Hörnle Startplatz Bergwachthütte

Hörnle is built for pilots who want the flying without the grind — a chairlift carries you comfortably to the top, and the beginner-friendly launch sits just 50 m from the summit station, making it a favourite for leisure flying and hike-and-fly days alike. It only works with wind out of the north, and it's a genuinely short launch, so crosswind or tailwind attempts are ruled out entirely. When cattle are grazing near the upper launch, you launch only from inside the fenced area and only once the departure zone itself is clear of animals. A modest landing and launch fee applies, payable before you fly. Commercial tandem operators need the site operator's permission, though flying with friends for fun faces no such restriction. Landing is the lower meadow in the Sonnen district only — the upper slopes are off-limits — and east wind can bring some turbulence on the crosswind leg, so it's best not to cut in low over the houses on the way down.

Launch & conditions

A genuinely short launch that only works with north wind — crosswind or tailwind attempts are ruled out, and it sits within a fenced pasture area that needs to be clear of cattle before you launch.

Getting there & local rules

Reached comfortably by chairlift, with the launch just 50 m from the summit station; a modest landing and launch fee applies, payable before you fly.

Local rules & hazards

Launches happen only with wind from the north, and never in crosswind or tailwind given how short the launch is. When cattle graze near the upper launch, stay inside the fenced area and confirm the departure zone is clear of animals first. East wind can bring turbulence on the crosswind leg into landing, so avoid cutting in low over the houses, and ground-handling isn't permitted at the landing meadow itself.

Check conditions before you fly

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