Donnersdorf

Donnersdorf is a winch-launch flatland site in the Maintal near Schweinfurt, Bavaria, at 250 m, workable on any wind direction thanks to its flat, open setting. The site's rules are built entirely around protecting three regionally significant bird sanctuaries nearby, so the flying style here is disciplined by design: pilots are expected to climb to at least 400 m above ground as quickly as possible after launch and stay above that floor until landing, specifically to clear the protected zones below rather than skim over them. Flying, and landing, is banned outright inside the Garstadt bird reserve near the Grafenrheinfeld area, the Mainaue nature project between Haßfurt and Eltmann, and the Alter und Neuer See reserve near Mönchstockheim. The club is also capped at 25 flying days a year here. Tow operations only run when field crops are low enough to allow a safe outlanding if a tow is aborted, and any paths crossing the tow strip get properly secured while flying is underway.

Launch & conditions

Works on any wind direction (flat, open tow site). Climb to at least 400 m above ground as quickly as possible after launch and stay above that height until landing, to clear the protected bird areas below.

Local rules & hazards

Flying and landing are banned inside three protected bird areas nearby: the Garstadt reserve in the Main valley, the Mainaue project between Haßfurt and Eltmann, and the Alter und Neuer See reserve near Mönchstockheim. The site is capped at 25 flying days a year. Tows only run when field vegetation is low enough for a safe outlanding, and any paths crossing the tow strip are secured while flying is underway.

Check conditions before you fly

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