BasicUsed for solo student progression flights.

Paragliding
Porterville: Pampoenfontein

Swartland, Western Cape

Today

Not flyable

24 km/h E · not flyable

FlyableStudent safeWind dirNo fogNo rain

Best window this week

Mon 7 · 14h00 · 👍 2 stars · 1,375m topsStudent safe

Soarable tops — 7-day

Reference lines show historical 75th and 95th percentile for Porterville: Pampoenfontein.

p75 1556mp95 2114m856mFri 4942mSat 51171mSun 61375mMon 71356mTue 8943mWed 9814mThu 10998mFri 11
p75 — typical flyable dayp95 — exceptional dayBar height = soarable tops (hwcrit)
Detailed forecast table
TimeStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
Fri 4ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h5119 S9 S9 S5190.00%78%106.301026
11h85631 ESE89 ESE111 ESE11262.00%95%14.65.201025
14h79952 ESE98 ESE109 ESE10662.00%98%16.65.601022
17h51165 ESE87 ESE102 ESE6500.00%99%14.46.101020
Sat 5ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h51148 ESE46 ESE46 ESE5190.00%78%13.16.401021
11h51139 ESE52 E48 E8241.00%95%19.910.201019
14h94230 E35 E13 ENE13272.00%98%22.911.301017
17h51137 ESE54 ESE59 ESE7540.00%99%20.411.101016
Sun 6ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h51152 ESE48 ESE48 ESE5190.00%79%14.59.401021
11h51143 ESE54 E54 E8161.00%96%20.711.801021
14h1,17124 E24 E7 NNE16562.00%98%24.613.101018
17h51128 E41 E41 E8690.00%99%22.513.601018
Mon 7ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h51126 ESE26 ESE26 ESE5190.00%79%17.811.501020
11h9317 N9 NNE11 N13551.00%96%25.112.701020
14h👍1,37511 W4 N13 NE18692.00%98%26.414.401018
17h🤔51113 SW15 SSW9 S9671.00%98%2515.501018
Tue 8ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h45019 ESE17 ESE17 ESE5440.00%84%22.510.401020
11h5409 WSW7 W6 WNW7211.00%96%24.912.701020
14h1,3569 WNW11 NNW20 NNW18252.00%98%28.911.401017
17h4509 WNW13 NW19 NNW23071.00%96%30.1701017
Wed 9ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h4509 ESE9 ESE9 ESE4930.00%85%20.68.301019
11h🤔51117 SW17 SW13 SSW6741.00%96%2311.201019
14h👍94317 SW13 SW9 WNW12692.00%98%27.210.301016
17h45031 SSW31 SSW28 SSW9421.00%96%25.213.101017
Thu 10ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h4507 ENE7 NE9 NE5400.00%86%18.810.10
11h🤔6479 W7 W7 NNW8611.00%96%22.112.60
14h👍81411 WSW7 WSW6 W11542.00%66%24.810.10
17h45011 S11 S9 S8050.00%39%24.88.20
Fri 11ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h2186 NE7 ENE9 ENE2930.00%49%18.712.60
11h🤔59313 WSW6 WSW9 NNE8672.00%96%25.213.10
14h👍9989 WSW6 W9 NNW14162.00%87%27.712.60
17h2186 SSW4 S6 SE5621.00%94%2712.60

An alternative Porterville launch, higher than Dasklip Pass and facing more directly into the prevailing thermic cross-wind — considered a safer option for cross-country flying, with strong, quick-cycling thermals right off launch.

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Hazards & cautions

Experienced guidance is strongly recommended in summer. Midday thermals directly off launch can be intense; the rocks below launch are unforgiving, so maintain full glider control clear of the ridge before adjusting your harness. A ledge partly obscures the view on launch, making timing tricky in strong conditions — a launch assistant helps.

Launch & landing

Launch from the car park in straight wind, or from a netted ledge below (more suited to experienced pilots) — about 800m ASL with a 2900m ceiling. Land in the field beside the Grootelsbos forest square below launch.

Access

Continue past the Dasklip Pass launch and take the right turn uphill roughly 3km further on.

Flying conditions

Wind recommendation

W - SSW, thermic SE days

Flyable directions

SSW, SW, WSW, W

Wind speed range

0–18 km/h

Student site

Yes

Quick facts

Grade
Basic
Region
Swartland
Distance from Cape Town
125 km (straight-line)
Coordinates
-32.9269°S, 19.0373°E
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Want to train at a site like this?

See Beginner Course

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