Mayerhofen bei Friesach airfield

The airfield at Mayerhofen near Friesach sits in rolling countryside 4 km north-west of the town, where the Metnitz valley opens on to the Friesach plain. It is framed by the Seetaler and Gurktaler ranges, two chains of low Alps that give the place a sheltered feel. The grass strip runs for 400 m across a gently sloping meadow, a working strip rather than a showpiece.

The airfield is run by the Mayerhofen flying club and holds licences for gliders, light aircraft and helicopters up to 2 000 kg. Visitors who do not keep their machines here must ask the club for landing permission before they arrive. The club’s members fly mainly at weekends, when the grass runway is busy with launches and circuits.

Visitors who land walk a short path to a low wooden hut that serves as the club’s office and briefing room. Beyond the strip lie meadows and forest tracks, good for a quiet stroll while watching the next glider climb away. The peaks of the Seetaler Alps rise to the north, their slopes dotted with alpine pastures.