Auf der Platte

Auf der Platte is a winch-tow flatland site at 310 m in Germany, with a 750 m tow line running northeast-southwest, giving it two solid, opposite wind directions to work with. The local club tows here regularly, and also crosses the border to tow at a sister site in nearby France (Obergailbach) — worth asking about if the home field isn't running on a given day. It's used year-round rather than seasonally, and beyond the flying itself, the local club has a reputation for a genuinely good atmosphere and organizes trips further afield to the Vosges and the Alps. One airspace note worth knowing: the Saarbrücken and Zweibrücken control zones sit fairly close to the tow site, so it's worth checking current airspace status rather than assuming the whole area is uncontrolled.

Local rules & hazards

The Saarbrücken and Zweibrücken control zones sit fairly close to this site — check current airspace status before flying rather than assuming it's uncontrolled.

Check conditions before you fly

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