"Sightseeing flights from Durach only possible in winter"
Munich, 17.3.2021
Dear Heliflieger,
We have now been in existence for over 10 years and conduct helicopter tours at numerous locations in Germany. Since the beginning of 2020 we have also been flying at the Kempten-Durach airfield in the beautiful Allgäu. Due to the corona and weather conditions, we were only able to visit Kempten twice in 2020 and have been looking forward to the upcoming season, including in the beautiful Allgäu, for a while.
The management of the Kempten-Durach airfield has now informed us that from now (March 2021) helicopter sightseeing flights may only be carried out in winter. This is like if you are only allowed to camp on a campsite in January. The reason given to us was the allegedly massive number of helicopter noise complaints from residents around the airfield. Associations with a citizen who moves next to a traditional beer garden and then complains about its closure because of noise are expressly not to be implied here. The airfield also has a long tradition: It has existed since 1934 and was used, among other things, as a location for the Heinz Rühmann films about “Quax, the Bruchpilot”.
To understand the relationship: Due to corona and weather conditions, we were only on site on a total of 2020 weekends on Friday and Saturday throughout 2 - we skipped Sundays from the outset in coordination with the Fluplatz management out of consideration for the residents. In close consultation with the flight control of the Kempten-Durach airfield, we selected our flight routes so that noise-sensitive locations such as Durach, Sulzberg or a campsite in the immediate vicinity of the airfield were not overflown at all. We also know from the flight control that at least for the entire second weekend on site not a single complaint call was received.
A heli that flies daily, of course – including weekdays and Sundays and also at night – is the “Christoph 17” rescue helicopter stationed directly at Durach Airport, which is of course and fortunately (!) not affected by the restriction imposed on us. However, the very busy flight operations of privately operated aircraft may also be continued. Incidentally, it is precisely airplanes and rescue helicopters that fly low to the airfield over Durach, while we are not dependent on the runway with our helicopter, fly a special approach/departure route and can therefore fly to the airfield over completely uninhabited areas. The contribution to noise from the few helicopter sightseeing flight days can therefore only be regarded as negligible. It can therefore be assumed that the complaining residents will not notice a big difference in terms of aircraft noise, but that the Allgäu residents will still not be allowed to fly over their house on a maximum of 6-8 planned weekends throughout the year, depending on the weather - at least not off Durach – off instead Leutkirch.
And it's not at all the "non-local bigwigs" who fly around here in the heli as a reason, as is often the case. It's more normal people like you and me who want to see the beauty of their homeland from above. Example: The whole family joins forces to fulfill the father's dream of a helicopter flight over his homeland for his 60th birthday. And even if there are a handful of non-Allgäu residents: If non-local people are actually no longer wanted in Allgäu, all organizations that live from tourism or support it should give serious thought, especially in the currently difficult Corona times (as of 2021). This also includes the Durach municipal administration that issued the ban. Particular irony: The municipality of Durach positions itself in a logo as a "fair trade municipality" and even has a logo with a helicopter on its website - but now, contrary to all proclaimed fairness, it bans precisely this helicopter from the Kempten-Durach airfield - because of TWO appointments in one Year. You understand our frustration.
Source: http://www.durach-allgaeu.de/images/headerfairtrade.png
In any case, our team will no longer be on site in the future and, due to this restriction, will no longer buy fuel on site, pay landing fees and no longer stay overnight in Kempten. In addition, the airport restaurant and the surrounding hotel industry lose income from the consumption of our crew and all our passengers and their companions. Too bad.
Should you feel the need to contact the administrative authority responsible for the helicopter sightseeing flight ban regarding this matter, then this would be the right place: Municipal Administration Durach, Bahnhofstr. 1, 87471 Durach. More info: Durach community
A deeply disappointed, flight enthusiastic team who invested a lot and would have liked to show you their homeland from above. Just follow Leutkirch, if Kempten doesn't want you.