Paragliding Kennedy Park

Kennedy Park is situated between Campbell Bay and Castor Bay on Auckland's East Coast. Access is via Beach Road, Castor Bay. The launch area is approximately 150 meters south of the parking area. Most paragliders launch behind a combination-locked gate, though there is a bowl in front of the gate for strong wind conditions. If you open the gate, ensure it is securely locked afterward to maintain site access. The Kennedy Park staircase to the beach was damaged in a storm in April 2017, with repairs scheduled from March to June 2019, including erosion control and cliff stability work. For paragliding, the safest landing option is the beach below, tides permitting. Top landing in the clear space between Pohutakawa trees is relatively easy but requires caution to avoid straying too far back from the cliff. Avoid the area where the grassy slope drops away, as it has caused issues for several pilots. The site is best suited for East and North-East wind directions. The gate must always be left locked. The site radio channel is Channel 20 - 476.900MHz. Restrictions include a PG2 rating with 30 hours of experience for paragliding. Hang gliding requires an intermediate rating. Caution is advised, especially on light wind days, as it is easy to catch a tip line near the trees. Between mid and high tide, landing options on the beach are limited. Top landing behind the gate requires local advice. If the wind increases while flying, the only alternative landing option is a long glide to Milford Beach, the usual landing area for hang gliders. Kennedy Park is within VFR Transit lane T157 with a height restriction of 1,200ft A.S.L. Flying is only permitted on the seaward side of the cliffs, as the landward side is Whenuapai controlled airspace. For more information, visit: - [Parawait - Kennedy Park](https://parawait.org/sites/kennedy-park/) - [Auckland Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club - Kennedy Park](https://www.cloudbase.org.nz/site-guide/flying-site-kennedy-park)