La Silla (The Chair)

La Silla — 'The Chair' — is a thermic flying area in the Manabí highlands of coastal Ecuador, roughly between Portoviejo and Sucre (also called 24 de Mayo). The 464 m take-off is a broad, flat mountain top that acts as a convergence point for thermals from several directions. Cycles are short and come every 15 to 20 minutes, so patience beats hunting: pilots place a few windsocks around the launch and only commit when a consistent cycle comes in. La Silla is a valley-hopping XC site — small ridges release thermals and let you move from valley to valley. Retrieve can be difficult, so aim for landings close to visible main roads. In the afternoon the Pacific-side wind (west) sets in and can bring gusts over 30 km/h at landing; travelling in the Portoviejo direction is difficult after 14:00. Let the people at the official landing know you're going up — the dirt road to launch crosses private land.

Launch & conditions

Broad flat mountain top with thermals converging from three directions. Place multiple windsocks — one at the edge of the launch and one in the centre — and only launch when two of them agree on a cycle. Cycles arrive every 15 to 20 minutes. When the Pacific wind sets in in the afternoon, gusts over 30 km/h at landing become possible; land early on those days.

Getting there & local rules

From Portoviejo, take a bus toward Sucre (locally called 24 de Mayo). Once past Colón, when the bus leaves the main road, the flat top of La Silla is easily identified ahead. About 3 km before Sucre, leave the main road and take a dirt road on the right. The dirt road climbs all the way to the top but the upper section is steep — a 4x4, motorbike or even a donkey is needed. The main LZ is along the road near the point where the dirt road to launch starts; it's owned by a local family who prepared it for pilots. 'El Flaco', the landowner, can help with local transport and vehicle care — tips appreciated. One decent hotel in Sucre (US$10/night as of 2014).

Check conditions before you fly

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