Wasserkuppe · Rhön · 950 m
Take off on the
Wasserkuppe
For more than a century pilots from all over the world have known the Wasserkuppe, right in the centre of Germany, as the mountain of aviators. Today gliders, light aircraft, paragliders and hang gliders launch from here – training, taster flights and aviation history in one place.
- Summit
- 950 m
- Flying since
- 1911
- Air sports
- 6
- Flying clubs
- 6
- Days a year
- 365
Learn to fly
Flight training on the mountain of aviators
From your first launch to a full licence: experienced flying schools on the Wasserkuppe teach every air sport there is here – all year round, at one of Germany's highest airfields and its launch sites.
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Gliding
Engineless, quiet, elegant: training from your very first steps to a full licence, by aerotow and winch launch.
To the flying school (external site, in German) -
Powered flight
Your licence for microlights and light aircraft – theory and flying practice at one of the most rewarding mountain airfields in Germany.
To the flying school (external site, in German) -
Model flying
Build it, trim it, fly it: model flying courses for beginners and improvers on the legendary slopes of the Wasserkuppe.
To the flying school (external site, in German) -
Paragliding
From the training slope to soaring and thermal flying: paragliding courses for beginners and improvers with Germany's most popular flying school (by licences issued since 2000).
To Papillon Paragliding (external site, in German) -
Hang gliding
Learn to fly a hang glider on one beginners' course: theory, training slope and your first high flights over the Rhön in a single package.
To the beginners' course (external site, in German) -
Snowkiting
Wind, snow and wide-open plateaus: SNOWKITE.DE courses for beginners and crossovers in one of Germany's finest snowkiting grounds.
To the snowkite school (external site, in German)
No experience needed
Just come along for the flight
Come along with no experience at all: a passenger flight is the easiest way to see the Rhön from above – and to discover what makes flying so fascinating.
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Try gliding
Circling silently above the Rhön: a flight in a two-seat glider is an unforgettable experience – and it makes a wonderful gift.
Book a flight (external site, in German) -
Try powered flight
A sightseeing flight over the Wasserkuppe, Gersfeld and Fulda – in the passenger seat, with a wide view across the three-state corner of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia.
Discover the flight (external site, in German) -
Tandem paragliding
A few steps into the wind and you lift off alongside a professional pilot: enjoy a tandem flight from the Wasserkuppe all year round, or give one as a present – no experience needed.
To Tandemwelt (external site, in German)
Aviation history
The German Gliding Museum
This is where flying made history. More than 50 original aircraft – from the frail gliders of the 1920s Rhön contests to modern high-performance sailplanes – tell the story of engineless flight on the mountain where it started.
Alongside them you will find a large model flying exhibition, simulators and changing special displays. A destination for aviation enthusiasts and families alike – a must on any visit to the Wasserkuppe.
Landmark
The Radom above the Rhön
Landmark · Museum · Event venue · Viewing platform · Hesse's highest registry office
The white sphere on the summit once served as a US forces radar station. Today it shapes the skyline of the Wasserkuppe as its unmistakable landmark.
From the 360° viewing platform the horizon opens up across the whole of the Rhön and, on a clear day, as far as the Vogelsberg, the Thuringian Forest and the Taunus. Inside, an exhibition tells the story of the site during the Cold War.
Flying together
Flying clubs on the Wasserkuppe
Six clubs are based on and around the mountain. They keep the flying, the workshops and the tradition going – and they welcome new members.
Getting here & contact
How to find us
The Wasserkuppe lies right in the centre of Germany, at the three-state corner of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia – in the heart of the Rhön UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is about 30 minutes from the A7 motorway, and there is parking right on the mountain.
Please note: the map is a static image. Only when you click it does your browser connect to Google Maps and transmit your IP address.
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Fliegerschule Wasserkuppe
Gliding · Powered flight · Model flying
Wasserkuppe 1a
36129 Gersfeld (Rhön), Germany -
Papillon Paragliding
Paragliding · Hang gliding · Snowkiting
Wasserkuppe 46
36129 Gersfeld (Rhön), Germany -
Tandemwelt
Tandem paragliding flights
Wasserkuppe 46
36129 Gersfeld (Rhön), Germany
On the mountain
The businesses on the Wasserkuppe
A holiday resort, restaurants, museums, summer toboggan runs, a winter sports centre, a dark-sky reserve, an e-bike shop and rental plus more places to shop: the Wasserkuppe offers far more than flying.
The municipalities around the Wasserkuppe
Frequently asked
Good to know
Which air sports can I take up on the Wasserkuppe?
On the Wasserkuppe you can fly gliders, light aircraft, model aircraft, paragliders and hang gliders, and in winter snowkiting joins the list. All six disciplines have courses right here on the mountain.
Can I fly along without any experience?
Yes. For a flight in a glider or a light aircraft, or a paragliding tandem flight, you need no training, no licence and no preparation – just sturdy footwear and clothing to suit the weather.
Why is the Wasserkuppe called the mountain of aviators?
Pilots have flown from the Wasserkuppe since 1911. In the 1920s the Rhön gliding contests turned the mountain into the birthplace of gliding: the techniques, the records and the teaching of engineless flight all began here.
Is a visit worthwhile for people with limited mobility?
Yes. Not every activity is barrier-free, but alongside the hiking trails a paved path leads from the car park to the summit of Hesse's highest mountain, with no appreciable gradient.
Can I spend a holiday on the Wasserkuppe?
Of course. The Wasserkuppe holiday resort offers holiday homes and hotel rooms, so you can stay right on the mountain all year round – in the flying area and by the ski slope.