Auf dem Kleff

Auf dem Kleff is a small flying site in North Rhine-Westphalia, at 505 m, best flown in a north or northwest wind. Access is by arrangement with the site's owner rather than open to all comers, which keeps traffic light and the neighbours happy. Flying here comes with a genuinely detailed set of local rules — the birches near the launch area have to be kept trimmed low so the takeoff stays clear, and the landing pattern is planned specifically to avoid flying over the nearby houses, with the downwind leg following the Lenne river and touchdown aimed at the wider front section of the landing meadow. Distance from the river has to be respected through every phase of the flight, not just on final approach. Vehicles stay on public land — forest tracks are off-limits without permission from the municipality or forest authority — so most pilots simply walk in. The site operates under a formal nature-conservation exemption, and playing by its conditions is what keeps it open.

Launch & conditions

Works on north or northwest wind. Keep the birch trees near the launch trimmed short — a clear departure path is part of the site's own rule.

Getting there & local rules

Flying only by prior arrangement with the site holder. Launch and landing areas are normally reached on foot; vehicles must stay on public roads, and forest tracks need municipal or forestry permission.

Local rules & hazards

The landing pattern must avoid overflying nearby housing — fly the downwind leg along the Lenne river and touch down in the wider front part of the meadow, keeping a safe horizontal and vertical distance from the river throughout the flight. The site operates under a nature-conservation exemption that protects a nearby biotope, and its conditions must be respected to keep flying here permitted.

Check conditions before you fly

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