After a few hours in the Edelweiss plane, we are delighted to land on the spectacularly short runway at the island airport.
But first the pilot does a few more laps in the holding pattern. The weather is too stormy to handle all the planes landing in a short time. Our plane is shaken up quite a bit - leeward flying is also very noticeable in an Airbus! The landing approach gives us a turbulent foretaste of the weather challenges that await us.
Madeira, the volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic, is a little flying jewel. The landscape is spectacular, the volcanic cliffs drop steeply into the rough ocean and the island's climate is subtropically warm. The special island meteorology is demanding and the flying areas must be chosen carefully. With the right weather and a good choice of area, you will be rewarded with fantastic flights over the green banana plantations and black volcanic cliffs.
When we arrive on the island, a pleasant 20 degrees, blue skies and a welcome beer await us on the highest cliff in Europe. Unfortunately, this is in a strong westerly wind, so flying is out of the question and we take it easy on the first day of our vacation. In the most beautiful hotel on the island, situated in an old vineyard, we enjoy the warm afternoon, settle in and look forward to the following days.
This year we have to contend with a few nasty low-pressure systems, which give us three days of storms and rain. Fortunately, Madeira also offers a lot for non-flying days and nobody gets bored. The daily yoga lessons with Sabi, a hike along the water channels in the canyons and the subsequent gluttony with typical island meat skewers are a good substitute.
The flyable days are then all the more impressive. The flight from the highest cliff in Europe, sunset flights over the Atlantic and a perfect flying day in the north of the island, in one of the most beautiful flying areas of all, will remain vivid memories!
We will also remember the good company! Many thanks to everyone who took part and made the week such a wonderful flight!
We are looking forward to our next trip to Madeira in Winter 2026.
