A concrete solution has been agreed to improve the safety of light aircraft flying into and out of Luxembourg Airport via the Mersch sector. The change applies to all entry and exit points as well as holding patterns , and as an extra benefit for the whole community, it should also mean less noise for residents below.
At the request of AOPA Luxembourg, a meeting was held on 22 July 2026 at the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DAC), bringing together the DAC, the Air Navigation Administration (ANA), AOPA Luxembourg, the Luxembourg Aeronautical Federation (FAL), Aviasport and Aerosport.
The outcome: an agreement in principle to raise the altitude of all VFR arrival, departure, and holding routes within the Luxembourg CTR from 2,000 to 2,300 feet.
Why this matters
The trigger for this discussion was the wind farm near Lintgen, close to the MERSA VFR reporting point that many pilots cross on the way in or out of Findel. In that area, the turbine tips sit almost level with the VFR route as currently flown. Raising the route means the vertical clearance between aircraft and the turbines increases from roughly 700 feet (210 m) to about 1,000 feet (305 m) above ground, a meaningful improvement in the safety margin.
AOPA Luxembourg first raised the issue formally in April 2026, in a consultation request concerning the Blaaschenterhecken wind farm project. The concerns went beyond simple obstacle height: proximity of turbines to the published VFR routes, reduced obstacle clearance, potential wake turbulence from the blades, and the visibility of obstacle lighting were all flagged.
What was agreed on 22 July
Representatives from the authorities and the pilot community DAC, ANA, AOPA Luxembourg, FAL, Aviasport and Aerosport sat down together to work through the issue and reach a shared, workable solution:
- All VFR entry and exit routes within the Luxembourg CTR move from 2,000 ft to 2,300 ft. This includes the published holding patterns.
- The change delivers a double benefit: it increases obstacle clearance for safety, while the extra height should also reduce the noise footprint of light aircraft over Mersch and surrounding areas, since sound intensity decreases with the square of the distance.
Not yet in force
It’s worth being clear that this is a decision in principle, not yet a published procedure. Before the new altitudes take effect, they need to be incorporated into the official Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), which in turn requires the completion of the relevant safety assessments confirming the required level of safety is maintained.
Implementation is expected by the end of 2026, or at the latest in early 2027.
In the press
The story was picked up by L’essentiel on 29 July 2026: Les petits avions pourront voler plus haut, moins de bruit en vue.
The full press release / communiqué de presse is available here:
AOPA Luxembourg initiated this consultation in April 2026 and represented pilots’ interests throughout the process alongside FAL, Aviasport and Aerosport. We’ll keep members updated as the AIP amendment and safety assessment progress toward implementation.