Back to all spots

Tennessee Tree Toppers Henson Gap Burnside Launch

Forecast-ready spotNo ratings yetBe first
Sign in to saveSee ForecastReview this spotRequest ownership

Tennessee Tree Toppers Henson Gap Burnside Launch

Spot Info

Spot Details

PPG friendly
Not marked
Authorization
Required
Club / contract
Required
Launch faces
WNW, NW, NNW
Forecast point
Ready
Access notes
Tennessee Tree Toppers owns and manages the Burnside launch and Henson landing property. Current USHPA and TTT membership, the current waiver, and the club's first-flight process are required. A 30-day visiting membership is available, but this remains private club property rather than a public walk-up launch.
Site rules
  • Hold current USHPA and Tennessee Tree Toppers membership, complete the current waiver, read the bylaws and Flight Responsibility Program, and obtain the required first-flight site briefing before use.
  • A P2 may use Henson only after the full briefing and Flight Responsibility Program process or with a Board-authorized instructor; comply with every current special-skill and supervision requirement.
  • Use the official Henson landing property at 35.36612498,-85.3428587 and the current club traffic pattern. Do not land outside authorized property or assume permission from neighboring commercial operations.
  • Top landing is for experienced pilots and is not authorized for P2 pilots. Maintain current ridge, launch-order, and mixed-traffic procedures.
  • Treat 320 degrees as preferred and roughly 280-350 degrees as the light-wind operating sector. The guide gives about 5-10 mph as ideal and 20 mph as the maximum, not a target.
Launch directions
WNW, NW, NNW
Direction notes
The current guide gives 320 degrees as preferred and approximately 280-350 degrees as acceptable only in appropriately light conditions.
Safety notes
  • Crosswind, thermic, and stronger ridge conditions can produce turbulence and poor inflation control on the slope; verify the actual launch flow rather than relying on a valley forecast.
  • Terrain behind launch creates venturi and tree-strike/blowback exposure. Maintain a conservative penetration margin and abandon the setup when the flow is not square.
  • The official Henson LZ has fences, powerlines, obstacles, and traffic-pattern constraints. Walk it and receive the current briefing before the first flight.
  • Henson carries mixed HG/PG ridge and landing traffic; preserve right-of-way, launch separation, and a stable early landing pattern.
Additional notes
Current official PG slope launch beside, but operationally separate from, the adjacent commercial JUSTFLY-SVS launch. The nearby radial ramp is HG-only and is not represented. No powered use is established.
Map pin (exact launch)
Exact Burnside Launch coordinate published in the current Tennessee Tree Toppers Henson guide.
Official website
https://tennesseetreetoppers.org/

Reviews

Pilot Experiences

See who rated this spot and which field-condition bubbles pilots selected.

No ratings yetBe first
Review This Spot
No reviews are visible yet. Share the first rating or field note for this spot.

Spot Group

Posting unlocks with an account

You can draft here and preview the composer. Create a Free Account when you are ready to share a post, upload media, or log a flight update. Create Free Account.

No group posts from this spot yet.

Airspace status