Lahr Airport Spotting Guide

December 11, 2020 - last modified on December 11, 2020

Lahr Airport (LHA/EDTL) is located 2km west of Lahr and was formerly also known as Black Forest Airport Lahr as it is located in the western Black Forest. The airfield was opened back in the first World War as military airfield and was used to be a military facility for a long time. After WW2, the French based some fighters here themselves, before Lahr airport was hand over to the NATO. However, it still remaind a primarly French base till the French resettled their squadrons from here back to Nancy-Ochey in 1967. Thus the airfield became a Canadian base and stayed one till Germany was reunited in 1990, but the Canadian forces just left finally in 1994. After a parade in May 1994, the airfield was given “back” to Germany and was used as partly commercial airport.

Since then, the airport is barely used, but is paid visits by business jets of all sizes often and also regular charter flight. So you may be able to see a Bundesliga charter flight for example or some training landings, although latter is very rare. Sometimes aircraft which are maintained in Basel do some test flights here or use Lahr for long term parking. Otherwise you have only very few cargo and military flights – mostly during really rare occasions like nearby political summits only.

Written by Severin Hackenberger in cooperation with Kevin B. Last Update: Summer 2020

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Visitor Rating How was your trip? Rate this airport!	[ratings]
Airport Information
Runways
03/21	3000m / 9842ft – Asphalt
Terminals	As Lahr is no airport with regular passenger services there is no normal terminal here to mention.
Spotting Information
Ladder	Recommended as almost all spots require one.
Car/Public Transport	Needed as public transport here is poor.
Restrooms	In the nearby restaurants at most.
Drinks/Food	In the villages south- and northeast of the airfield are some restaurants/shops.
Hotels	There is a hostel in the southeast of the airport.
Season	No predictable traffic, no preferable season…
Security	Spotting here is normally no problem, but military and business jet pilots may be surprised so adjust to the circumstances here.
Runway Usage
General Info	Single runway operations: mostly 21 Arrivals and 03 Departures are commong, but actually it is handled however the crew needs/wants as traffic is very low here – the wish rules.

	Spot #1 – Tower – 03/21 movements
WHERE	This spot can be found west of the village of Hugsweier just at the fence. Take the “Heerstraße” till you end up at the fence south of the tower, park your car nearby by the roadsode. Cross the little river “Ostgraben” with help of the installed “grass bridges” and search your favourite position along the fence.

WHAT	All runway movements.

TIME	Sunrise till late noon.

MISC.	Ladder needed. Nothing around, but haze can be a problem on summer days.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm An26 on runway = 160mm

	Spot #2 – GAT/Hall- Apron + nearby Taxiways
WHERE	Just south of the GAT, there is a little parking area. So take the “Fritz-Rinderspacher-Straße” and turn onto a little paved parking west of the street just where the apron ends in the south. From the northwestern end of this parking you will have a nice view onto the apron then. Another nearby position for the same sight can be found if you rurn off “Fritz-Rinderspacher-Straße” south of the GAT into “Europastraße”. Then be careful and take a little street just after the “Universal D.O.G.” disco between a bigger storage hall on the right and the Black Forest Skydive propertly on the left heading north and ending up at the fence directly on a little meadow next to a trade company. +++ During the week, this trade company nearby is active, so do not park close to it in order to avoid problems as we do not want to disturb any works! +++

WHAT	The apron in front as well as the nearby taxiways.

TIME	Depending on the aircraft’s position/angle, but usually the whole day.

MISC.	Ladder needed. Keep a low profile as you are just next to the GAT.

FOCAL LENGTH	10-150mm Bizzer in front on taxiway = 30mm

From the GAT:

From the Hall:

	Spot #3 – Schutterner Hauptstraße – 21 Arrivals
WHERE	North of the airfield west of the village of Schuttern there runs the “Schutterner Hauptstraße”/L118. Here you can freely choose your position as the area is just full of fields, but there is a a walkway running south of the street next to some trees. Just stand somewhere along this walkway west and south of the runway axis…

WHAT	Arrivals onto runway 21.

TIME	All day long, just move along the road when the sun has turned around

MISC.	Schuttern in the east is the closest village where you can grab some food and drinks.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-400mm A319 = 160mm

Morning side:

Afternoon side:

	Spot #4 – Shelter – 03/21 movements
WHERE	Turn off “Schutterner Hauptstraße” west of the runway to the south into “Einsteinallee”. Head towards the Business Park Lahr on this street and just before reaching the shelters, the street would turn off to the left. Exit in a curve to the right here and continue on this straight street to the south. Once you have reached the fence at the street’s end, park your car and position yourself along the fence.

WHAT	All runway movements.

TIME	Afternoon till sunset.

MISC.	Ladder needed in order to be able to shoot over the fence. Haze may be a problem 8(n summer).

FOCAL LENGTH	100-300mm Avro departure = 220mm / CRJ2 arrival = 190mm