Blankenhain – Hochdorf

Blankenhain – Hochdorf is a winch-tow flatland site at 415 m in Germany, flown across a wide spread of directions — northeast, east, southwest and west — which gives it real flexibility across different wind days. It's a genuinely regulated site: flying is banned every year from 1 February to 1 May to protect nesting hobby falcons and red kites, and even outside that window the total number of flying days is capped at 30 per year, so this isn't a site to fly casually whenever you feel like it. Every pilot also needs a site briefing covering the nearby Erfurt controlled airspace (CTR) before flying here, and the farm track that crosses the tow line has to be properly secured during operations. With the wide wind spread balanced against the seasonal closure, the day cap and the airspace briefing requirement, it's a site that rewards planning ahead rather than a casual after-work stop.

Local rules & hazards

Flying is banned here every year from 1 February to 1 May to protect nesting hobby falcons and red kites. Flying days are capped at a maximum of 30 per year, and every pilot needs a site briefing covering the Erfurt CTR before flying.

Check conditions before you fly

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