Bitte der Niederlände:"Dünen Soaren in den Niederlanden"
Hallo Hartwich,
Zufällig auf eure website. Habe gesehen das Ihr Wijk aan Zee und Noordwijk nennt als eine möglichkeit zum soaren in die NL aber mit sehr wenig Auskunft dazu (bis jetzt!)
Wir haben schon viel schwerigkeiten unsere eigene Piloten zu bewegen nicht direkt aus der Dünen zu starten. Die Dünen sind Naturschutzgebiet und dürfen nicht betreten werden. Auch nicht von Fussgänger zum Beispiel. Einen Ticket von Strandpolizei oder Naturschutzbeamten kostet Euro 50,-.
Abgesehen von diesen 50 Euro, und noch vielen malen wichtiger ist das unsere Status mit dem Behörden ziemlich heikel ist. Sie lassen uns fliegen aber wenn zuviel Piloten einfach rücksichtlos in die Dünen herum treten und starten, riskieren wir ein totalverbot. Schluss also. Wir haben gerade eine Flyer publiziert in NL für unsere Piloten damit sie wissen wie sich zu verhalten und mit Tips und Tricks wie man am besten starten kann, und so die Dünen kaum betretet. Wir sind dabei eine Deutsche übersetzung zu machen.
Die NL und EN Version sind im Attachement.
Es gibt zwei stellen Zoutelande und Langevelderslag (also nicht Noordwijk) (ein Bild habt Ihr auf den site, wo der Delta zu sehen ist) wo tatsächlich einen Startplatz ist geteilt mit Drachenflieger, das sind die einzige zwei stellen in die NL wo man aus die Dünen starten darf. Überal anders ist kein Startplatz und im Grunde illegal.
Ich hoffe Ihr könnt mehr Auskunft geben an euren Site über das fliegen an die NL Dünen.
Solltest du mehr wissen wollen, kannst du mir mailen.
Mit fliegerischen Gruss,
Carla Beekman
Dune soaring in the Netherlands
Dear pilot!
Paragliders who already love flying the Dutch dunes want to continue to do so for years to come. It is a fantastic and unique flying alternative in the Netherlands; in fact the only way to fly the airspace for hours without mechanical help, and enjoy nature.
It looks very easy to take off and fly the dunes, but in practice it is rather more difficult. Even for people with lots of mountain take-off experience! Mastering reversed take-offs turned out to be not enough. Only if you can control your glider under every condition – walking up the dune, with or without crosswind, kiting, walking backwards up the dune- than you are prepared well enough to fly the dunes.
The richest point about the story is that if you master your wing well you can take off from the beach, in front of the fence, if the contours of the dunes allow this technique. If it doesn’t work this way, than you can always quickly – using your glider- kite up the dunes, turn out in a split second and fly away. This way you will be off in seconds with only a few feather light steps in the dune. These take-offs are not only the fastest, but also the best methods not to harm the dunes. Besides, with every step at the other side of the fence or in the dunes you risk a 50 Euro penalty.
The reason why we would like to give you this flyer, is because we hope that you, if you want to soar the dunes more often or want to start with it, like us, would like to enjoy flying the Dutch dunes for a long period of time.
Whether this will succeed is very depended on all the pilots coming to the coast and so in fact, also of you. We now fly more or less tolerated by the authorities and it is forbidden to walk in the dunes.
Unfortunately there still are pilots, who enter the dunes. If the dune-area-authorities or the beachpolice see us often walking or practicing in the dunes, then that will undermine our negotiations for good solutions and regulations, and a definite prohibition will become inevitable.
Than the only way in the Netherlands, to fly without mechanical help, will be lost for ever. But there is no need for this, if all pilots flying along the dunes agree together to take-off and fly as neat as possible. That means that you always and everywhere try to not or hardly enter the dune. At the back of this flyer you will find some tips how and where to practice to be ready for duneflying.
Of course it is true that non-flying beachvisitors often enter the dunes, but unfortunately we have the disadvantage to have those huge colourful wings above us. Besides, our sport is often seen as dangerous. That is why it is important to not attract too much attention.
Despite everything you will sometimes encounter, we hope that you, as we, want to help prevent loosing the current tolerated status.
A group of enthusiastic dunesoaring pilots.
This initiative is supported by the paragliding department of the Royal Dutch Aeronautical Association (KNVvL)
www.knvvl-schermvliegen.nl (Dutch language only)
Practicing before taking off!
