Heue / Bergalingen

Heue/Bergalingen is a forest-clearing launch at about 850 m facing southwest to west, with views stretching over the Rhine, the Black Forest and the Vosges, and as far as the Swiss Alps on a clear day. A power line sits to the right of the launch direction, and the site's rules are shaped mainly by its neighbour, the Hütten glider airfield, also to the right: gliding and paragliding are both forbidden immediately before and after glider approaches and departures unless the airfield's flight radio grants clearance, and its traffic pattern must never be disturbed. The site suits pilots with either a restricted or a full pilot license, and tandem flights are allowed, though training flights are not. Since a high-voltage line runs along the launch's northern edge, ridge-parallel flying there needs proper safety height. Guests are welcome but need a briefing from the club on their first visit, and access to launch is on foot from a nearby sports field where cars are left behind. The main landing field slopes gently with fruit trees in its lower section, next to the access road; a second, alternate landing field nearby sits on a genuinely demanding, hilltop-shaped meadow and is only for experienced pilots — the main field is always the first choice. Zurich's TMA overhead brings a real airspace ceiling (Class C) that must be respected on every flight.

Local rules & hazards

The site's rules are shaped by the neighbouring Hütten glider airfield: paragliding and hang gliding are both forbidden immediately before and after glider approaches and departures unless the airfield's flight radio grants clearance, and its traffic pattern must never be disturbed. A high-voltage line runs along the launch's northern edge, so ridge-parallel flying there needs proper safety height. Zurich's TMA overhead brings a real airspace ceiling (Class C) that must be respected on every flight, and an alternate landing field nearby is a genuinely demanding, hilltop-shaped approach reserved for experienced pilots — the main landing field is always the first choice.

Check conditions before you fly

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