Air transport
Should Friedrich Merz actually be allowed to control the government machine?
Friedrich Merz likes to think of himself as “upper middle class” – even though he prefers to show up in a private plane. As Chancellor, does he also fly the government plane himself?
Friedrich Merz is an enthusiastic private flyer. His Diamond DA62 with the license plate D-IAFM (FM like Friedrich Merz?) fits seven people, who can then travel around 2,380 kilometers. The Diamond is not a private jet, but a private propeller plane. The machine measures less than ten meters. Merz commutes with her between his constituency in Sauerland and Berlin.
The Airbus A340-300 government aircraft, on the other hand, are among the very large birds, offering space for up to 143 passengers. The span and length are over 60 meters. Four engines ensure a cruising speed of 890 km/h.
Friedrich Merz would not have a license
If the CDU leader were to become chancellor, the Bundeswehr’s willingness to fly would not allow him to take the controls of the Airbus. For his own aircraft, Merz requires a private pilot’s license (PPL), supplemented by an MEP rating (“Multi Engine Piston”) because the Diamond has two engines. That’s not nearly enough for a large airliner. In order to fly a government aircraft, further training steps would then be necessary for the commercial pilot license (CPL) to the commercial pilot license (ATPL).
Millionaire Merz could perhaps cover the costs of such training. But in order to obtain a full commercial pilot license, he would have to complete pilot training lasting around two years and then complete at least 1,500 flight hours. If the entire training had been completed, the legislative period would probably have almost expired. And Friedrich Merz would hardly have found time to govern
Published in stern 03/2025
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
