Our 'house site' in Jamaica is located in Kingston, above Hope Estate next to the viewpoint on Skyline Drive, a mountain ridge 1,500 ft ASL. This launch is on the lee side of the 7,500 ft high Blue Mountains and usually well sheltered from easterly trade winds. Due to the lush vegetation, thermals tend to be soft (2-4 m/s) most of the time. The site offers all year round flying with some XC potential on good days! Due to high humidity levels in the tropics, cloud base tends to be low between 3,000 and 4,000 ft ASL.

UTECH LZ (Kingston/Mona) with bail-out as seen from Skyline launch (#1 map)

Launch: drive-up from Papine.
Note: the launch is short and steep, and the site is NOT a beginner's site. For visiting pilots, we recommend intermediate skill levels because of a restricted landing field. Confidence in reverse launching is an asset!

Landing: several potential LZs in less than 1 km distance (glide ratio 4:1). Our preferred LZ is the sporting oval of UTECH. This LZ can normally be made in a 'sled ride' and if not there is a 'bail-out'.


(NOTE: Unfortunately the Nature Preservation Foundation - responsible for the Hope Estate - has expressed their concerns for paragliders to land on its premises. We urge pilots to respect this decision and avoid Hope Gardens as a landing zone. Thank you for your cooperation.)

Flying site St. Elizabeth - Malvern (aka John Crow Hill)

Discovered Dec. 2009, drive-up, 2,000ft ASL, vertical: 1,700 ft.
Vicinity of Malvern (15 km N of Treasure Beach, South coast). Grassy launch, wide & easy, ample landing space, XC for beginners, beach in 15 km distance, friendly country people.

Other potential flying sites (not maintained)

Free Hill, 1800ft ASL, drive-up - a small mountain community in St. Ann (North coast), 3.4 km south of the Llaughlands Airstrip. The air strip is not easy to reach without lift or in windy conditions. Claus Vischer flew from here in 2001 and had to land a few hundred meters short in the Chester school yard.	Murphy Hill, 1600ft ASL, drive-up - an old time tourist destination in the hills overlooking Ocho Rios (North coast). Closest LZ is a sporting field at Pimento Walk (250 m ASL) within a glide ratio of 4:1. The site is currently not maintained and exposed to easterly trade winds. Top landing seems feasible. (Special thanks to Paul East for allowing us access to his property.)	Kirkvine, 2600ft ASL, drive-up with heavy 4x4 and final hike - in the cool hills of Mandeville, facing SE into trade winds. Various landing options at the bottom of the hill at 1300ft ASL. Nobody has ever flown from this site.
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