XC flying – Annecy

Is it for you?

Everyone wants to fly the beautiful Annecy valley and the mountains heading towards Mont Blanc. To join us in Annecy you must have completed an SIV and be able to thermal well. You’re ready to go on your first XC or have already started going XC.

About the trip

For this special trip, we’ll be flying in a small group based closer to the big mountains in the small ski town of La Clusaz. This will allow us to use both the Annecy valley launches and the higher launches which work well in the summer months.

Our focus is on building up XC skills to help pilots fly further. During the week we’ll lead you through the planning process we use in our route setting, clock up as many XC kilometres as possible and have fun doing it! We also want you to go away with knowledge and skills so you’ll have more confidence to get out there on your own.

We’re running this trip with a small group of students to make sure no one ever gets left behind and everyone gets plenty of support to get the most out of the trip.

Tasks will be set according to the conditions, your goals and ability. For those starting their XC career, 25-50km flights are most usual, while 100km+ flights are not unusual for the more experienced groups.

The Annecy valley is in the foothills of the Alps just 40km from Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest peak. We fly from the launches in the valley or one of the hundred or more sites within an hour of our accommodation. While nowhere is ever guaranteed when it comes to the weather, being at the edge of the mountains gives it a pleasant, highly flyable climate. There is plenty of opportunity to learn about flying distance in the mountains without the strong valley winds, narrow valleys and difficult landings of the big mountains.

Trip schedule

We’ll arrive at the accommodation on Saturday afternoon in plenty of time to get set up ready to fly on Sunday.

We usually have a debrief of the previous day’s flying after breakfast, followed by a weather and route briefing. On a normal day, we have an XC flight in the afternoon and, where possible, an evening flight, before going out for dinner.

Flights

We fly in and out of Geneva airport, which is well served by Easyjet and other airlines.

Accommodation

We have reserved a luxury gite, 10 minutes walk from the closest landing field, complete with sauna and hot tub! Rooms are usually shared with one other pilot, but a limited number of single rooms are available on request (at a supplement).

The accommodation is self catering, but breakfast supplies are provided.

Cost

£1,350

The trip cost includes

• Bed and breakfast accommodation, based on two sharing
• Airport transfers
• Transport to take-off (excluding chair lifts) and all retrieves
• Coaching and guiding.

BOOKING

Contact us to book. Your place will only be confirmed once we have confirmed we have a space available and received your deposit of £350. The balance is due eight weeks before the trip.