Don’t practice in the dunes! Search for a suitable, legal meadow, or go the beautiful grass slopes nearby Nieuwegein (close to Utrecht) to practice. Follow the road signs “Nedereindseplas”. On this terrain is a nice hill at your left. You can practice on this grassy dunelike slope with winds from south-south-east, south and west-south-west. Look for wind not too gusty and not too strong. Up to 3 Beaufort will do.
You practice reverse inflation and keeping the wing above you, after that try to walk with the wing inflated forwards, backwards and sideways.
Then you try to keep your glider as a kite next to you and let you drag, in a controlled manner, by your glider.
If that works, let your glider drag you upwards on the hill. Once up, get the glider fully above you and you can take off.
After the landing, keep the glider above you and try again.
Keep practicing this, with the wind perpendicular to the hill and with crosswind.
If all this practices succeeds, than you have trained enough for a take off from the dunes!
Taking off from the bottom of the dunes!
Go to the coast with a wind mainly from the west and not too strong, but also not too weak; 10-15 knots is ideal. For the first attempt, 20 degrees crosswind is safe to try.
Search for a quite spot with higher dunes and not too close to a beach entrance or pavilion.
Inflate your glider on the beach and walk towards the bottom of the dune. Turn forwards as soon as you recognise the wing wants to lift you from your feet. Walk a few steps sideways against the wind up the dune, with the wing above you until you fly.
Dune flying!
As soon as you fly, turn carefully alongside the dune, if the wind is stronger a bit more towards the sea. Than settle in your harness and put your feet on the speedbar so you can activate it immediately if necessary.
Before every turn you want to make, first look! You can turn only if you have enough safety height.
Flying with backwind along the dunes can go very fast and the ground is close. This can be very dangerous.
Once in the air, fly away from the general ‘take-off-area’ so other pilots can take-off. Stay in the air as long as possible and apply the common rules of ridgeflying.
Beach landing!
Flown enough, is the wind not optimal anymore, or you bomb out? Fly timely to the beach and land.
And if you don’t understand why other pilots still can fly whilst you cannot, don’t hesitate to ask them why and ask for help.
Are you going to practice or soar somewhere?
Copy this flyer and pass it on.
Thanks in advance!
Zufällig auf eure website. Habe gesehen das Ihr Wijk aan Zee und Noordwijk nennt als eine möglichkeit zum soaren in die NL aber mit sehr wenig Auskunft dazu (bis jetzt!)
Wir haben schon viel schwerigkeiten unsere eigene Piloten zu bewegen nicht direkt aus der Dünen zu starten. Die Dünen sind Naturschutzgebiet und dürfen nicht betreten werden. Auch nicht von Fussgänger zum Beispiel. Einen Ticket von Strandpolizei oder Naturschutzbeamten kostet Euro 50,-.
Abgesehen von diesen 50 Euro, und noch vielen malen wichtiger ist das unsere Status mit dem Behörden ziemlich heikel ist. Sie lassen uns fliegen aber wenn zuviel Piloten einfach rücksichtlos in die Dünen herum treten und starten, riskieren wir ein totalverbot. Schluss also. Wir haben gerade eine Flyer publiziert in NL für unsere Piloten damit sie wissen wie sich zu verhalten und mit Tips und Tricks wie man am besten starten kann, und so die Dünen kaum betretet. Wir sind dabei eine Deutsche übersetzung zu machen.
Die NL und EN Version sind im Attachement.
Es gibt zwei stellen Zoutelande und Langevelderslag (also nicht Noordwijk) (ein Bild habt Ihr auf den site, wo der Delta zu sehen ist) wo tatsächlich einen Startplatz ist geteilt mit Drachenflieger, das sind die einzige zwei stellen in die NL wo man aus die Dünen starten darf. Überal anders ist kein Startplatz und im Grunde illegal.
Ich hoffe Ihr könnt mehr Auskunft geben an euren Site über das fliegen an die NL Dünen.
Solltest du mehr wissen wollen, kannst du mir mailen.
Mit fliegerischen Gruss,
Carla Beekman
Dune soaring in the Netherlands
Dear pilot!
Paragliders who already love flying the Dutch dunes want to continue to do so for years to come. It is a fantastic and unique flying alternative in the Netherlands; in fact the only way to fly the airspace for hours without mechanical help, and enjoy nature.
