Osterhofen

Osterhofen is a winch-launch flatland site in Germany at 600 m, northeast of Bad Waldsee, flyable in south and southwest wind and run by a small local paragliding group using a stationary winch. Flying can't start before 10:00 any day, to avoid disturbing ground-nesting meadow birds during the dawn hours. The surrounding area is also a stopover and resting ground for curlews during migration, so flight operations are banned outright in August and September each year — outside those months, the site is limited to a maximum of 30 flying days per year. Every flight also gets logged, with date, time, pilot and any notable incidents recorded, so this is a site run with real attention to the wildlife around it.

Launch & conditions

Winch-launch flatland site run with a stationary winch, flyable in south and southwest wind; no flying before 10:00.

Local rules & hazards

Flying can't start before 10:00 on any day, to avoid disturbing ground-nesting meadow birds. Flight operations are banned outright in August and September because the area is a migration stopover for curlews, and are limited to 30 flying days per year the rest of the time. Every flight is logged with date, time, pilot and notable incidents.

Check conditions before you fly

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