Validity of foreign licences

Answers on the recognition of foreign training content and licences

German schools that offer courses in foreign languages

Since foreign language courses are organized individually feel free to contact the listed schools directly by mail or phone to find a suitable date and time for you.

Questions concerning the licence for hang gliders or paragliders when holding a foreign licence or recognition of foreign training?
Please contact ausbildung@dhvmail.de.

Recognition of foreign training content and licences

If your place of residence is in Germany, a valid German or Austrian licence is required to fly a paraglider or hang glider in Germany.
Anyone who has completed their training or obtained a licence abroad can have this recognised by the DHV, thereby facilitating the process of obtaining a German pilot's licence.

The following are generally not recognised:

  • “Befähigungsnachweise” (no longer valid since 1993)
  • old Austrian “Sonderpilotenscheine”
  • other invalid foreign licences

EHPU training content/licences (with IPPI card)

EHPU (European Hang Gliding and Paragliding Union) 
IPPI card (International Pilot Proficiency Card) from the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale)

For the recognition of foreign licences

one of the following applications must be completed and submitted to the DHV for certification:
Application for recognition: EHPU-IPPI Stage 5
Application for recognition: EHPU-IPPI Stage 4

For the recognition of foreign training courses

The following application must be completed and submitted to the DHV for certification:
Application for recognition: Austrian training

The following application must be completed and submitted to the DHV:
Application for recognition: Training without IPPI or with IPPI Stage <4

Other foreign training content/licences

For the recognition of foreign training content and licences that were not completed and acquired in an EHPU member state, the following application must be completed and submitted to the DHV together with the relevant evidence (in PDF format):
Application for recognition: 
Training/licence without IPPI or with IPPI Stage <4

The DHV will review the submitted documents and facilitate the training for a German licence for all those training components for which equivalence can be established in accordance with the DHV's training and examination regulations.

Swiss Brevet

The Swiss licence (hang glider or paraglider category) is recognized as the basis for the issuance of a German pilot's license without the need for further practical and theoretical training. 
The German theory exam must be taken before a DHV pilot examiner in the subject of German and Austrian aviation law.

To obtain a restricted licence (A licence),
the corresponding theory exam in German and Austrian aviation law must be passed 
and a scan of the brevet must then be submitted to the DHV.

To obtain an unrestricted licence (B licence: cross-country flight authorisation) ,
you must pass the theory exam in German and Austrian aviation law for A and B licences 
and then submit a scan of your licence together with proof of 100 high-altitude flights after the brevet was issued (PDF of the flight log) to the DHV.

Tandem licence

The training for the tandem licence is held in German. Please find more information on our German website.

Fees incurred for recognitions

The DHV will charge a fee for the individual recognition of training content or licences, as well as for the issuance of a German licence after simplified training:
List of fees