Schoden

Schoden is a paragliding site in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, at about 279 m, flying in southwest and west wind. Every pilot needs a briefing from the site holder on slope-landing technique and the terrain's particular hazards before launching, and every launch needs the holder's permission. A hard safety line marks where the launch must be airborne — miss it and the launch has to be aborted — because the L138 road and a nearby rail line both have to be cleared with at least 50 m to spare; if height isn't gained right after launch, pilots head straight for the landing field to clear both safely. Flying stops during organized hunts, scheduled by the local hunting leaseholder, and always ends half an hour before sunset. Student pilots fly under an instructor's radio supervision at both launch and landing throughout the flight. A separate top-landing area exists too, but it's reserved for pilots who've mastered the technique and can't be used for training.

Launch & conditions

A defined safety line marks the launch — miss it and you must abort. Student pilots fly under an instructor's radio supervision from both launch and landing.

Local rules & hazards

A hard safety line marks where the launch must be airborne, and both the L138 road and a nearby rail line below have to be cleared with at least 50 m to spare — if height isn't gained right after launch, pilots head straight for the landing field to clear both safely. Flying stops during organized hunts scheduled by the local hunting leaseholder, and always ends half an hour before sunset; cutting or burning hedges nearby is prohibited from 1 March to 30 September under regional landscape law. Top-landings require the site holder's separate briefing and mastered technique, and that field can't be used for training.

Check conditions before you fly

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