BasicUsed for solo student progression flights.

Paragliding
Porterville: Pampoenfontein

Swartland, Western Cape

Today

Not flyable

35 km/h NNE · not flyable

FlyableStudent safeWind dirNo fogNo rain

Best window this week

Tue 18 · 14h00 · 🤔 1 stars · 700m topsStudent safe

Soarable tops — 7-day

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

p75 1556mp95 2114m714mWed 12511mThu 13870mFri 14511mSat 15902mSun 16696mMon 17700mTue 18
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
Wed 12ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h51154 ESE52 ESE52 ESE5190.00%65%10.24.401030
11h51141 E57 E63 ENE10141.00%95%16.26.801029
14h71441 ENE61 ENE61 NE10611.00%98%18.38.101025
17h51130 ENE28 ENE28 ENE5190.00%100%18.58.801022
Thu 13ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h51144 ENE41 ENE41 ENE5190.00%66%14.57.101022
11h51137 NE52 NE63 NE6701.00%95%201001021
14h51135 NNE56 N63 N10841.00%98%23.310.801019
17h51111 N9 N9 N5190.00%100%22.414.301019
Fri 14ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h51113 ENE11 ENE11 ENE5190.00%33%12.67.801022
11h62613 N17 N26 N8761.00%87%16.47.901023
14h87015 NW17 NNW24 NNW11632.00%87%17.910.201022
17h5119 WNW9 NW9 NW9811.00%99%16.910.501022
Sat 15ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h51122 ESE20 ESE20 ESE5190.00%66%10.54.101022
11h5117 N13 NNE19 NE8321.00%95%20.18.401021
14h5979 W4 WNW9 N8151.00%93%21.610.301018
17h🤔51111 SW11 SSW11 SSW5960.00%86%20.31201017
Sun 16ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h45017 NNE15 NNE17 NNE5300.00%54%13.65.301020
11h57111 WNW9 NW13 NNW8271.00%94%18.47.901020
14h90211 WNW13 NW20 NW12672.00%98%20.95.501018
17h45019 SW19 SW15 SW9340.00%100%19.67.801018
Mon 17ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h4507 ENE9 E9 E4600.00%55%10.71.301022
11h4506 NW6 NNW6 NNE6491.00%93%17.9701023
14h🤔6969 WSW6 WSW4 NW9811.00%98%20.85.201020
17h🤔45011 SW13 SSW13 SSW7660.00%100%20.44.901020
Tue 18ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h2186 SE9 ESE7 ESE2280.00%49%11.74.60
11h3867 SW6 SSW4 S6451.00%94%198.50
14h🤔70013 SW13 SW13 SW10662.00%99%22.28.10
17h21820 SSW22 SSW22 SSW7960.00%100%21.48.70

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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