Ockfen/Bockstein

Ockfen/Bockstein is a ridge launch with a ramp above the Saar, at about 370 m facing south to southwest, open only to club members — visitors should carpool to the launch, since at most two vehicles can park there. The site's own current notes flag an important change: because of ongoing friction with local hunters and the municipality, paraglider launches are no longer possible here, even though the site's older rules still describe detailed paraglider procedures — a dedicated training launch below the ramp, tandem starts in 5–20 km/h southwest wind, and a required minimum of five logged altitude flights elsewhere before a student could fly here. Those procedures reflect how the site used to operate rather than what's currently allowed for paragliders, so pilots should check with the club before planning a visit. The landing field slopes in one direction, so the posted landing instructions and pattern at the information board there matter regardless of wing type, and when paraglider and hang glider traffic did mix, launches were kept properly spaced apart and coordinated between the two.

Local rules & hazards

According to the site's own current notes, paraglider launches are no longer possible here because of ongoing friction with local hunters and the municipality — the detailed paraglider launch procedures on record (training launch below the ramp, tandem wind limits, minimum prior experience) describe how the site used to operate, not what's currently allowed, so pilots should confirm with the club before planning a visit. The site is open to club members only, at most two vehicles may park at launch, and the landing field slopes in one direction, so the posted landing instructions at the information board matter on every flight.

Check conditions before you fly

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