Houten

Houten is a flatland winch-tow site in the Netherlands, just southeast of Utrecht, and it's the only way to get airborne here — there's no ridge or hill, so every flight starts on a winch cable. The field sits directly under Schiphol's approach corridor, which begins around FL055 (roughly 1,700 m); because that altitude shifts slightly with air pressure, the local club caps tows at a strict 1,400 m for safety, and pilots regularly use every bit of it — clay soil here turns properly thermic through spring and summer, and duration flights are common. The site only operates from April through October; outside that window the fields are too wet to use. It's a working farmer's field rather than a dedicated flying park, so access is car-only (no public transport reaches it), a small landing fee applies on-site, and the club runs it under a municipal permit that caps numbers on the field at any one time.

Launch & conditions

Every flight here launches by winch tow — there's no hill or ridge to soar.

Getting there & local rules

The winch field is reachable by car only; there's no public transport option. Park in the designated lot beside the field and follow the signs — never park on the farmyard itself.

Local rules & hazards

The field lies directly under Schiphol's approach corridor, which starts around 1,700 m, so tows are capped at a strict 1,400 m for safety. The clay soil makes the area reliably thermic through spring and summer, with duration flights common up to that ceiling.

Check conditions before you fly

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