Shumen plateau is situated in the northeast part of the Bulgaria and is known as the most thermic country part. The place used to be a National Gliders education center in the years of communism. The plateau with it`s 3 take offs for wind directions from North through East to South, surrounded with endless flatlands is a really good point to start your long open distance flight or in the days with less wind your big triangle.
Every year plateau welcomes pilots from all around Bulgaria and the world for the annual edition of Shumen-XC Open to enjoy big distance stresses flying in the flats.
All take offs are located on top of a plateau with average altitude of 440m ASL and average displacement of 250m. Located 100 km west from the seaside it is well protected from the sea breeze of Black Sea and gives you plenty options for flying to the west. To the north there are 100 km of flatlands till the river of Dunau. On the south there are 20 km of flatlands until you reach the lower part of Stara Planina mountain ridge, which you can easily pass and extend your flight as far as to the Turkish or Greece border.
Average flatlands altitude is between 100m and 200m ASL. Prevailing winds for the area during the winter and early spring are west and northwest. During the summer till the late autumn they vary from northeast to south.
Active flying season starts from April till the late September. As in the beginning of the spring thermal activity time is ~4-5 hours from 13:00 till 17:00.
In June and July the average flyable time increases to 7-7.5 hours from 12:00 till 19:30. Cloud base stays pretty much the same from the spring to the autumn, varying between 1800-2600m ASL. Average thermal strength is 2-3 m/s in the spring and early summer and 2-4 m/s in the summer. Best takeoff time is ~12:30. It is possible to takeoff earlier and work the small thermals and bubbles, but the risk of bombing out is bigger.
Winter is generally non-flyable. Only ridge soaring is possible along the plateau.

The longest Open distance flight in Shumen was done by Yavor Plashilski – 242.6 km in August of 2008.
Here you can check some of the best flights made from Shumen.
There are 3 existing take offs plus 1, which is still in progress. All take-offs are accessible by car or a taxi. It is possible to make top landing on each of the takeoffs available.

East take off - 446m ASL (
N 43.258377 
E 26.926317
)
Exposure: ENE,E,ESE directions with up to 6-7m/s wind speed
The place is suitable for east, north-east and south-east winds with dominant east component. If the north or south component is stronger there’s risk to stick into the airflow and go down.

South take off - 440m ASL (
N 43.251452 
E 26.925203
)


Exposure: SSE,S,SSW directions with up to 6-7m/s wind speed
Suitable for south, south-east and south west winds with dominant south component. There’s a rotor before the takeoff when the wind is southeast.

North take off - 450m ASL (
N 43.242365 
E 26.921227

)
The place is situated exactly above the visitors’ place of monument “1300 years Bulgaria”. Suitable only for north winds, the place is featured with its “step-shape”. It is not recommended to try taking off in light winds and it is not possible to do it in windless conditions. The closest landing places are the school yards situated from the right.