Babadağ Weather: who we are and how we use data
Babadağ Weather publishes an hourly assessment of wind, gusts, cloud base and rain for the Babadağ (1,969 m) paragliding launches and the Ölüdeniz landing area in Fethiye. Statuses are model forecasts, not official launch decisions.
Who publishes it?
The website and the iPhone/iPad app are published as Babadağ Weather and supported by Company (www.pilotmemorable.com). Content belongs to the publishing organisation, not to an individual. The official launch decision rests with the Fethiye Slot Service Centre and the launch marshal.
Data sources
Wind, gust, cloud, rain and visibility values come from the MET Norway model (CC BY 4.0); wind is cross-checked with ECMWF, ARPEGE and UKMO forecasts, cloud and rain with ICON-EU. Dalaman airport METAR and TAF reports act as a live thunderstorm and rain gate for the coast. Sunrise and sunset are computed astronomically. Wind observations entered by slot staff appear for 60 minutes under a separate "Field observation" label. Details and licences: the data sources page (Turkish).
How a launch decision is made
- The model wind and direction at each launch altitude are taken and compared with the launch's wind sector.
- Speed, gust spread, cloud base, rain, thunderstorms and daylight are checked against thresholds.
- The Ölüdeniz landing area is assessed separately; if landing is not suitable, launches do not show suitable for the same hour.
- Official Slot closures and pauses override the model and are labelled separately.
- The result is written as Suitable, Risky, Confirm on site, Closed or No data.
Thresholds
The values below are the site's default operating thresholds; they can be changed by the operators and are not universal safety limits. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
| Launch | Wind sector | Speed (Risky / Closed) | Gust spread (Risky / Closed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 Kuzey | 345°–75° | 20 / 30 km/h | 15 / 20 km/h |
| 1900 Patara | 145°–230° | 20 / 30 km/h | 20 / 25 km/h |
| 1800 | 10°–70° | 20 / 30 km/h | 20 / 25 km/h |
| 1700 Güney | 235°–285° | 20 / 30 km/h | 20 / 25 km/h |
| 1200 | 170°–300° | 20 / 30 km/h | 20 / 25 km/h |
At the Ölüdeniz landing area, a land breeze (320°–120°) is within limits up to a mean of 15 km/h and an onshore wind up to 30 km/h (inclusive); above that landing shows Closed. Gusts are assessed separately: 10 km/h is Risky and a measured 15 km/h is Closed in a land breeze; 20 / 30 km/h onshore.
Update frequency
The assessment refreshes every few minutes; the live status summary on the pages is refreshed on the server every 5 minutes and printed with its data time. Hourly decision records are kept for 14 days. If data is older than 20 minutes the page says so.
Limits
There is no live sensor at each launch; values are model forecasts and are never presented as measurements. The model grid is about 7 km and can miss local rotor, thermals and valley flow, so uncertain hours show "Confirm on site". We make no claim about historical accuracy: the model is compared with field reports, and no learned coefficient is applied to decisions yet.
A real example from the field
The model's assessment is not an official decision; the final call on site rests with the Fethiye Slot Service Centre (SHM) and its staff. Below is a genuine, dated example from SHM's own announcement channel:
"TÜM PİSTLER UÇUŞA AÇILMIŞTIR"
("All launches are now open for flight.")
Reporting errors
If you see wrong or outdated information, write through the contact form; the text and numbers are corrected and the page's update date changes.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions · Dataset (CC BY 4.0) · Launches and wind sectors · Meteorology guide
Page text last updated: . This page is informational. The flight decision is made on site by the pilot, the launch marshal and the Fethiye Slot Service Centre. Fethiye Slot Service Centre (SHM) ↗