Adventure - Hang Gliding

3. Other popular country-wide flight sites: 2005

There are many highly suitable and exciting sites available throughout the country – too numerous to list here! A few of the more popular flight sites appear below but if your flying preference is elsewhere, do not despair – drop us an e-mail and we will respond with the requested information. Most sites require a small fee.

A. Western Cape

Noordhoek, Cape Town, overlooking Hout Bay
© Greg Hamerton

(a) Lion’s Head, Cape Town – A consistent and beautiful site to fly, offering a superb panorama of Clifton, Camps Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and the Twelve Apostles. Altitude – Topsite is 450 metres asl with airspace ceiling at 1200 asl. Thermic upslope breezes in the afternoons. Best flying is from 15h00 during wind-shadow conditions. Site fee payable – guidance by a local pilot at this highly visible and sensitive site is essential.

Lion’s Head,
Cape Town
© SAHPA

(b) Table Mountain, Cape Town – Soaring! The most awesome and complex of the Cape Peninsula sites. Table Mountain has a presence, an energy that commands respect the moment you stop outside the cablecar. The wind swirls around the mountain in shifting currents, making take-off judgment critical. Treacherous cliff-launch. Don’t take a chance if you feel unhappy – this site is extremely unforgiving and local knowledge is invaluable.

Table Mountain through the mist
© SAHPA

Two signoff flights are required from each launch site before going completely solo; it’s that difficult…Altitude – 1000 metres asl with airspace ceiling 1200 metres. The authorities of Table Mountain have instituted a card system for paragliders, which offers pilots a substantial discount on cable-car fares. To make use of this system, you need to be properly licensed and guided – free return if you do not fly.

(c) Franschhoek, Cape Winelands – Thermic and soaring. Franschhoek is one of the premier wine-growing regions of the Cape – a superb place to go for fantastically scenic flying, perhaps rounded off with a mellow lunch and a bottle or two of wine! The pass is only flyable in very light wind due to the channelling effect of the valley sides. Altitude – Launch is 620 metres asl with airspace ceiling 2000 metres asl. Site closed from time to time due to erosion – please check first for latest status.

Franschhoek Valley
© SAHPA

(d) Hermanus, towards the Garden Route – Thermic and soaring. Consistent flying conditions. Ridge-lift with a healthy sprinkling of thermals makes for some interesting flying. In springtime (October/November) you may see whales in the bay! Altitude – 180 metres asl with airspace ceiling 2300 metres.

B. Mpumalanga (Province)

God’s Window is a popular tourist spot with magnificent views over the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountain) escarpment. Absolutely stunning flying site! The small take-off, tiny top landing area and virtual absence of bottom landing combines with the sheer rock faces rising out of the dense jungle to make this an awe-inspiring and intimidating site.

© SAHPA