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Visiting Germany

Where to find out how flying works in Germany, who helps visiting pilots on the ground, and who runs tours here. The sources hold the details, so it's worth checking with them before you fly.

Sites on the map

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Sites in Germany on a map

Before you fly

National body: DHV (Deutscher Gleitschirmverband und Drachenflugverband) (opens in a new tab)

  • If you live outside Germany, you can fly with your home licence plus an IPPI card at stage 4 or 5, and third-party liability insurance.
  • The guest rule is for non-commercial flying and does not cover tandem flights. Contact the local club before flying a new site.

A short summary, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current requirements with DHV (Deutscher Gleitschirmverband und Drachenflugverband) before you fly. Summary checked 13 Oct 2026.

DHV (Deutscher Gleitschirmverband und Drachenflugverband): current rules for visiting pilots (opens in a new tab)

Finding local knowledge

  • At Tegelberg and Buchenberg, every paraglider and hang glider pilot needs a site-briefing card, the 'green card', issued through the local flight school. Pilots show it to lift staff.
  • At the Wasserkuppe, guest pilots register once on the local club's website and buy day tickets there. The club posts any temporary limits on guest flying.

Checked 13 Oct 2026. Sources: source 1 (opens in a new tab) · source 2 (opens in a new tab) · source 3 (opens in a new tab) · source 4 (opens in a new tab) · source 5 (opens in a new tab) · source 6 (opens in a new tab) · source 7 (opens in a new tab) · source 8 (opens in a new tab)

Europe

  • Rules for visiting pilots are set by each country, so licence and insurance requirements differ from one country to the next.
  • Many countries let visitors fly with an IPPI card plus a current national licence. The IPPI card gives no insurance cover.

A short summary, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current requirements with the national body of the country you're visiting. Summary checked 13 Oct 2026.

Current rules for visiting pilots (opens in a new tab)

Checked 13 Oct 2026. Sources: source 1 (opens in a new tab) · source 2 (opens in a new tab) · source 3 (opens in a new tab) · source 4 (opens in a new tab) · source 5 (opens in a new tab) · source 6 (opens in a new tab)

Help on the ground

Businesses whose own websites say they help visiting pilots. It's worth contacting them before you go. These lists are indicative, not complete. We add more as we find them, so there are likely others not listed here.

On offer here: Site briefings (2) · Guiding (1) · Gear hire (1) · Tandem flights (4) · Courses (4)

Flying tours here

Organised trips for qualified pilots, as each operator describes them. These lists are indicative, not complete. We add more as we find them, so there are likely others not listed here.

We haven't found tour operators with trips here yet.

Sites and contacts

Information only. Forecast direction is compared with each site's published wind range; speeds are shown but not judged. Always check the official site guide, the administering club and conditions on the day. You are responsible for your decision to fly.