Lookout Mountain

Lookout Mountain Flight Park
LMFP Launch ramp, January 2007
MSL	2020
AGL	1340
Glide to LZ	3.5:1
Coordinates	34.8569 N 85.44612 W
Rating/Skills	H2 FL
Wind Directions	Primarily NW (310 degrees), W to N can work
Season	Year round
Restrictions	Top Landing forbidden.
Site Type	Commercial
Fees	Yearly $100 US
Contact	Lookout Mountain Flight Park -- 1.800.688.5637
Links	http://www.hangglide.com/
Bandit Launch
LMFP Bandit Launch, December 14 2007
MSL	2020
AGL	1340
Glide to LZ	4:1
Coordinates	34.89797 N 85.44492 W
Rating/Skills	H3 CL H2/P2 w/Instructor
Wind Directions	WNW,NW
Season	Year round
Restrictions	Cliff Launch, must have headwind
Other	This launch is just down the road from the main LMFP launch ramp and is operated by the same park.
Landing Zone
MSL	700
Coordinates	34.90327 N 85.46035 W
Rating/Skills	H2
Wind Directions	Best in N, NE or S, SW
Dimensions	500' x 2500', long axis oriented roughly north to south
Season	Year round
Other	Large foothills lie just to the NW of the LZ. These generate rotor below 500' AGL when- ever the wind is out of the NW.

History

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Site Geography

Lookout Mountain's main launch is a large concrete ramp facing northwest. With over 20 miles of ridge running SW to NE.

To the SW is Cloudland Canyon State Park, and to the NE is the City of Chattanooga, the flight park is located about 6 miles NE from Cloudland Canyon.

The ridge is soarable in 5 to10 mph west to north winds. The ramp creates "ramp suck" on windy NW days that require 5 and sometimes 6 man wire crews. In light winds, 3 to 4 running steps and a low nose angle are all that is needed.

During light cycles on tailing days, the mountain is launchable with a hard run. On SW days, there is a hole created by a rotor from the pro shop building and trees to the left of launch. This hole causes gliders to drop low after launch; a good launch requires a low nose angle.

The ramp is huge, there is room for 6 man wire crews. The setup area can handle about 25 gliders.

The LZ is 2600' x 1000' (about 48 acres), about one mile in front of launch. On strong NW days there are strong rotors caused by the foothills. Also the LZ can be very turbulent during mid day conditions. The LZ provides a large and safe landing area with plenty of smooth grass.

Club Overview

Lookout Mountain Flight Park (hanglide.com), or LMFP, is primarily a hang gliding school and business. They have instructors on site, training hills, a large landing zone, 2 mountain launch points, an aerotow operation with several ultralights, glider storage, equipment shop and sew shop. Facilities include rental cabins, community bunkhouse, showers, camping, pool, and volleyball courts. The mountain launch points are adjacent to a busy scenic route, so one can expect moderate crowds of onlookers on weekends.

Directions To Site

Most visitors come to the site via Chattanooga, it is up to the reader to get themselves there or look at a map and figure their own way based on the directions given here.

Driving Directions from Chattanooga to the Flight Park Office

Note: It takes 40 minutes to get to Lookout Mountain Flight Park from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Take I-24 West to I-59 South, Exit 167 Follow I-59 south for about 7 miles to Exit 11, Trenton Turn left at the end of the exit ramp Follow "Directions from Highway" from this point

Directions From Birmingham

Get on I-59 and head north towards Chattanooga After entering Georgia get off at Exit 11 (Trenton) Turn right at end of exit ramp Follow "Directions from Highway" from this point

Directions From Nashville

Take I-24 East towards Chattanooga Take Exit 167 to get on I-59 South Follow I-59 South for 8 miles Get off at Exit 11 (Trenton) Turn left at the end of the exit ramp Follow "Directions from Highway" from this point

Directions From Highway Continue straight for 1/4 mile until you reach the light in front of the Ingles grocery store Turn right onto Hwy 11 Drive 1/10 mile and turn left at the next light onto Route 136 Drive 1 mile and turn left onto Piney Road Drive 4.7 miles on Piney Road to the top and turn right at the stop sign onto Route 189 The Flight Park Office is 1/2 mile on the right

The Landing Zone

The Landing Zone is located on Creek Road off of Piney Road Turn left on Creek Road and the first entrance to the landing zone is 1 1/2 miles on the right. (Do not take the first entrance unless you are camping under the trees near the creek.) Continue driving north around the landing zone and you will find the entrance to The Landing bunkhouse, cabins and RV park on the right. Turn right here and the building on your right is the hanger for Lookout's Tandem program.

Lookout Mountain

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