As far as I know, only Thermiktreff and upper south launch are official and covered by the day pass. All others mentioned here are inofficial or reserved for Flying Schools. The hunters and farmers especially dislike takeoffs above the main upper launch.
Dear Nick, I agree, both Takeoffs you mention are found in the official area descriptions such as DHV or local web sites, while the coordinates of the other Takeoffs are not found everywhere. But this does not mean using them is not common. In my first Video e.g. I mention Wassertheurer, coordinates are found nowhere officially, but I know the situation there, I sometimes use it as a normal pilot without a school and roughly know the landowner (having small chats before I walk the last meter up his meadow). It can be used without any problems and the landowner is paid by the income of the daily passes. In this case, not puplicating the coordinates does not mean, the Takoff cannot be used officially. Comparable situation with the lower south Takeoff, the owner of the connected Fichtenheim is a hanglider pilot and uses it himself. It is also used by his guests and can be used by any other pilot, there have never been any complaints. Only the meadow above the lower south Takeoff should not be used as a shortcut for a walk to Thermiktreff. The east Takeoff is a very important Takeoff and I know at least 5 paragilding schools using it regularly, from three of them I know the owner personally and I have been at this Takoff alone, with other pilots, with the schools taking a course, with the schools as private pilot more than 50 times. I don’t think that the schools would use this Takeoff regularly if it was not officially allowed and I never heard that the schools do have any privileges over the ordinary pilot. Sometimes the Groundskeeper comes up with his motorcycle and checks if everybody has a valid pass, he has never complaint at the pilots launching from here. The lower west Takeoff might be a little critical, as I have seen it fenced for the first time this year. In this case, as stated in the video, I would not use it. I mentioned this Takeoff because it is a recommendation from one of the schools doing courses here (West wind!!). Same as with the east Takeoff, the Groundkeeper has never complaint using it and he sees a lot of people climbing up here each year. If you use the upper south instead - and a lot of people do this - you must know you are not in a save situation depending on glider and skills. I have seen a lot of accidents if pilots don’t manage to get over the tree range to the right or if the west wind spills over in rotors. A friend of mine had a serious injury not being able to pass the trees and found himself without a plan B as the area closes like a funnel towards the cable of the ski lift. If you look at the advertising home page of Emberger Alm: www.embergeralm.info/paragleiten-drachenfliegen_D.html there only the coordinates from the two Takeoffs you mentioned are shown, yes, I know. But if you translate and read the whole article in row number seven (German) they are advertising a wide range of takeoff opportunities above the treeline from west to south east. This is where the upper west Takeoff is located and it totally does not fit to the Information that farming and hunting is upset about taking off there. Or do they advertise something different as their opinion? I normally do have a season pass here and I do not complain about the 60 EUR, but the daily pass is the most expensive I know at a cost of 6 EUR. As a customer I expect that the Manager of the Area, Franz from the Camp, allocates the money in a way, that pilots of all experience levels are able to get in the air safely. This cannot be achieved with Thermiktreff (where the east wind often spills over and where such a lot of accidents are happening that even the Tandem Pilots are worried about the reputation of the area). Same time I expect a fair compensation of all landowners. It should cover all the cost as nothing important really grows on this altitude and the land, if at all, can be merely be used for grazing a few weeks in the year. But I take your appeal very seriously and I will check as soon as Easter next year (when the first courses are happening and the Camp normally opens partially), If I gave some wrong Information, if I was missing something or if something changed, that I didn’t know, then I will give an update.
@ParaglidersLaunchandLanding Good to know. Well, you know I am just a guest there so I try to be aware of the situation. Things can change from season to season. Sometimes there is cattle on the eastern launch. Still, I also have used it as it is the safer option sometimes.
As far as I know, only Thermiktreff and upper south launch are official and covered by the day pass. All others mentioned here are inofficial or reserved for Flying Schools. The hunters and farmers especially dislike takeoffs above the main upper launch.
Dear Nick,
I agree, both Takeoffs you mention are found in the official area descriptions such as DHV or local web sites, while the coordinates of the other Takeoffs are not found everywhere. But this does not mean using them is not common.
In my first Video e.g. I mention Wassertheurer, coordinates are found nowhere officially, but I know the situation there, I sometimes use it as a normal pilot without a school and roughly know the landowner (having small chats before I walk the last meter up his meadow). It can be used without any problems and the landowner is paid by the income of the daily passes. In this case, not puplicating the coordinates does not mean, the Takoff cannot be used officially.
Comparable situation with the lower south Takeoff, the owner of the connected Fichtenheim is a hanglider pilot and uses it himself. It is also used by his guests and can be used by any other pilot, there have never been any complaints. Only the meadow above the lower south Takeoff should not be used as a shortcut for a walk to Thermiktreff.
The east Takeoff is a very important Takeoff and I know at least 5 paragilding schools using it regularly, from three of them I know the owner personally and I have been at this Takoff alone, with other pilots, with the schools taking a course, with the schools as private pilot more than 50 times. I don’t think that the schools would use this Takeoff regularly if it was not officially allowed and I never heard that the schools do have any privileges over the ordinary pilot. Sometimes the Groundskeeper comes up with his motorcycle and checks if everybody has a valid pass, he has never complaint at the pilots launching from here.
The lower west Takeoff might be a little critical, as I have seen it fenced for the first time this year. In this case, as stated in the video, I would not use it. I mentioned this Takeoff because it is a recommendation from one of the schools doing courses here (West wind!!). Same as with the east Takeoff, the Groundkeeper has never complaint using it and he sees a lot of people climbing up here each year. If you use the upper south instead - and a lot of people do this - you must know you are not in a save situation depending on glider and skills. I have seen a lot of accidents if pilots don’t manage to get over the tree range to the right or if the west wind spills over in rotors. A friend of mine had a serious injury not being able to pass the trees and found himself without a plan B as the area closes like a funnel towards the cable of the ski lift.
If you look at the advertising home page of Emberger Alm: www.embergeralm.info/paragleiten-drachenfliegen_D.html there only the coordinates from the two Takeoffs you mentioned are shown, yes, I know. But if you translate and read the whole article in row number seven (German) they are advertising a wide range of takeoff opportunities above the treeline from west to south east. This is where the upper west Takeoff is located and it totally does not fit to the Information that farming and hunting is upset about taking off there. Or do they advertise something different as their opinion?
I normally do have a season pass here and I do not complain about the 60 EUR, but the daily pass is the most expensive I know at a cost of 6 EUR. As a customer I expect that the Manager of the Area, Franz from the Camp, allocates the money in a way, that pilots of all experience levels are able to get in the air safely. This cannot be achieved with Thermiktreff (where the east wind often spills over and where such a lot of accidents are happening that even the Tandem Pilots are worried about the reputation of the area). Same time I expect a fair compensation of all landowners. It should cover all the cost as nothing important really grows on this altitude and the land, if at all, can be merely be used for grazing a few weeks in the year.
But I take your appeal very seriously and I will check as soon as Easter next year (when the first courses are happening and the Camp normally opens partially), If I gave some wrong Information, if I was missing something or if something changed, that I didn’t know, then I will give an update.
@ParaglidersLaunchandLanding Good to know. Well, you know I am just a guest there so I try to be aware of the situation. Things can change from season to season. Sometimes there is cattle on the eastern launch. Still, I also have used it as it is the safer option sometimes.