Paragliding in Osttirol

710 metres - 1550 metres

1. Ebnerfeld: (1420 metres), south-east-south-west, moderate, forest aisle start, no visibility to the landing area; risk of side wind; only accessible by car; right on the road; suitable for hang gliders and paragliders; instruction & contact: Flight school Bruno Girstmair, https://flugschule-lienz.at 
2. Steiner Mandl: (2200 metres), south-east-south-west, easy, no visibility to the landing area. For paragliders, on the Steiner Mandl there are two starting areas to the west and the east of the restaurant Steinermandl. At the Steiner Mandl starting area there is a wind sock and toilet facilities. Launch site accessible with the Lienz cable cars, cablecar and quad chairlift transport a maximum of "two-metre kites" for hang gliders.

1. Postleite - landing site Flugschule Bruno Girstmair (668 m): Main landing area for paragliders and hang-gliders, a meadow field about 800 m east of the valley station. Exact position on the flight school homepage. Valley wind mostly from the SE, north foehn from the west. Cables (flight simulator rope) and three high-voltage power lines south parallel to the landing site, so be sure to get briefed. Instruction & contact: Bruno Girstmair Flight School, https://flugschule-lienz.at 
2. South of the valley station of the Lienzer Bergbahnen - Paragliding Club Touch Heaven Lienz (668 m): Landing site for paragliders, approx. 3 minutes' drive from the valley station of the Lienzer Bergbahnen / Zettersfeld. Exact position on the homepage of the paragliding club. Voluntary donations. Valley wind mostly from SE, north foehn from west. Cables (flight simulator rope) and three high-voltage power lines close to the landing site, so be sure to get briefed. Instruction & contact: Franz Brandstätter, +43 664 3023840, http://www.touchheaven.net 

Good thermal conditions from late morning. Brilliant landing area at Zettersfeld. Be mindful of the summer winds in the valley when flying into the valley. In northerly locations considerable, turbulent lee thermals prevail. 

Good thermals from March right through to the start of November. The easiest flight routes proceed east across the Drautal to Emberger Alm. Anyone who heads west should do the valley jump to the Hochstein (high base required), from there via Sillian into Pustertal/Bruneck. As an alternative there is the jump to the south into the Lienz Dolomites, continuing in an easterly or westerly direction along Gailtal. 

1.340 metres

From Leisach on the Pustertal altitude road, to Bannberg and continue via Hochsteinstraße (toll) to the car park. From there it is 15 minutes to the alpine hut Hochsteinhütte or to the starting area.

East/ South East, light, around 1970 metres, forest aisle. From the car park directly horizontally to the east to the mountain station for the T-bar lift. (to the wind sock). Or climb to Hochsteinhütte initially (15 minutes) and then continue east to the starting area. If there is a westerly wind and a northerly wind do not try to start from here - Lee rotors!

1. Postleite - landing site Flugschule Bruno Girstmair (668 m): Main landing area for paragliders and hang-gliders, a meadow field about 800 m east of the valley station. Exact position on the flight school homepage. Valley wind mostly from the SE, north foehn from the west. Cables (flight simulator rope) and three high-voltage power lines south parallel to the landing site, so be sure to get briefed. Instruction & contact: Bruno Girstmair Flight School, https://flugschule-lienz.at 
2. South of the valley station of the Lienzer Bergbahnen - Paragliding Club Touch Heaven Lienz (668 m): Landing site for paragliders, approx. 3 minutes' drive from the valley station of the Lienzer Bergbahnen / Zettersfeld. Exact position on the homepage of the paragliding club. Voluntary donations. Valley wind mostly from SE, north foehn from west. Cables (flight simulator rope) and three high-voltage power lines close to the landing site, so be sure to get briefed. Instruction & contact: Franz Brandstätter, +43 664 3023840, http://www.touchheaven.net 

