Located in the Sillian region of Austria, this paragliding site is regularly used for eastern winds. It offers good soaring conditions and the potential for cross-country (XC) flights. The site record is 110.5 km. Access to the launch site can be achieved via cable car or by car. Both paragliders and hang gliders are suitable for this location, and it is an approved training area. From the gondola station, it takes about 10 minutes on foot to reach the launch site, which is an alpine meadow interspersed with stones. If the cable car is not operational, you can drive a private car up to Thurntaler Rast. Alternatively, you can use the shuttle service provided by the flight school or a taxi to reach Gadein. This site is ideal for flights with wind from the east. It is also possible to launch with south-southwest winds, but there are more frequently used alternatives higher up. The area has been flown for a long time and offers many enticing routes. Thurntaler serves as a stopover in the long-distance route between South Tyrol and Carinthia through the Puster and Drau valleys. The Hochpustertal is the 'highway' heading east or west towards Lienz or Toblach, with the Lesachtal to the south. Thermals are good from midday onwards from all three launch sites. Soaring over Petersberg is possible with valley winds from the east. The large landing area near Sillian is easily reachable from all three launch sites. From the Stalpen launch site, you can see the large landing meadow (with a windsock on top of a log cabin, near the cable car parking lot). It is advisable to inspect the landing area beforehand. Be mindful of the valley wind, which can sometimes be quite strong. Typically, a right-hand turn is flown with valley winds from the east, and a left-hand turn with valley winds from the west. A small landing fee is payable at the Blue Sky flight school, which helps maintain the flying area. The site is not suitable during north foehn or strong west winds. It is very popular in the spring. In the afternoons, thermals over Sillian can be excellent, allowing for high-altitude launches even with east valley winds. Soaring conditions over Petersberg are possible with the appropriate wind. Launching from Petersberg requires permission from the Blue Sky flight school, so please inquire there. For more information, you can contact Thurntalerbahn at Tel. (04842) 6880/81 or visit [Hochpustertal Ski](http://www.hochpustertal-ski.at).