Einkorn Startplatz West

Einkorn Startplatz West is a west-facing launch at about 451 m, in a popular local recreation area outside Schwäbisch Hall, Baden-Württemberg — complete with a beer garden and monastery ruins nearby, so it's a place locals visit even when nobody's flying. Both paragliders and hang-gliders fly here, and the hang-gliding side of the site is specifically set up to be beginner-friendly, with two grass launches and a large landing area with a clear, obstruction-free approach. Visiting hang-glider pilots are explicitly welcome and can drive right up to the setup and breakdown area, so there's no long carry for the wing; the local club also runs a weekend retrieval shuttle for training days. Before your first flight here, get in touch with the club for a briefing. Flight operations must be phoned in and out with the tower at the nearby Weckrieden airfield, and pilots flying cross-country into the surrounding Weckrieden radio mandatory zone need both an aeronautical radio licence and a radio on board.

Launch & conditions

West-facing launch with two grass take-off areas set up to be beginner-friendly for hang-glider training, plus paragliding from the same site. Drive right up to the setup/breakdown area — no long carry needed.

Getting there & local rules

Get in touch with the club for a first-flight briefing before you fly here. The local club also runs a weekend shuttle back up for hang-glider training days.

Local rules & hazards

Flight operations must be phoned in and out with the tower at the nearby Weckrieden airfield. Pilots flying cross-country into the surrounding Weckrieden radio mandatory zone need an aeronautical radio licence and a radio on board.

Check conditions before you fly

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