Altlewin

Altlewin is a flatland winch-towing site in Germany at just 6 m, and one of the more flexible sites around for wind direction — towing runs in every direction except north-east and south-west. It sits near power lines and roads that cross the site area, so flights have to keep at least 50 m clear of them both vertically and horizontally. One part of the terrain, Altlewin I, is affected by those power lines closely enough that a southern circuit pattern is required there, and paraglider training on the winch is only possible in east wind on that section — the rest of the terrain has no wind-direction restriction for training. A specific towing technique, step-towing, isn't used here at all. Because the surrounding fields are managed under nature-conservation rules, the grass on launch and landing areas is kept short, and pilots need to give known nesting sites of protected bird species a wide berth.

Local rules & hazards

Keep at least 50 m clear, both vertically and horizontally, of the power lines and roads that cross the site. On the Altlewin I section, a southern circuit pattern is required because of nearby power lines, and winch training there only works in east wind — the rest of the terrain has no direction restriction. Step-towing isn't used here, and pilots must give known nesting sites of protected bird species a wide berth.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Altlewin, 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 Altlewin with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.