when, where and what to expect...

when to visit & what to expect...

When deciding the best time to visit please take into account your ambition and experience.

Lower airtime/beginner pilots wanting to improve their thermal technique or pilots simply wanting a relaxing flying holiday can join us on the Thermal and Ahorn XC weeks during the Summer months.

Intermediate - Advanced pilots who are XC orientated (with around 20hrs+) should join us on an XC Course in either Bassano or Zillertal from April - mid-July, this will ensure that you are with like-minded pilots.

A good idea when wanting to complete the 50km XC tour around the Zillertal or pushing for that elusive 100km in the Alps. Bassano is a great place to hone your flat-land skills too, ideal for UK XC training. The last years there have seen some great distances flown, 50-70km, in both mountains and finishing off in the flats.

More Adventurous Pilots should think seriously about joining us in Dolomites in Autumn for the Dolomites XC week. This is a "must do", one of my favorite places to fly anywhere. Just check the movies and photos on this website.

Whatever course you choose you can be sure that the conditions are most suitable to acheive the course objectives.

March:	The BIG days are nearly here. Strong thermals, high bases, light valley winds, top landings. Thermal training + average distances (30 - 50km). Both Bassano & Zillertal are both very good this time of year. CP+10/15 hrs. However can be cold at altitude so bring good gloves, same in whole northern Hemisphere.
April:	Excellent conditions for long haul (100km+) XC flights and thermal training. Zillertal and Bassano both excellent for long XC flights, CP+20 hrs.
May/June:	Massive potential for long XC flights, good for thermal training & evening soaring flights are very possible in Zillertal. CP+20hrs We are flying in Mayrhofen most of the time during Spring with occasional trips to Bassano, excellent there too. May - July are my favorite XC months.
July:	Excellent potential for XC around the Zillertal, most of this month will be spent coaching novice and intermediate pilots on our 'Ahorn XC' courses. early on in July we'll still be running XC courses. Perfect for everything really from thermal training, XC around the Zillertal & evening soaring plus potential for Glacier flights. CP+
August:	Zillertal XC flights, evening soaring, thermal training and Glacier XC flights. CP+ Excellent conditions from August on in Bassano del Grappa again, long XC's and great routes through the flatlands too.
September:	For September we move back to Italy until the end of the season. Huge potential for great XC flights in Bassano & Dolomites. Some great XC flights in Bassano with strong climbs and higher bases, followed by the Dolomites in Autumn. This place has to be flown at least once in a pilots life. Each time I go it seems to get better.
October:	Still excellent conditions for the Dolomites & especially Bassano del Grappa. A great way to end the season. Mellower climbs and still good potential for 30-40km+ XC flights. CP+ recommended