Aviano

Aviano is a thermal and hike site in the Friuli hills, but the defining fact here is airspace, not terrain: the flying area sits inside the Aviano ATZ, a restricted military zone, so flights are only permitted for pilots registered with the local club and covered by an annual NOTAM. Visiting pilots can't just show up and launch — you need to arrange permission with the locals first and, once on site, notify the airport control tower before flying and report back the outcome to other pilots waiting their turn. Several take-off points are available, and all are reached easily by road, so access itself isn't the challenge. Landing is in Aviano itself, with a second option at Sarone a little further away. Because this is active military airspace shared with an operational airport, the permit and communication process isn't a formality — treat it as a hard requirement, not a suggestion.

Launch & conditions

Several take-off points are available around the site, all easily reached from the road.

Getting there & local rules

Access is by a good road. Landing is in Aviano itself, with an alternative landing zone at Sarone a little further off.

Check conditions before you fly

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