Hönningen Startplatz Ost

Hönningen Startplatz Ost is a modest paragliding launch in western Germany, sitting at roughly 350 m and facing east — a useful option on days when westerly sites are blown out. It's a tightly managed local site: before flying here, every pilot needs a briefing from the site holder covering things like the run-up to launch, where turbulence tends to build, and how the site behaves in different wind strengths. Tandem flights are restricted to paraglider wings only, and running one requires the site holder's specific sign-off and induction — hang glider tandems aren't permitted. None of this is paperwork for its own sake: east-facing, valley-adjacent launches like this one can produce rough air outside a narrow window, so the local knowledge genuinely matters. Landings are at the dedicated Hönningen Landeplatz nearby. Treat this as a site to fly with, or after, a proper local introduction rather than one to drop into cold.

Local rules & hazards

Tandem flights are permitted only on paragliders, and only with the site holder's specific approval and briefing. Every pilot must be briefed locally on the site's particular conditions — the style of launch, where turbulence risk builds, and how wind behaves here — before flying.

Check conditions before you fly

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