Guide to Oludeniz, Turkey

• Acro and SIV heaven
• Launch in shorts and T-shirt and arrive 1,500m above the warm Mediterranean
• Go from April to November, though midsummer is stable
• All the delights of a beach resort

WHY GO?
Wring the living daylights out of your wing, land on the beach, then do it again.

WHERE IS IT?

WHAT’S IT LIKE?
Set on a Mediterranean cove in the south-west of Turkey, Ölüdeniz is a beautiful and reliable place to fly. The season starts in April and goes through to November, with July and August being very hot and stable.

Ölüdeniz is a tourist resort with all the infrastructure, hotels, cheap flights and package deals that go with that, but with the bonus of a 1,900m mountain. Babadağ comes straight out of the sea and provides a perfect flying site for every direction. Light winds and cloudbase at 2,500-3,500m are normal during the day, with smooth sunset flying in the evening.

Babadağ is very much a mountain and it gets mountain weather – but it feels more benign and coastal because it’s so close to the sea. All take-offs are paved and very smooth and large. Just beyond the launches it’s still very rocky and steep and pilots must have a sound launch technique.

The most commonly used and biggest launch is at 1,700m. 1,800m is smaller and steeper and faces in the opposite direction. The 1,900m take-off has launches in two directions. The 1,200m launch is useful in stronger conditions or when the top clouds over, or to avoid the crowds higher up.

A Swiss-built cablecar takes you up to two beautiful and well-run restaurants at 1,200m and 1,700m with terraces overlooking the launches and the valley. They are perfect for a break or lunch or to wait out the weather, together with many visiting local families.

The main landing is along the promenade in Ölüdeniz. There is an effort to keep traffic separated: solo pilots should land on the main landing in front of Cloud 9. Choose your final approach over the boulevard, not over the buildings. Keep a close eye on pedestrians and the tandems coming down the main street.

In the air, make sure you are not floating around in the acro box where they perform their manoeuvres (ask one of the local pilots where it is) and give tandem pilots plenty of space on launch, in the air and on landing.

FLYING CONDITIONS
Once airborne, you’ll find lift above the peaks of the spineback mountain and in the house thermal, which is just to the right of the 1,700m launch. There is also often lift just to the left on the 1,700m. There are often bumpy inversion layers, but once through you can sometimes climb to over 3,000m.

Big XCs are difficult and require at least 3,000m AMSL or 1,000m above Babadağ. May, June and October are the best months. The most common route is across the Kemer Valley to the north-east of Babadağ. A second climb on Mendos, the mountain just north of Babadağ, takes you over Kemer town to the NNE, or go more east towards Akdağ, an obvious 3,000m peak on the east side of the wide Kemer valley. Once you connect with the other side, soar the ridge north on to the higher plateau and on to Denizli (NNE) or over the mountain range toward Antalya to the east.

Alternatively, head SE across the valley to Palamutköy village (look out for the greenhouses). Top up here and drift to Dumanli Dağ. From here, head east in the sea breeze convergence to the port of Kaş. The landing here is tricky, along the harbour.

When attempting cross country for the first time, seek advice from Sky Sports (see below) or another operator.

GETTING TO LAUNCH
Since 2022 the cablecar and part of the upper chairlifts are in operation. The ground station of the Babadağ Teleferik is just above Ölüdeniz, along the main road from Hisarönü down to the beach. Though some argue the lift takes away the charm of the rough minibus ride up, the time it takes to get to the launches, especially the lower 1,200 and 1,700m ones, has been cut by half and is endlessly more comfortable.

The ticket includes transport by cablecar and chairlift and access to the launches. The launches are all guarded and have turnstiles so make sure you have a valid ticket. The Turkish lira has been subject to huge inflation and prices in Turkish lira have been adapted to be fairly constant in euros: about €10 for access to the launch and around €5 for transport (2024). You can get to the cable car from the beach by minibus (dolmuş) near the police station for less than euro. Contactless payments are accepted everywhere, including the dolmuş.

Buying a ticket requires you to first register online as a pilot, including uploading a valid license. When your registration is accepted, you open a flight ticket with the app each time you want to fly. This gives you a QR code necessary to buy the launch ticket. After flying you must close the flight before making a new one. Details here.

If you prefer, you can still get a ride on a bus with one of the tandem operations. The buses stop at the Teleferik office to buy your launch ticket (therefore you till need to register first). The total price amounts to about the same whether you go by bus or cablecar.