It looks very easy to take off and fly the dunes, but in practice it is rather more difficult. Even for people with lots of mountain take-off experience! Mastering reversed take-offs turned out to be not enough. Only if you can control your glider under every condition – walking up the dune, with or without crosswind, kiting, walking backwards up the dune- than you are prepared well enough to fly the dunes.
The richest point about the story is that if you master your wing well you can take off from the beach, in front of the fence, if the contours of the dunes allow this technique. If it doesn’t work this way, than you can always quickly – using your glider- kite up the dunes, turn out in a split second and fly away. This way you will be off in seconds with only a few feather light steps in the dune. These take-offs are not only the fastest, but also the best methods not to harm the dunes. Besides, with every step at the other side of the fence or in the dunes you risk a 50 Euro penalty.
The reason why we would like to give you this flyer, is because we hope that you, if you want to soar the dunes more often or want to start with it, like us, would like to enjoy flying the Dutch dunes for a long period of time.
Whether this will succeed is very depended on all the pilots coming to the coast and so in fact, also of you. We now fly more or less tolerated by the authorities and it is forbidden to walk in the dunes.
Unfortunately there still are pilots, who enter the dunes. If the dune-area-authorities or the beachpolice see us often walking or practicing in the dunes, then that will undermine our negotiations for good solutions and regulations, and a definite prohibition will become inevitable.
Than the only way in the Netherlands, to fly without mechanical help, will be lost for ever. But there is no need for this, if all pilots flying along the dunes agree together to take-off and fly as neat as possible. That means that you always and everywhere try to not or hardly enter the dune. At the back of this flyer you will find some tips how and where to practice to be ready for duneflying.
Of course it is true that non-flying beachvisitors often enter the dunes, but unfortunately we have the disadvantage to have those huge colourful wings above us. Besides, our sport is often seen as dangerous. That is why it is important to not attract too much attention.
Despite everything you will sometimes encounter, we hope that you, as we, want to help prevent loosing the current tolerated status.
A group of enthusiastic dunesoaring pilots.
This initiative is supported by the paragliding department of the Royal Dutch Aeronautical Association (KNVvL)
www.knvvl-schermvliegen.nl (Dutch language only)
Practicing before taking off!
Don’t practice in the dunes! Search for a suitable, legal meadow, or go the beautiful grass slopes nearby Nieuwegein (close to Utrecht) to practice. Follow the road signs “Nedereindseplas”. On this terrain is a nice hill at your left. You can practice on this grassy dunelike slope with winds from south-south-east, south and west-south-west. Look for wind not too gusty and not too strong. Up to 3 Beaufort will do.
You practice reverse inflation and keeping the wing above you, after that try to walk with the wing inflated forwards, backwards and sideways.
Then you try to keep your glider as a kite next to you and let you drag, in a controlled manner, by your glider.
If that works, let your glider drag you upwards on the hill. Once up, get the glider fully above you and you can take off.
After the landing, keep the glider above you and try again.
Keep practicing this, with the wind perpendicular to the hill and with crosswind.
If all this practices succeeds, than you have trained enough for a take off from the dunes!
Taking off from the bottom of the dunes!
Go to the coast with a wind mainly from the west and not too strong, but also not too weak; 10-15 knots is ideal. For the first attempt, 20 degrees crosswind is safe to try.
Search for a quite spot with higher dunes and not too close to a beach entrance or pavilion.
Inflate your glider on the beach and walk towards the bottom of the dune. Turn forwards as soon as you recognise the wing wants to lift you from your feet. Walk a few steps sideways against the wind up the dune, with the wing above you until you fly.
Dune flying!
As soon as you fly, turn carefully alongside the dune, if the wind is stronger a bit more towards the sea. Than settle in your harness and put your feet on the speedbar so you can activate it immediately if necessary.
Before every turn you want to make, first look! You can turn only if you have enough safety height.
Flying with backwind along the dunes can go very fast and the ground is close. This can be very dangerous.
Once in the air, fly away from the general ‘take-off-area’ so other pilots can take-off. Stay in the air as long as possible and apply the common rules of ridgeflying.
Beach landing!
Flown enough, is the wind not optimal anymore, or you bomb out? Fly timely to the beach and land.
And if you don’t understand why other pilots still can fly whilst you cannot, don’t hesitate to ask them why and ask for help.
Are you going to practice or soar somewhere?
Copy this flyer and pass it on.
Thanks in advance!
