Oberemmendorf

Oberemmendorf launches from 520 m near Ingolstadt, Bavaria, on north-west wind, with a launch ramp built up over the years by a dedicated local flying club and enough room alongside it for paragliders too. North winds turn the site into a strong soaring edge, and it also works as a thermal entry point for cross-country flights heading east — though pilots need clearance to cross the ED-R 138 Siegenburg restricted airspace (a former bombing range) that sits in the way, since it isn't always inactive. The launch itself sits in a forest clearing, which makes crosswind conditions genuinely hazardous, so pilots launch only with the wind straight down the clearing. The landing field by the Altmühl river is a straightforward approach, and rules for the site are posted on an information board at the launch. Guests can only fly here when club members are present, and a small landing fee applies.

Launch & conditions

This is a headwind-only launch through a forest clearing — crosswind brings real turbulence risk, so don't launch if the wind isn't running straight down the aisle. When both hang gliders and paragliders are waiting to launch, coordinate the order between you; simultaneous launches aren't allowed, and training flights only go up in conditions specifically suited to the clearing.

Getting there & local rules

Guests can only fly here when club members are present, and a small landing fee applies locally. Restricted airspace to the east (a former bombing range) needs clearance before you fly cross-country in that direction, since it isn't inactive at every time.

Local rules & hazards

Wings flown here need enough glide performance to safely reach the landing field, and the access route to the landing should avoid the stonemasonry works nearby.

Check conditions before you fly

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