Mellbeck

Mellbeck flies north through northwest winds on a slope in Sauerland that's now shared with grazing Highland cattle — the operator brought them in to keep blackberries and scrub from swallowing the launch, which means fences, a capped 50 m launch width, and a ~10 m cattle path below that every flight has to clear on the way through. The fencing is soft plastic, built not to hurt a pilot who brushes it, but mother cows near their calves are still worth giving room to at the gaps. Two months are entirely off-limits for pasture management reasons: the site closes in May and October, and that closure covers ground-handling practice too, not just flights. Flying otherwise runs 10:00 to 20:00, capped at 15 people on the hill at once, and a well shaft cover gets padded with straw during flying to keep it from becoming a hazard. A neighbouring wind turbine needs a wide berth as well.

Launch & conditions

The launch width is capped at about 50 m by fencing for grazing cattle below, and every flight has to clear a ~10 m cattle path on the way out.

Getting there & local rules

The site is closed entirely in May and October for pasture management, including ground-handling practice; flying otherwise runs 10:00-20:00, capped at 15 people at once.

Local rules & hazards

The launch shares its slope with grazing Highland cattle behind soft plastic fencing, and mother cows near calves are worth giving room to at the gaps. The site closes entirely in May and October for pasture management — no flying or ground-handling either month — and a neighbouring wind turbine needs a wide safety margin.

Check conditions before you fly

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