Engelsdorf Start – und Landung Ost (2)

Engelsdorf Ost is the eastern launch of the Engelsdorf winch-tow flatland site between Aldenhoven and Jülich, sitting alongside its western counterpart in the same tightly regulated corridor near two military installations. Geilenkirchen NATO airbase's controlled airspace lies roughly 5 km away, with a mandatory reporting point about 5.7 km off, and the restricted zone ED-R 111 (ceiling around 700 m) sits some 4 km east — pilots are told never to enter either. The whole area also falls inside Germany's general military low-flying zone, so weekday daytimes can bring jet, propeller and even helicopter traffic at low altitude, and every pilot is briefed on that before flying here. Daily operations are registered with two nearby air traffic control towers before launching and reported again once flying ends, a radio link between launch point, tow vehicle and pilot is mandatory, and the tow route is only open for paraglider launches and landings outside the field-bird breeding season, from 1 September to the end of February.

Launch & conditions

A radio link between the launch point, tow vehicle and pilot is mandatory, and towing must stop the moment a vehicle or person approaches the route. The tow route is only open for paraglider launches and landings from 1 September to the end of February, outside the field-bird breeding season.

Local rules & hazards

The site sits close to Geilenkirchen NATO airbase's controlled airspace (roughly 5 km away) and the restricted zone ED-R 111 (ceiling around 700 m) about 4 km east — entering either is never permitted, and daily flying is registered with the two nearest air traffic control towers before and after operations. The area also lies inside Germany's general military low-flying zone, so jet, propeller and helicopter traffic can appear at low altitude on weekday daytimes. Keep well clear of the A44 motorway at all times.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Engelsdorf Start – und Landung Ost (2), 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 Engelsdorf Start – und Landung Ost (2) with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.