lufttüchtig

Lufttüchtig is a German term from the field of aviation that denotes the status of an aircraft or other air vehicle as compliant with applicable airworthiness requirements and therefore permitted to fly. In everyday usage it signifies that the design, construction, maintenance and operation meet the relevant safety standards and that there is a valid certification or approval confirming the ability to operate in the air. The term is most commonly found in regulatory, administrative, or historical texts and is less common in casual language.

In regulatory practice, airworthiness is maintained through ongoing maintenance, inspections and formal certifications. In Germany and the European Union, authorities such as the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) oversee compliance with airworthiness rules, while the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) sets overarching standards. Operators must follow approved maintenance programs and carry out periodic checks; when deficiencies are found, the aircraft must be rectified before flight. A lufttüchtiges aircraft is therefore one for which the necessary approvals are current and valid.

Historically and in contemporary regulatory language, lufttüchtig is used primarily in formal contexts. In common speech, speakers often use synonyms such as flugtüchtig or flugfähig, while lufttüchtig remains a term more likely to appear in official documents or professional discourse. The concept parallels the English “airworthy” and relates closely to the broader notion of airworthiness verification and ongoing compliance.