Coast flying in the Netherlands ?

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winDfried
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Location: Mainz, Germany

Coast flying in the Netherlands ?

Post by winDfried »

Having seen the beach fun videos from Davis, i´d like to try also flying in the seawind.
In the progressed beginner state with my Delta I have joy also from short glides,
or wind playing.
Is there in Holland some known Delta site, where one could meet local delta pilots ?

What are the regulations for a german pilot to fulfil ?

(Bart, this is directed to You :twisted: )
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Bart Doets
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Location: Netherlands

Post by Bart Doets »

Ha... I never saw this until now...

Normally, Langevelderslag (near Lisse) is our main coastal site; but right now it's closed because they sowed new grass. Come autumn it will be open again I guess. Summer is not that much fun anyway because the beach is so filled with people...
Other sites are at Zoutelande in Zeeland, and at Kijkduin (but Kijkduin is also temporarily closed).

Regulations - a HG pilots license, and more regulations are on a board at either site. Better speak to some locals. If the wind is good, there often are - especially in the weekends.

Bart
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winDfried
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Location: Mainz, Germany

Soarbaar ? Nee !

Post by winDfried »

Hi Bart, Thank You for answering.
Anyway I was too early contacting You in Spring. ´Received my license and IPPI card just July 28.

From now it will be possible for me to come to You for dune flying perfectly legal :wink: .

I also found :idea:
http://www.jeroenbuis.com/parapent/soaralert.asp
which is updated every 10 mins and gives info on the Wind-direction and speed.

However the site is designated for Paragliders. I guess the
"Maximum Windkracht" could be widened to up to 10 or 12 m/sec for Deltas, resp Hanggliders.
What would You recommend :?:

Best regards. Win"D"fried
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Bart Doets
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Location: Netherlands

Post by Bart Doets »

After a long time I looked back here... (usually only look at the Hanggliding section)
I didn't kow the soar alert-site you mention; looks good although it does not list all the options, especially the ones for SW.
The dunes can be soared in windspeeds up to 50 km/h, but of course that's depending on your wing and experience. Although the air is almost always laminar, you're so close to the terrain that the margin for error is minimal. It can be soarable from 8 m/s on, but that too is tricky because you are even closer to the dune! For starters, 10-12 m/s is a good idea.

The sort of playing/flying you saw on the clips on Davis'site isn't possible in Holland I'm afraid; since the dunes here play an active part in keeping the sea out of the low country, it's forbidden to even walk in the dunes, all the foot- and bicyclepaths are bordered with barbed wire. To get allowance for a launch site takes lots of diplomatic work... so even when we are permitted to launch from the top and land on the beach, that doesnt mean you can walk inbetween...

By the way, on our only NNE site, an artificial dune near Rotterdam, they have just planted a row of windmills, effectively closing the site down for us.
Bart
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Dave Kinlan
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Location: The Netherlands

Coastal soaring in the Netherlands

Post by Dave Kinlan »

Win"D"fried,

the coastal soaring season in Holland is rapidly approaching. There can be good flying to be had here in October.

The main wind direction you want to be keeping an eye on is WNW for Langeveldseslag or SW for Zoutelande in Zeeland. Its quite a drive for you so you want to be sure the forecast is going to be good before you think to set off. It would be better to come for the weekend and combine it with a stay by the seaside.

There are a few admin items to be aware of, the main one being you will be asked to show your licence by an official at the Langeveldseslag launch point at and there's a combination lock on the gate. As Bart said the dunes can only be flown in relatively strong winds so you should be sure of your ability to deal with it.

Feel free to contact me off forum if you intend to visit.

David Kinlan
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Bart Doets
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Post by Bart Doets »

there's something else too -
Zoutelande is forbidden to fly from two hours before- to two hours after high tide. So probably you'll need to incorporate a tide table into your soar alert site... :-)
Bart
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winDfried
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four years later

Post by winDfried »

Dear Bart,
Dear other responders,

thank You very much for all Your advice.
Nearby exactly four years after my initial posting I went to the Netherlands and got some
<a href="http://www.abschweb.de/fleunde/windfrie ... ">worthful flying experiences</a>.
:lol:
Very many rules to follow.

I can confirm that flying there is something for advanced pilots who know to calculate their risk precisely.

I will do it again !
Regards, W.
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Bart Doets
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Post by Bart Doets »

Bart Doets wrote:Zoutelande is forbidden to fly from two hours before- to two hours after high tide.
Seeing this thread again - I haven't been to Zoutelande for a while but I'm told that the beach has grown (some parts of Dutch coast wash off, others wash on) so there is no more need to avoid flying at high tide; I think that rule is still in the book but nobody bothers.

Bart
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winDfried
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Another four years later

Post by winDfried »

Again Thank You for all Your hints !
winDfried wrote:I will do it again !
Another four years later I finally got a very nice flight at the Dunes in Zoutelande
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-LDoqi5JiQ
:) W.
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