Hof Lauterbach

Hof Lauterbach is a flatland winch-tow site in North Rhine-Westphalia at about 352 m, flyable in wind from any direction, which is what makes a flat winch field valuable when the day's wind doesn't cooperate with a mountain launch. Because it's a tow operation rather than a ridge or mountain site, the rules here are mostly about traffic and safety on the ground: crossing paths have to be secured with barriers or marshals before winch towing starts, and powered paragliders can't fly at the same time as the winch is operating, so a tow line and a motor never share the same airspace. Pilots keep at least 50 m of horizontal and vertical clearance from a nearby road and from a high-voltage power line running along the eastern part of the tow field — both marked on the site's own map. Flying is also scaled back in timing and area if sensitive nesting bird species nearby are disturbed. A practical, all-wind training and cross-country flatland rather than a scenic mountain launch.

Launch & conditions

A flatland winch-tow field flyable in wind from any direction — valuable exactly because it doesn't depend on a mountain launch facing the right way.

Local rules & hazards

Crossing paths must be secured with barriers or marshals before winch towing begins, and powered paragliders can't fly while the winch is operating. Keep at least 50 m of horizontal and vertical clearance from the nearby road and from a high-voltage line along the eastern tow area. Flight operations are scaled back in timing and area if sensitive bird species are disturbed.

Check conditions before you fly

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