Flying tandem with a friend or family is being discouraged. Aside from the required registration as a licenced tandem pilot you need to book your flight in the system at least five days ahead. In the mean time you can not fly solo. It’s best to have them fly with one of the local tandem operations.

WHEN TO GO
April to November. Midsummer is stable and September and October dry and reliable.

ALTITUDE
Cloudbase: 2,500-3,500m
Launch: 1,900, 1,800, 1,700m and 1,200m
Landing: On the beach at 0m

HANG GLIDER ACCESS
Back in the day hang gliders were put on vehicles and taken straight to launch with minimal carrying. There was a rule that the Ölüdeniz beach was closed to HG in July and August, and pilots were asked to land up on the Hisarönü plateau. Nowadays, local pilots struggle to remember when they last saw a hang glider here, and because of increased development and crowds, hang gliders would struggle to land safely in Ölüdeniz. Check with Sky Sports (see below).

MUST BE FLOWN
West along the coast: over the lagoon and over the deserted Greek Kaya village beyond. Fly back or land in the many fields on the plateau and get a minibus (dolmuş) back.

Butterfly Valley: 7km SE of launch is a narrow gorge with a beach that looks tiny. Don’t worry, it’s big enough. Land at the east end of the beach away from the restaurant, not in the fields behind the beach, otherwise you’ll be fined. Once down, soak up the chilled hippy vibe and enjoy the tranquillity before a 30-minute sea voyage home – there’s no road out. Check the boat times before you go. The hike out from the back of the valley is deteriorated and tricky with a backpack and has been closed following several accidents.

Further along the coast, you can also land out at the small beach at Kabak, about 10km from launch. There’s a small restaurant and a bus that runs up to the village above, from where you can get transport back to Ölüdeniz.

DANGERS AND ANNOYANCES
No immediate danger zones or airspace, but north of Fethiye is Dalaman CTZ. Take care not to crash into holiday makers on deckchairs when landing. Sand gets everywhere and in everything. You should also keep a close eye on the streamers as the wind can shift and come up both sides at once. If the wind is strong on launch, don’t go in the lee side and don’t follow the tandems blindly. They’re either good or mad.

The launches are strictly regulated nowadays following the huge increase in numbers of pilots (and accidents). They close before sunset and when flying conditions become tricky. Listen to local advice and don’t launch when take-offs are closed.

ACCOMMODATION
There are hundreds of hotels for all budgets and tastes. Package deals abound online.

GUIDES AND COURSES
There are many instructors who bring groups from all over the world. If you’re independent, pop into Skysports (contact below) or any of the tandem operations and make friends, or talk to the SIV instructors on the beach.

EXPERT’S OPINION
“I’ve been running SIV and XC trips to Oludeniz every May and September since 1991, and have used the scenery and height as a location for all three of my films. It’s a fun place to fly and a great place to combine a flying trip with a family holiday.” Jocky Sanderson

TAKE THE FAMILY
Definitely! Oludeniz is one of Turkey’s premier holiday destinations.

RAINY DAYS
The ancient ruins of Tlos and Saklıkent gorge are a good day trip. Also Butterfly Valley and Kayaköy (Kaya village), or a daily boat trip around the coast. SUPs are for hire at the beach or hire quad bikes or motorbikes for an off-road tour inland.

WEATHER INFO
The launches are equipped with weather stations which post their readings online.
The best local knowledge is from Skysports or any other professional operators along the beach including Gravity and Hanuman.

GETTING THERE
Dalaman is the nearest airport. From there it’s an hour by airport/hotel transfer. Book your shared airport transfer ahead via internet to get an affordable ride. Alternatively, take the local bus to Fethiye, then change to a minibus (dolmuş) to Ölüdeniz.

USEFUL CONTACTS
Skysports are the most established tandem operator (Phone +90 252 617 05 11 or WhatsApp +90 538 445 99 21). Owned by three local pilots Burak Tüzer, Onur Ertaş and Hasan Cansız with together over 75 years of flying experience. A well-respected operation who’ll always give sound advice, for example on flying conditions and can help with life vest rental. Their tandem pilot Erdal Akkuş is the one to talk to if your glider needs repairs.

Contact any of the large tandem operators for helpful advice on flying, weather, transport up the mountain or other activities.

Cloudbase has a shop at the south end of the boulevard has flying equipment from main brands such as helmets, harnesses, gliders and accessories.

Updated: Bastienne Wentzel, October 2024