Ölüdeniz Air Fest – Paragliding in Ölüdeniz

Monday, 21 October 2013 00:00
Written by Portal Editor

Ölüdeniz – And here we go again! The paragliding scene issues one last call for the season: Off to the Air Fest in Ölüdeniz, near Fethiye a combined festival featuring artistic airshows, paragliding, a multitude of aerobatic performances presented by international pilots, and live music on a stage situated right on the magnificent beach of Ölüdeniz.

We set off on Saturday morning, traveling via Antalya, Korkuteli, and Fethiye toward Ölüdeniz, having arranged to meet up in the late afternoon with Pál Takáts and Devrim Bostancı. Both pilots had also participated in the "XC Turkey" tour.

We quickly found affordable accommodation close to the beach—no problem at all at the end of the season. The room offered a wonderful view out toward the sea and, to the left, toward Babadağ—the "home mountain" of the Ölüdeniz paragliding community—standing a proud 1,969 meters tall, right by the sea.

We were surprised by the sheer number of pilots visible high above the beach or on their final approach to land.

We certainly hadn't expected anything quite like that. The path leading to the beach was also lined with posters and slogans promoting the Air Fest; there, we discovered various market stalls selling paragliding gear, general aviation merchandise, and flight safety equipment—in short, a wide array of companies was utilizing this event to showcase and sell their products.

Along the waterfront promenade, visitors mingled lively with landing pilots—whether they were flying solo or carrying a passenger in a tandem flight.

There was a flurry of activity around the stage setup for the evening's festivities; an announcer provided commentary on the artistic aerial manoeuvres performed by various pilots high in the sky, while also personally welcoming the pilots as they came in for their landing approaches.

All in all, it was a vibrant and bustling scene on the beach of Ölüdeniz. We run into Pal Takats, who gives us a brief overview of the event and its background—an occasion attended by pilots from all corners of the globe, as we are immediately able to witness firsthand: a group of pilots from Iraq makes a beeline for Pal, eager to take a group photo with him.

Despite some minor language barriers, there is plenty of laughter and fun—an atmosphere that intensifies later during the live band's performance, when one of the Iraqi pilots takes centre stage to deliver a wonderfully eclectic solo dance performance blending Oriental and European rock styles.

Other dancers quickly join in, and the energy in the crowd soars.

It proves to be a fantastic concert by a band we were, unfortunately, unfamiliar with until then, featuring a vibrant mix of European and Turkish rock songs.

Early Sunday morning, we are back at the beach and can already spot more than 50 pilots in the skies above Ölüdeniz. The organizers continue to shuttle more and more pilots up to the launch site on Mount Babadağ.

Today, an asphalt road leads all the way up to the summit, ensuring a quick and hassle-free ascent—and, consequently, an uninterrupted stream of launching pilots filling the sky. An increasing number of spectators also begin to arrive.

Although the announcer’s reminders for spectators to stay clear of the pilots' landing approach zone are largely heeded, not every pilot manages to hit their designated landing markers with absolute precision. This leads to a few amusing landing scenarios—all of which, fortunately, conclude without any physical injuries. Luckily, the fabric of the paragliders is both lightweight and soft.

As soon as the acro pilots appear in the sky—with the announcer providing a running commentary on every manoeuvre via radio—all heads turn heavenward. Their aerial displays are truly a sight to behold, whether they are executing moves like the "Helicopter," "Infinity Tumbling," or performing synchronized flight routines.

Flying almost wingtip to wingtip, several pilots performed truly acrobatic aerial manoeuvres before landing safely on the beach. One pilot, however, seems to have pushed things a bit too far while practicing a mid-air wing collapse—a manoeuvre from which his canopy failed to recover.

Deploying his reserve parachute, he landed in the water approximately 100 meters from the shore. A rescue boat provided by the Coast Guard was quickly on the scene to fish the stranded pilot out of the water. On the beach, Coast Guard officers maintained constant radio contact with all the pilots.

Excellent organization—our highest commendation. Managing such a large number of pilots is no easy feat.

Another recurring highlight was the take-off of the light aircraft, which either carried a passenger or ferried one of the attending BASE jumpers up into the sky. Once at a sufficient altitude, the jumpers would exit the plane to plummet back toward the earth in free fall.

Their parachutes were deployed only moments before impact, allowing for a pinpoint-accurate landing. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

For years, Ölüdeniz has been a mecca for paragliders, offering a multitude of opportunities to glide through the air. Though a bit noisy, the propeller-driven paragliders—which can simply take off directly from the beach—offer distinct advantages.

Later that afternoon, during a brief drive to Butterfly Valley, we spotted pilots even further afield, soaring high above the distant mountains.

This massive canyon, situated along a bay, is renowned for its nearly pristine wilderness—accessible only by boat from the water or on foot from the rim of the gorge.

It is a true paradise for nature lovers—and especially for butterfly enthusiasts—as the canyon is home to a vast array of species.

Near the very end of the road running along the Bay of Ölüdeniz, we stopped for a quick tea break and took the opportunity to savour the view from a rooftop terrace.

What a magnificent panorama of unspoiled nature unfolded before our eyes! On our way home, we had arranged to meet up with Wolfgang Dorn, who was planning to visit Xanthos with a tour group on Monday.

Thus, our excursion up to Butterfly Valley also served to scout out the route for the following day, as we planned to travel from Ölüdeniz over the mountains toward Xanthos.

But now, back to the paragliders in Ölüdeniz. Further aerial displays by the pilots kept the visitors thoroughly engaged, causing the beach area to teem with people—a mix of Air Fest attendees and beachgoers, as the sea was still delightfully warm.

The show reached another high point when Pal Takats performed some extraordinary manoeuvres during a tandem flight. Another tandem wing appeared in the sky, carrying a total of four people who—one after another—leapt off into free fall, only to deploy their parachutes just above the sea and land safely.

The spectators looked on in sheer amazement and rewarded the performance with thunderous applause.

Despite making several inquiries, we were unable to ascertain exactly how many pilots participated in the Air Fest in total, though 150 pilots had officially registered. It was a well-planned event for both pilots and visitors in Ölüdeniz. Keep up the great work! We hope the organizers attract even more visitors next year. It is well worth the trip.

Please also read:

Tahtali – The Final Stage of the Paragliding Competition

Tahtali – Paragliding Competition – Part 2