Sightseeing flights, flight camps and more

Do you want to experience the beauty of Czech nature and history from above? Please check the section on sightseeing flights!

Are you a glider pilot looking for the right destination for your gliding camp/vacation? Keep reading!

Info summary

The Hodkovice airfield is located in a hilly area on the borderlands of Izera Mountains and plains of Central Bohemia with great accessibility (just 5 min from the highway – Liberec 10 km, Prague 100 km, Dresden 150 km). Spacious grass surface runway has 100 x 1000 meters with directions 19 and 01, 450 m AMSL. Aerotow launches are regularly available, winch launches only exceptionally (upon prior arrangement, but bringing your own winch is possible).

We hosted several gliding competitions over the last years, e.g. Czech Regional Gliding Championship in 2015 with racing tasks over 500 km (Soaring Spot) and we host gliding camps from various European clubs every season. Our airfield offers flying opportunities for the pilots and, because of the good location, also beautiful surroundings for family trips.

We are able to accommodate up to 50 people in the main building and spacious tent/caravan camping site (other types of accommodation are available in the nearby area). The premises are equipped with sanitary facilities, kitchen, briefing room, wifi, etc.

For more information, please check the sections below. For reservation, pricing and questions please feel free to contact us at info@hodkovice.info or directly our club member Mirek Pech - mirek@hodkovice.info or WhatsApp +420 608 883 030, english/deutsch/français. We are looking forward to you!

Soaring

The airfield is located on a plateau 50 m above the surrounding countryside. There are Jizera mountains in the North and Giant mountains further to the East. Early thermals are one of the advantages of being close to the mountains. The position of the airfield far from prohibited and restricted airspaces ensures a comfortable crosscountry gliding experience.

There is Jested ridge only 4 km far from the airfield where you can fly along the ridge using southwest winds. In suitable weather, wave flying is also possible.

We operate a Robin DR400 and two WT9 Dynamic planes (see our fleet) for aerotowing. Winch operations are currently possible only with your own winch. We also offer renting a glider (more in pricelist) and some space in hangar for a limited number of planes or gliders (please check the availability in advance but usually there's a place for a couple of singleseaters and one or two doubleseaters).

Accommodation

On our airfield you can find a grass camping area with an electric connection for tents and caravans. There is also a possibility of accommodation in our clubhouse bedrooms (double-bed and multiple-bed rooms, up to 24 places). Sanitary facilities are shared. Please contact us for recommendations for other nearby accommodations in hotels/apartments - however early (winter) reservation for summer is required because the area is in high demand for summer vacations.

There is a possibility to use our club room with projector screen and whiteboard. The main building is covered with WiFi.

In the main building is situated a self-service "bar" with basic cold and hot drinks. The kitchen can be freely used for cooking (equipped with six stoves and enough cookware for 40+ people). The nearest restaurants are in Hodkovice nad Mohelkou (2 km), some also offer delivery service.

Leisure time

In the neighbourhood there are enough interesting places for trips by car, walking or cycling, some of them also suited for families or rainy weather.

Some of the most interesting are the following:

• The Sychrov Castle - Baroque castle reconstructed in romantic neo-Gothic style and surrounded with large natural garden with exotic naturalised wood species
• Ještěd - the highest mountain of the Jested ridge (1012 m) with a perspective restaurant and a cableway.
• Bohemian paradise - the most famous protected landscape area in the Czech republic, sandstone rocks, the Hrubá Skála castle , Valdštejn , Kost and dominant basalt piles with the Trosky castle
• Surroundings of Malá Skála - town with viewtower above the Jizera river (rent a boat!), Pantheon, the Frýdštejn castle, Suché skály, Kalich (rock labyrinth), Zbirohy
• Bezděz - ruins of a Gothic castle on phonolit cone
• Máchovo jezero (lake) - recreational resort, sandy beaches, steam-boat cruises
• Regional town Liberec - the Zoo and the Botanic Gardens , science-technology park IQlandia, Babylon with aquapark and other attractions
• Jablonec nad Nisou - The Museum of Glass and Jewellery , reservoir with dam
• Jizera mountains - suitable tracks for mountain biking
• The Giant mountains - the highest Czech mountains, cableway onto the Sněžka mountain (1602 m).
• ŠKODA museum - exhibition of famous car manufacturer in Mladá Boleslav
• Aviation museum of Metoděj Vlach in Mladá Boleslav

Sightseeing flights

The position of the Hodkovice airfield in the vicinity of Czech Paradise and Izera Mountains offers a unique setting where you can enjoy both nature and history of our country. We offer sightseeing flights for 1-3 passengers with duration of 20 minutes or more. Some examples:

• 20 minutes:
  1) Sychrov - Rohozec - Valdštejn - Hrubá Skála - Trosky - Malá Skála - Frýdštejn
  2) Ještěd - Liberec - Jablonec - Černá Studnice - Javorník
• 30 minutes:
  3) Sychrov - Rohozec - Valdštejn - Hrubá Skála - Trosky - Malá Skála - Frýdštejn - Kost
  4) Ještěd - Liberec - Černá Nisa - Josefodolská přehrada - Souš - Černá Studnice
• 40 minutes:
  5) Combination of 1+2
  6) Černá Studnice - Harrachov - Rokytnice/Vysoké nad Jizerou - Ještěd - Liberec - Hejnice
• 60 minutes:
  7) Combination of 3+4
  8) Bezděz - Ralsko - Ještěd - Liberec - Jablonec - Javorník

Of course, you can also change these routes and visit another places, just talk with your pilot before the flight. Please visit eshop.hodkovice.info to buy your sightseeing flight online.
Please be aware that the flight execution depends on the weather (no rain in the area, no low clouds, no strong wind).

However, if there's nice weather and you are around only for a limited time, you can try your luck and stop at the airfield - during the weekends, there might be a slot for your flight even if you haven't reserved the place.