1.300 meters

1. Alpeggele: (around 2100 metres), north-east-south-east /south /south-west /west; light-moderate, only GS main take-off area, from the mountain station to the left (west) go up to the take-off area to the area above marked out with wind flags; around 15 minutes. Or by car via the mountain road from Außervillgraten to Thurntaler Rast and around 1/2 hour to the west, following the alpine trail.
2. Summit Thurntaler: (2400 metres), west-south-west-south and east-north, light-moderate, take-off area only suitable for the winter months (when the cable car operates) and directly accessible by the Gadein chairlift.
3. Stalpen: (1610 metres), east/south-east /south, light, take-off area for GS and D. Access: road from Sillian near the church, up to area where it ends (large car-park). The D-take-off area is situated to the north-west of the car park (little wind flag); to get to the GS take-off area you have to go back from the car park to the farm above the road and behind the farm, along the forest to the take-off area. Do not unfurl the glider outside the barriered area.
4. Petersberg: South-east, light, GS only, accessible via Sillianbergstrasse to Schlittenhaus; please note that car parking options are limited, obtain approval from the Blue Sky flight school.

Take-off and landing tickets for the Thurntaler flying site can be purchased at the Blue Sky Flight School. Day ticket € 5.00, week ticket € 20.00, annual ticket € 40.00

1. Blue Sky Sillian: (1100 metres), large meadow to the south of the main road opposite Thurntaler valley station, with car parking. Take-off and landing tickets for the Thurntaler flying site can be purchased at the Blue Sky Flight School. Day ticket € 5.00, week ticket € 20.00, annual ticket € 40.00
2. Panzendorf: (1080 metres), landing site between Heinfels and Tassenbach. The landing site is located at the DFC Sillian clubhouse south of the Loacker complex, south of the railway tracks and the Drau river. From the valley station head south-east through Panzendorf and Rabland.

The Thurntaler is a flight terrain which has partly high alpines conditions and is therefore only suitable for paragliders on days when there are not any overriding wind conditions. On days with patchy rain and a tendency for storms a lower take-off area is suitable, mostly in the mornings. Good thermals are available from late morning in the rocky gully areas around the summit ridge, this is throughout the year thanks to the broad southern flanks. When there is more wind in the valley you can start from the lower take-off areas, like the Stalpen.

Predominantly east-west along Pustertal is the easiest. Can be crossed to the south in the Dolomites and on the main Carnic ridge. To the north there is the option of a lovely triangular route at the main alpine ridge and back (via Defereggental or Hochstein).

670 metres -710 metres

1. (Around 2 040 metres), south-east/south, easy, main starting area at the target area, descend a short section to the south-east; some 500 metres beneath the mountain station, where the ski piste deviates to the west.
2. (Around 2100 metres), north-east/east, easy, but flat, 50 metres to the south beneath the mountain station in a small saddle, on which a ski piste branches off to the west.
3. (Around 2100 metres), south /south-west, easy, above the mountain station. Follow the ridge to the north for around 500 metres, the take-off area with the wind flag is at the peak to the left of the summit station for the T-bar lift. Outside operating hours for the chairlift you can drive up via a forest road. Ask for the key for this private road at Gasthof Unterwöger!

(1400 metres). The new landing area is situated on a meadow approx. 130 m below Landhaus Lugger. Turn off the main road at the bus stop Obertilliach/Ort (Zollstöckl) and follow the asphalted road for approx. 300 m. Parking is possible at the Golzentippbahn! To the gondola: Follow the footpath up to the main road and from there approx. 300 metres to the cable car - walking time: approx. 12 min.

It is preferable to fly out in a south-easterly direction from the main starting area. In a somewhat elevated position at the entrance to the left of the valley floor is the Hausbart. You can make out the drop line of the flight route from a forest sinkhole which has a clearance. Often this entire flank is well visible in the afternoon with the wind in the valley. The Bart is for the most part not towards the take- off area, but past it, to the west.

Lienz Dolomites and main Carnic ridge, on both sides of Lesach-Gailtal to the east and the west (flights to Sillian - Lienz, Kötschach-Mauten), triangular and destination return flights (not yet explored much)