Schwaigau

Schwaigau is a winch-tow paragliding and hang gliding site in Bavaria, sitting at about 426 m with open, flat terrain that takes wind from any direction — a useful characteristic for a tow field. Tows are permitted up to a release height of 450 m above the ground. Pilots need to know that controlled airspace Class E starts at 1,000 ft above the site, so the usual VFR minima apply once you're up that high. There's a protected meadow-breeding-bird area on site, and it must not be overflown at all during the breeding season, from 1 March through 1 July each year — the boundaries are marked on the permit map. Organised fly-in days and public flying events are not allowed here; this is a working tow field, not an event site.

Launch & conditions

Winch-tow site at about 426 m, flat and open enough to launch and tow in any wind direction; tow release height is capped at 450 m above ground.

Getting there & local rules

Vehicle access to the tow track is restricted to a single vehicle at a time — check with the site holder before driving in; extra vehicles must park away from the immediate site.

Local rules & hazards

Controlled airspace Class E begins at 1,000 ft above the ground here, so standard VFR minima apply. Tow operations must stop if there's any risk to people on the access track, and towing does not start if a crosswind could drift a snapped tow line toward the nearby railway, road or motorway. The on-site meadow-breeding-bird area must not be overflown between 1 March and 1 July each year. No organised fly-in days or flying events are permitted.

Check conditions before you fly

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