A look back at the highlights of May and a brief outlook for the coming weeks. This time with Hammer Days; Flying into the TRA; Hike and Fly Events; Brauneck Paragliding - Trying to go big 298 km FAI; Understanding thermals: How bubble theory helps you make better decisions and Red Bull X-Alps 2025 Team Training German 1 Markus Anders.
Hike and fly fever has been spreading for several years now. Thanks to ever lighter materials, it is also possible for the untrained, à la Chrigel Maurer. One person who is trying to bring hike and fly closer to every man or woman is Peter Waldner, whether by organising hike and fly competitions, providing a competition app or his hike and fly YouTube channel. In this interview, he explains why he still enjoys the peace and quiet of a hike and fly away from the hustle and bustle and what makes this type of sport so fascinating for him.
The Wallberg - an ideal mountain for hike and fly beginners, as the ascent is relatively easy. In contrast, this is not necessarily the best location for long XC flights, as the launch sites face north and north-west. Nevertheless, long XC flights have also been made from here if you know where to look for the thermals immediately after take-off. A classic is the flight to Kössen, which is also feasible for XC beginners with sufficient westerly winds.
The Brauneck - I have a kind of love-hate relationship with this mountain. On the one hand, the wind often can't decide which direction it wants to blow from, which then results in a change of position, e.g. from north to south or vice versa. On the other hand, I don't particularly like it as a hike and fly mountain either, as you always have to master steep passages on the ascent. This can be very exhausting. Nevertheless, I occasionally climb the Brauneck, as it also offers certain advantages, such as three take-off directions (north, south and east) and the possibility of flying in thermals on the broad southern flank of the Benediktenwand even in winter.
Chrigel Maurer's autobiography Der Überflieger is an exciting and very personal journey through the life of one of the best paragliders in the world. In this book, the exceptional athlete provides a deep insight into his experiences, thoughts and the development of his impressive success. The book is written in simple language, which makes it accessible to a broad readership, and is of great interest to fans of flying and adventure-seekers in particular. The book is only in German available
Autumn time is hike and fly time. Every year, I make plans to try this special form of our sport in autumn. Unfortunately, it often fails due to time constraints or simply laziness. The conditions on this day were ideal for putting the plan into practice. The forecast was for a north-westerly, moderate wind and sunshine. In order to achieve a good training effect, the ascent of the Jägerkamp followed by a start on the Nagelspitze seemed to me to be an ideal mountain for a hike and fly.
