Paragliding Plose: Tandem Flights Over the Dolomites
Paragliding plose offers tandem flights launched from the summit plateau at 2,500 meters, where certified pilots guide you through thermal currents above the Eisack Valley and Brixen basin. Each paragliding plose tour includes equipment briefing, launch preparation, and 15-25 minutes of airtime depending on wind conditions. The alpine launch site provides steady lift, making paragliding plose flights accessible to first-time flyers and experienced passengers alike.
The Plose massif rises to 2,560 meters above the medieval town of Brixen, its eastern face a natural amphitheater of alpine meadows and exposed ridge lines that funnel thermal currents with uncommon reliability.
By the early 1980s, paragliding pioneers recognized the mountain's aerodynamic geometry: launch sites on the summit plateau catch morning valley winds that spiral upward along limestone flanks, allowing pilots to sustain altitude for hours without motorized assist. What began as a handful of solo flights by Italian and Austrian enthusiasts has grown into one of the Dolomites' most active free-flight zones, logging more than 4,000 tandem and solo launches each season.
Paragliding Plose operates from a groomed launch meadow at 2,509 meters, accessible via the Plose cable car from Brixen's Sant'Andrea station. The site's southern exposure and gentle gradient meet international DHV safety standards for tandem operations, and the absence of overhead power lines or forested approach zones reduces forced-landing risk. Thermal activity peaks between late morning and early afternoon during the May-to-October flying season, when temperature differentials between the Eisack Valley floor and the summit ridge generate consistent updrafts. Pilots typically achieve cross-country distances of 15 to 40 kilometers, tracking northeast toward the Pfunderer mountains or southwest along the Brixen basin, depending on prevailing winds.
Tandem paragliding Plose pairs novice passengers with certified instructors holding European Paragliding Federation licenses. Each tandem rig carries dual reserve parachutes, radio communication, and GPS tracking; flights last 15 to 30 minutes depending on thermal strength and passenger preference. Launch protocol includes a ground briefing on body position, a short downhill run to inflate the canopy, and a seated harness configuration that requires no prior experience. The flight path crosses subalpine pasture, coniferous forest, and the terracotta rooftops of Brixen's old town before descending to a landing meadow near the valley floor.
The benefits of paragliding center on unpowered, low-impact flight: no fuel emissions, minimal ground infrastructure, and near-silent operation that preserves the alpine soundscape. Disadvantages of paragliding include weather dependency—high winds, thunderstorms, and low cloud base ground all flights—and the physical demand of launch runs at altitude, which can challenge passengers with limited mobility. Paragliding rules in South Tyrol require pilots to maintain visual meteorological conditions, respect no-fly zones over nature reserves, and carry liability insurance; tandem passengers must weigh between 30 and 110 kilograms and be free of acute cardiovascular conditions. Paragliding explained in its simplest terms: a fabric wing inflates with air, creating an airfoil that generates lift, allowing a suspended pilot to glide and gain altitude by entering rising columns of warm air.
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