BogdanFly paragliding MADEIRA guide

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 WARNING
Paragliding is a dangerous sport that can result in injury or even death.
The author of the guide is not responsible for your actions. All risks are
assumed by each pilot. Fly safe, smart.
Everything written here is just the personal opinion and personal
experience of the author. I don't claim the truth.
Each takeo and landing in this guide is personally veri ed by the author. There
are other takeo locations on the island, but they will not be mentioned in this
guide.
Madeira is suitable only for experienced pilots. Which are con dent in their
takeo s, and most importantly landings.

I hope that I can save a lot of time for pilots who want to visit Madeira :)

Introduction:
During my 3 visits to Madeira, I hardly saw any paragliders. Only a few local
pilots in the south of the island. My opinion is that Madeira is underestimated
by paragliders, especially the north of the island. It is also a great place to y in
winter and can be an alternative to Tenerife.

If you have the opportunity to ideally see a good ight forecast for a few days
rst and only then buy aviatickets :) But even if you buy in advance, your
chances of having ying days in di erent parts of the island are high all year.
The ights will not be as big as in the Alps, but the views that you will see
during your ights will de nitely remain in your memory.

About Madeira.
Madeira is a small (about 50 km long) island of volcanic origin in the Atlantic
Ocean. Located about 1000 km from Portugal and is its territory.

Best time to visit for paragliding:

All year. In winter there will be more rain, but in general you will always nd a
point on the island where you can y.
Most of the time a strong northeasterly wind blows.
But the island often blocks it because of its height (up to 1800m). Therefore,
you can have good cross-country with a steady north wind along the steep
north coast or ights in the southern part of the island. (globally these will be
ights in a big rotor, like in Tenerife in Taucho)

The best part of the island for ights:

I am convinced that this is the northern part. It is more green, untouched by
man, cool and somehow alien. This is reminiscent of ying in the crater of huge
volcanoes in Indonesia, only on Madeira below, instead of a lake, there is the
Atlantic Ocean.
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Basic weather on the island. Northeast wind.
cloud base is not high. 500-1000m.
In the south of the island and in the area of Pico Ruivu sometimes up to 1500m.
Sometimes in winter there is a base of 2000-2500m, but this is very rare.

The best weather for cross-country in the north of the island.

Clean (some easterly component allowed) north wind of moderate strength.
Landing places.
There are enough of them. There are a few places without landings, but if you have more
than 300m you will always be able to y to the landing.
All places will be small, you must have a good experience. Try to land closer to the
ocean, in the villages in the gardens there are often a lot of wires. I will not mark places
on the map, as there are many of them. Yes, and an experienced pilot does not need it,
he himself will see it from a height during the ight ;)

TAKE OFF places

1) goo.gl/maps/C8PX8ogTVTtLWULn6
Probably the most popular start in Madeira.
Almost always local pilots and tandems will y there. You can y with a strong north wind (as the island
will block it, and there will be a weak wind from the ocean on the south side of the island). But in cross
country, be careful and "do not y out of the boundaries of a large company" so that you do not get
blown into the ocean.
Flights with zero wind in the ocean or a light south wind are also ok.
Usually the sun.
440m altitude

2) goo.gl/maps/cjdapRYyzVJEo5tP9
The most popular start in the north of the island. Sometimes tandems and local pilots y.
Suitable for north, northeast winds, calm.
Usually clouds.
570m
2.1 goo.gl/maps/jPKRVZn6Lx42nurC7
100m for strong wind

3) goo.gl/maps/G4VmgvxrvDwdbdvS9
Suitable for calm or weak southerly winds. You need weather with a high cloud base.
1310m
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4) goo.gl/maps/Kxwxw3aoRyAZyhni6
A good place to y over the popular view point Cabo Girao.
Weather rules for start 1
540m

5) goo.gl/maps/yNTrpvggQojRwHoF6
Beautiful Fanal Pond. An excellent place to start a cross-country ight in the north of the island.
Usually a lot of clouds. Come early.
Suitable for north and northeast winds.
1100m

Launches put on by me, or not prepared for ights.

6) https://goo.gl/maps/fwD8fvcuma33HpxY8
I start here if start number 5 in the cloud.
Suitable for northeast wind.
360m

7) goo.gl/maps/bY822NqAnfNvGMBQA
A place for a hike and a ight. Calm south winds.
almost always above the clouds.
1700m

8) goo.gl/maps/5B3VtFV5wy4XNb7j7
A place for a hike and a ight. Moderate northerly winds.
almost always above the clouds.
1650m

9) goo.gl/maps/8JRxs1H1Lb1cA8bs5
For strong northerly winds. High grass.
220m

10) goo.gl/maps/TqovfhoSE1pvJBq77
For moderate and strong northerly winds.
300m

11) goo.gl/maps/5UvsSMmL7nTLHuzs5
For the north wind.

Thank you for your attention. I wish you great and safe ights.
;)
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