Puerto Naos Jedey Campanario Birigoyo El Gallo El Time Las Indias Conception

 

JJJJ = Easy

J = Difficult or in bad shape

L = very difficult

Please note, some starting places are not easy to reach and need 4 wheel driven cars. I have indicated them with 4x4. Please do not drive on forest routes without 4x4

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1. WEST COAST

1.1. Puerto Naos 200msl JJJ

Paragliding center of the island. Start is quite easy however, you should cope with backwards starting technique. If there is good weather conditions to fly, you will normally find somebody in Puerto Naos driving to the startat the cliff. Ask Javier (only spanish), Mike (german/english) or me (german/english/french) for further information.
With good thermic, you can discover west coast of the island. Many pilots are also starting at the cliff to fly up into the mountains.

Risks: Power line at the cliff N of the start. South wind creates lee turbulences near the hotel, North wind creates turbulences at the cliff. Do not start in north wind conditions.

		N	W
Landing Spots	Puerto Naos	28°35'00.3''	17°54'41.2''
	El Remo	28°33'00.3''	17°53'32.7''

1.2. Jedey 600 msl J

Lots of sharp lava stones, therefore not my first recommendation. I even once lost a cord while starting. Jedey was famous in the past. Now with the better gliders this spot is not used anymore. Pilots prefer the close buth higher Campanario. You are finding the hill Jedey while driving the main street from El Paso to Fuencaliente at the right hand side just after the village Jedey. There is a small parking slot on the right side of the street. The vane on Jedey is a very good wind indicater for the winds in the plain.

1.3. Campanario ca 900 msl 4x4 JJJ

This starting spot in on appx. 900 msl in the mountains. There is a street leaving left in Jedey. After many slopes, the asphalt turns into a beton stripe. If you do not have a 4 wheel driven car, you have to park here and walk up approx 20 min. Please note, it is not allowed to drive up with a normal car. Take a look to my map for further explanations. You may fly to El Remo or Puerto Naos.

Air view of the Campanarios start.

1.4. Birigoyo !CLOSED !

The Birigoyo is in a natural reserve. For this reason the take off was closed from the responsible natural protecting rangers in March 2006. There are no starts allowed there. Please respect this to prevent problems for the local paragliding clubs and pilots!

 

1.5. El Gallo oder 1300.er appx 1300 msl: JJJ

 

Very nice Take-Off spot in the pine forest. Flying to Puerto Naos or El Remo. Tactics as above. Emergency landing spot is in San Nicolas, there is a huge soccer ground. Take into consideration landing in the farmer ground or lava is dangerous as the stones may be very big and sharp. If there is no alternative, look out for a street without trafic.

1.6. El Time ca. 650 msl 4x4JJJ

Starting spot at the hill above Time flying to Tazacorte. Drive up to el Time and then appx. 300 meterf further north. When you see two palm trees and a restaurant ad, turn sharp right and drive up ca 400 meters. You have to leave the car in a left curve and walk the rest up. El Time is often a good alternative in Nordwind tendencies not allowing to fly in Puerto Naos.

Risks: Be aware of rotors as you start in north west direction but there may be thermic coming up from Tazacorte. Thermic is often rough. Several power lines.

1.7. Torre del Time ca. 1150 msl, N 28^°41' W 17^°55' JJJ

Drive on the main road from Los Llanos heading Tijarafe. Before entering Tijarafe, in El Jesús follow Torre del Time (right drive). The Start spot is some meters below the Torre, heading NW.

Landing is in Tazacorte beach, near the port. There are no emergency landing spots but you are starting very high. Please have a look for the many power lines in this region.

Risks:

The cliff of Torre del Time is steep and heading south. This is driving thermal development and can, mixed with NW Wind, develope turbulences. There is a possibility that the thermic development at the cliff can produce a lee rotor at the start spot. Please look to the many wind indicators at the start and check if they are not clear.

In the Air check the wind flag directly at the cliff and fly into the thermic with enough security hight.

1.8. Las Indias ca. 700 msl JJJ

I have not flown there for at least 4 years. Therefore I can not comment on the landing spot however, the startplace is very easy because it is steep. You find it while driving the street on the Westside south direction apx. 2 kilometers (one mile) before Fuencaliente directly at the street. The start spot is visible while there are little wind indicators. If no local pilot is with you with you, take you time to inspect the landing spot in las Indias. The new hotel princess has been build directly on the former landing place.

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2. EAST COAST

2.1. Conception ca 250 msl; CTR of airport, start only with tower agreement! J

Very steep starting spot 250 mAMSL over the capital Santa Cruz. It is in the CTR of SPC and you need therefore a clearence from the airport before flying.
If you have tower clearece, please remind the flying area is very restricted. Do not fly higher than 350m AMSL. Do not head more south than the take off. Do not fly over the sea.

Latest experience in 2008 however are, there is no tower agreement possible. Therefore this Take off may be considered as closed. Some local Pilots however do fly there. I am not recommending to fly without tower clearence and the penalties for flying in a CTR without permission are very high.

Backwards starting technique is a must as heavy wind and the angel of the take off are not allowing errors. The flight over the capital is very remarkable. I also had very nice flights there long after sunset. Landing is at the beach bajamar in Sta. Cruz. Landing on the old airport is not anymore allowed due to possible Helicopter trafic towards the hospital.