Ob Lucken

Ob Lucken launches at about 890 m facing west, and it's explicitly marked as a site for experienced pilots only — the takeoff itself is small and short, more a ramp built for hang gliders than a forgiving grassy meadow. The airspace here is genuinely tight: maximum altitude is 1,350 m, set by the Zurich airport TMA (LSZH), which leaves very little vertical room to work with once airborne. A south wind puts the takeoff directly in the lee, a real hazard rather than a minor inconvenience, so conditions need careful reading before committing to launch. There's no official landing zone at all — pilots land and fold up on the small local streets instead, and landing in uncut fields is explicitly ruled out. Parking and access rules have to be observed on top of all that. This is a site for pilots who already have the judgment to read lee-side risk and fly a precise approach onto a street, not one to learn on.

Local rules & hazards

Maximum altitude is 1,350 m, set by the Zurich airport TMA (LSZH). A south wind puts the takeoff in the lee — a real hazard. There is no official landing zone: land and fold up on the small local streets, never in uncut fields. Observe parking and access rules.

Check conditions before you fly

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