Lehens

Lehens is a northwest-facing launch at about 349 m among vineyards, where guest pilots need a briefing from the site holder on local conditions before their first flight. Launches happen only when the wing and wind together allow safe flying, with enough clearance from the surrounding vineyards on departure and a landing field that's genuinely reachable — in practice that means a clean headwind of around 325°, and no launching at all in stronger crosswind or turbulent air, since obstacles nearby can create lee danger. Tandem paraglider launches need a bit more: a turbulence-free headwind of about 12–15 km/h, strong enough to pull the wing up standing in place under full control, plus a documented briefing for the tandem pilot on local conditions and proof of sufficient flight experience and canopy handling. If a pilot doesn't find lift after launching, the plan is to leave the slope in good time with enough height toward the landing field, watching for other aircraft that might be approaching or landing at the same moment. The site holder adjusts the landing pattern as needed to account for seasonal crops like maize around the landing field that can complicate the approach, occasionally pausing flying altogether if conditions call for it.

Local rules & hazards

Launches only happen in a clean headwind of around 325°, never in stronger crosswind or turbulent air, since nearby obstacles can create lee danger; tandem launches need a turbulence-free headwind of about 12–15 km/h plus a documented briefing and proof of sufficient experience for the tandem pilot. If no lift is found after launch, pilots leave the slope in good time toward the landing field, watching for other aircraft on approach at the same time. The site holder adjusts the landing pattern seasonally to account for crops like maize around the landing field that can complicate the approach.

Check conditions before you fly

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