As a team of dedicated volunteers, we are committed to giving our very best to serve our GA in Luxembourg. We have heard some concerns and kindly ask that any complaints, suggestions or ideas be submitted to us in writing to board@aopa.lu. This allows us to address them thoughtfully, revert back and take appropriate action. Please know that your voice matters – we read you 6.
Thanks to your membership contribution of €60, we are able to provide you with meaningful value while maintaining a reasonable annual fee. Our communication channels—including the newsletter, yearbook, website, and social media—are there to keep you informed and engaged. We welcome any feedback on these via editor@aopa.lu
With these channels our goal is simple: to keep you informed, garner your support, your involvement and to unite behind our shared mission – protecting our freedom to fly.
As you know, AOPA, the various clubs and all of GA in Luxembourg operate under the close watch of the DAC and Luxairport. Instead of nurturing GA, they are stifling it, their priorities clearly lie elsewhere. Times have changed, the regulatory landscape has become more complex and safeguarding our freedom to fly has become increasingly challenging.
Despite these obstacles, AOPA has continued to work hard to protect your right to fly, even though that may not always be visible.
Below you will find more detail on some of the issues we are actively addressing. They are a testament to the work AOPA Luxembourg does behind the scenes. All of this takes time, effort and dedication – knowing when to act, when to gather information and when our presence alone makes the difference.
✈️Medical Certification – together with IAOPA Europe – we have been actively pushing for changes to the requirements for medicals in order to facilitate the process for all of our members – worldwide. The goal is to have your general practioner/family doctor issue your medical and not a specialist aviation medical examiner (AME). After more than one year, we finally have the attention of EASA and some support from Eurocontrol however this matter is not through the finish line. We will continue to work diligently and hopefully EASA will make the changes we are asking for since these new, more restrictive medical checks did not come from evidence-based regulation.
For more details from our website, click here: Pilots Are Not Patients: End the Medical Madness in European Aviation – AOPA Luxembourg
✈️ Air Days 2023, 2024 and 2025 – Airdays 2023 was a success despite the terrible weather. This made all of us look forward to the 2024 edition! This however would not take place because Noertrange was closed off. Event planning shifted directly to the 2025 event, where it was moved to Useldange, as it was initially assured it could take place. Here again, the DAC raised concerns, insisting that if there was to be an airshow, all of the spectators would have to be guided off the airfield while the planes were taking off and landing, then guided back to the airfield once the planes were safely parked. This is utterly ridiculous and defeats the purpose of an air-show where spectators want to watch the planes take off and land and they want to watch the planes in the sky. The FAL and AOPA Luxembourg were up against a wall. Airdays 2025 was cancelled despite our numerous efforts.
For more from the airdays website, click here: Plan Your Visit – Airdays %
✈️ Air Cadets Program – AOPA Luxembourg successfully launched its integration into the global Air Cadets Association. This collaboration with the Luxembourg army paves the way for young Luxembourgers to join the Belgian Air Cadets’ three-year training program. Each year, five candidates are selected to earn their first gliding wings and gain structured aviation experience. The initiative has attracted strong interest locally, positioning Luxembourg as a host for global cadet delegations. With the Army now securing procedures and budgets, the program is guaranteed long-term continuity, ensuring a steady pipeline of future military, commercial, and general aviation pilots for our country. We look forward to its growth in our country. This program took two years to put together and to launch after countless meetings with military officials on all sides – an initiative driven by Peter, who himself was an Air Cadet, with the support of the board.
For more details please refer to your yearbook and for our website, click here: Historic Visit of International Air Cadets to Luxembourg – AOPA Luxembourg , AOPA Luxembourg was at the 2024 Belgian Air Cadets Wings Parade in Beauvechain – AOPA Luxembourg , Loftkadetten: Luxembourg Welcomes International Air Cadets for a Two-Day Visit – AOPA Luxembourg , Lëtzebuerger Loftkadetten 🚀 – AOPA Luxembourg
✈️ Avgas Transition – with Belgium being our neighbor and so many of us flying in Belgium, AOPA Luxembourg was actively involved when Oostend was closed off to GA due to avgas being forbidden (NOTAM A1458/25). We feared this would quickly spread throughout Belgium and into Luxembourg, France etc. This action started in Antwerp and was adopted by Oostend. We knew we needed to act quickly and we did. With AOPA Belgium heading the effort, AOPA US was notified and along with IAOPA Europe they lent their weight. This ordeal took almost one year and finally Avgas was restored at Oostend however the aerodrome remains PPR.
For more details from our website, click here: Second Belgian Airport Bans AVGAS: AOPA Luxembourg Slams Unlawful and Irresponsible Move – AOPA Luxembourg
✈️ Luxairport spotters club – Luxairport recently launched an initiative to more closely engage with the spotter community. As soon as we heard about this, we were curious and attended a spotters meeting, where we were warmly welcomed. It was fantastic to witness the enthusiasm many people, both young and old, men and women, have – just watching planes in the air. Some are even pilots or student pilots. This can only be positive for all of us, there is a crowd out there that loves to watch planes! We continue to monitor this space and we will support it where ever we can add value.
✈️ City public consultation on airport noise – In June 2025, the City of Luxembourg held a public consultation on airport noise as part of the national noise action plan revision, where we attended primarily to listen to the presentations and discussions. The meeting highlighted noise concerns focused mainly on large commercial aircraft operating at night, it was clear the issue was not GA. No new noise restrictions targeting general aviation were proposed. The existing charter related to sports aviation remains in effect, and ongoing studies are exploring the use of electric aircraft for training and recreational flying to support sustainability and noise reduction. Interested members are invited to consult official municipal and national portals for more information and updates. AOPA Luxembourg reaffirmed its commitment to open dialogue however in this occasion no action was required.
✈️ Meeting with model aircraft club Miersch – After the exchange at the Safety Seminar around the Air Safety Bulletin 2025/01. AOPA Luxembourg felt that the pilot community was visibly agitated and we knew we had to step in. We quickly reached out to Mersch Model Aircraft club in Lintgen, in order to discuss further, in person. The discussion was open, frank and fruitful, helping us take prompt action towards increased security for all of us.
For more details from our website, click here: https://www.aopa.lu/2025/12/17/aopa-luxembourg-meets-with-modellfligerklub-miersch/
In parallel to all of the above we also coordinate the fun activities that bring us together: the Safety Seminar, Nav Refresher and flyouts. As a small team of volunteers – we cannot continue to do all of this alone – we need you, our members to get involved, to speak up and pitch in. We are happy to provide the platform – but the voice and the strength of this association comes from you. Your presence and your numbers give AOPA Luxembourg weight, a seat at the table.
Please reconsider your membership, if you leave AOPA’s ability to continue its work becomes uncertain – no representation from Luxembourg at European meetings, no representation from the private pilots and aircraft owners locally. However if you stay, you add to the momentum, the critical mass needed to bring weight to our collective voice.
Times have changed and the challenges facing GA are more complex than before but if we do not tackle these together head on, we risk losing our freedom to fly.
