Axalp

Axalp is a thermal and soaring launch above Lake Brienz in the Bernese Oberland, at about 1,590 m, flown in a northwest wind and also used as a training site for acro and SIV (simulated incident) courses. Airspace here is genuinely complex, because of a nearby military airfield around Unterbach and Meiringen — flying without running into restrictions is realistically limited to weekends or after 5 p.m. local time, so it's worth planning around that window rather than assuming the airspace is open all day. Two specific regional winds are a hard no-fly signal at this site: foehn and bise. Landing is down at Brienz, by the Aare river. Given the mix of complex military airspace, two named winds to avoid entirely, and its use for advanced acro training, this is a site that rewards checking the current airspace and wind picture carefully rather than just showing up.

Launch & conditions

Thermal and soaring launch at about 1,590 m above Lake Brienz, flown in a northwest wind; also used as a training site for acro and SIV courses.

Local rules & hazards

Airspace here is genuinely complex due to a nearby military airfield around Unterbach and Meiringen — flying without restrictions is realistically limited to weekends or after 5 p.m. local time. Foehn and bise wind are both a hard no-fly signal at this site.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Axalp, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Axalp with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.