Auerbach Nord

Auerbach Nord is a winch-launch flatland site in Bavaria, sitting at roughly 470 m above sea level, with pilots typically flying southeast or northwest winds. Flight operations usually run every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday from April onward, organized around scheduled tow slots. This is a flatland winch site rather than a training hill: on-site ground and altitude instruction is not permitted, so pilots need to already hold at least a restricted German pilot license before towing here. Step-towing, where pilots are winched up in stages, is reserved for experienced B-license holders working with a winch operator and launch marshal, using a fixed maximum release height and mandatory radio contact. The site also sits inside a military low-flying training area, so jets, propeller aircraft and helicopters can legally operate at low altitude on weekdays; pilots are advised to stay below the standard release height during military hours, though weekends and holidays carry no such restriction.

Local rules & hazards

Step-towing is limited to experienced B-license holders and requires a fixed maximum release height of 450 m AGL plus constant radio contact with the winch operator; the towpath and overflight areas must be secured before operations begin, and pilots must give way immediately to other aircraft. The site lies within a military low-flying training zone, so jets, propeller planes and helicopters may operate at low altitude on weekdays (08:00–17:00); pilots are advised to keep release heights at or below 450 m during those hours, though weekends and holidays are unrestricted.

Check conditions before you fly

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