Buggeru

Buggeru launches at 490 m on Sardinia's south-west coast, in the Carbonia-Iglesias area, an easy west-to-north-west-facing take-off with a 400 m top-to-bottom height range that drops straight toward the sea. The flight is locally rated as unique for exactly that reason: the route runs through the point where mountain and coastline meet, passing through a gradient of colour from green hillside to the deep blue of the sea below. The launch surface itself is a little untidy rather than a clean ramp, so a careful, deliberate technique helps more than speed off the top. Landing is normally on the beach, but pilots are advised to avoid it when crowded with swimmers and sunbathers, using the plenty of open fields next to the beach as the alternative instead. With thermal, soaring, cross-country and hike-and-fly credentials all in one site, Buggeru rewards pilots willing to time their landing choice around how busy the beach is on the day, rather than assuming the sand is always free.

Launch & conditions

West to north-west facing take-off; the ground is a little untidy rather than a clean ramp. Top-to-bottom height range is about 400 m.

Getting there & local rules

Normal landing is the beach, but avoid it when crowded — plenty of open fields sit right next to it as an alternative.

Check conditions before you fly

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