Intro Nina
Flying, mans’ greatest dream. A different dream for everyone.
For many pilots flying often means cross-country flying. Flying long and far, counting every kilometre or point for the DHV-XC Cross Country competition. Flying further and longer than everyone else is the way to go.
Flying means something different to me, for every season that comes and goes in the year, or the time of day it is, just to let go, have fun, enjoy the nature around me and re-charge my batteries for everyday life.
What’s better than thermal flying in Garmisch in the autumn, enormous rocky mountains in the background and the deep green-blue Eibsee lake in front of you? When your pulse runs high flying the wild rocky faces, when you almost hold your breath realizing how small you are in comparison, that’s when you know you’re alive.
Things really are so beautiful in the Alps in which we (can) live – we ought to save and enjoy every little one of these moments, no matter how kitschy they might appear.
Of course, sometime I get ambitious, and want to fly far, but this is still not really MY way of flying. Even on a 100km cross-country flight, I enjoy myself and love to soak up the scenery along the way. At the same time it is stressful – decisions constantly need to be made – which mountain should I aim for next? Where’s the wind coming from? at I still on the windward side? How at I going to get back home again? I need a …. All these things keep going through my head.
If I’m soaring in laminar wind then things are different – here I can enjoy the flight 100% and don’t need to think about anything else. Playing with the canopy in the wind, taking off, top landing, having a bite to eat at Georg’s restaurant in Hotel Watles, chatting with friends, taking off again – this is MY WAY OF FLYING!
In this book, the sites we’ve chosen are such that everyone can fly the way they want to. It doesn’t matter if it’s a breathtaking thermal flight, a spot of relaxed soaring, a peaceful glide down at the end of the day or a good cross-country flight that you’re looking for. Here there is something for everyone in the somewhat lesser known, but very scenic flying sites we’ve chosen.
Have fun with this guide, and I hope you find YOUR WAY to fly with it.
Happy flying
Renate Brümmer, nickname Nina