Here are a few words about gliding in Prievidza, from a German glider pilot Jan Paepke. Jan came to Slovakia first time in 2003 and since then he is coming here every year, spending with us a few months of a gliding season, and we become good and close friends.
Welcome to Prievidza / Slovakia, home of superb infrastructure and possibilities to fly in mountains and flatlands
For many years we are going at least once per year to Slovakia for cross country flying and competitions. Driving times from Germany decreased due to better highways in Czech Republic and Poland.
I would leave that part out…. With WebText, less is more !!!
Cross country flights usually range from Hungary in the south and Poland in the north. Prievidza is located somewhat in the middle. The most beautiful destination is the “High Tatra”, which is up to 29XXm high. On the way there you fly over the Fatra Mountains, Mala and Velka Fatra. The high Tatra is step and up to May usually show-covered. It can also be reached by flatland pilots with little or no mountain experiance. It hardly gets really risky, because you can fly into the wide valleys at any time. In many times another airport can be reached. One call to Prievidza and a Dynamic will tow you up or home again.
Exact knowledge of other outlanding fields like in the Alps is not required. However, specialists who want to fly over the larger mountain areas of the High and especially the Low Tatras, even at low cloud base, should prepare more intensively. The Low Tatra is the longest of 7 mountains in Slovakia and therefore belongs in almost every cross country flight if cloud base and overdevelopments allow. It is a special attraction, but also a special challenge. It optimally connects the existing mountains with one another and can also be nicely integrated into a triangle into the southern flat lands. Prievidza is ideal for this because of its location on the border between the lowlands (south) and the mountains (essentially north). Furthermore this also makes the pilots more flexible in terms of weather conditions. Usually fights are being made into the mountain areas, but when there are very labile conditions with over-developements and thunderstorms or low cloud base, then the flat land in the south is a good choice.
Here could be something current about competitions in Prievidza, FCC and EGC, WGC etc..
Suggestion: leave out. However, the part of the largest tasks could possibly be here.
Flying in Slovakia is highly recommended for cross country, : competitions or sight seeing. Here is a general summary.
Grandiose landscape
– Variations of flat lands and mountains ranges, which often rise steeply from the plain and offer very good conditions for thermal detachment and leeward waves. The mountains are mostly forested, the valley are plain with agricultural fields – so plenty of space for outlandings. Inexperienced pilots can slowly approach the mountains and will quickly appreciate them as safe lift suppliers. Experienced mountains, on the other hand, can choose extremely demanding routes.
Part of it could be just above Prievidza infrastructure … Aeorspool and towing options, right?
Language difficulties?
– there are hardly any. A lot of pilots speak English and quite a few also speak very good German.
You can choose to do the radio contact in English or learn the very few necessarry words and numbers In Slovakian language. Usually for landing “Finale dwa dwa lava (final 22 left) or Finale nulla štyri prava (Final 04 right).
Low cost
Towing and camping is not expensive. Climbing rates are thanks to the Dynamics very good. The restaurant offers good food for fair prices in an modern environment.
