Flying Site Selection

Match the wind and weather conditions with the flying site and your level.

You have to assess the site for physical hazards (powerlines, water etc) and wind hazards -  turbulence from the wind blowing over the terrain or funnelling through gullies.

You need to take off facing into the wind.  If you want to stay up then the slope has to be orientated into the wind. 

You need a good weather forecast and to constantly monitor and analyse how the weather actually is throughout the day.

When talking about wind direction you say where the wind is coming.  A Westerly wind is blowing from the west.  You can also use the compass rose to say Wind is 270 degress is also wind blowing from the west.

Match the time of day to the site - Easterly sites are best in the morning when the sun warms them up first, Westerly winds  in the afternoon as the local wind is generated from the sunlight hitting the hill and being drawn up to the higher hill.  Seabreezes also can develop throughout the day and effect your chosen flying site.

On a light wind day it can be better to go up a high mountain or to a hill in the head of a valley.

Strong winds you are best on a coastal site where you can soar and stay up in laminar air.

If the wind strength doubles the turbulence is four times stronger so you don't want to be flying in the leeside (behind the windward side ) of mountains or obstacles  or in the  mountains flying in strong winds.