have established a comprehensive safety management system. Our philosophy is to
detect even the smallest deviations in order to identify and eliminate possible weak points at an early stage. The result is an excellent safety record.
Air navigation services are a sovereign task. This is laid down in the German Aviation Act (LuftVG), the legal basis for what DFS does. In addition, there is a large number of
international rules and European requirements that form the framework for our work. They have an influence on financing and the technology used. They are also ensuring ever greater cooperation within Europe.
The world of aviation is changing. New technologies are available, new users are emerging. DFS has its own inhouse unit for research and development.
