Aviation Specials – May 2018

nose gear could keep the aircraft roing in a

straight line , even if an engine failed. Once

the aircraft began moving the co-pilot had

to reach over and set the outboard engines

to 100% as the speed passed Vmcg (60kts).

Ernst calculated our Dash would take off at

around 75kts.

The challenge posed by Vmcg wasn’t

just a theory. We demonstrated it

during the approval process, and when

we conducted the training we always

simulated an engine failure. Sure enough,

it worked out just as Ernst had suggested.

Once airborne the fl ight was usually

routine. We received instrument fl ight

clearance from Geneva Radar, and our

route took us via the Swiss city, either to

Paris or home to Innsbruck.

The essential element

Although all the fi gures were well

prepared, there were situations when good

airmanship was of primary importance.

None of the numbers we worked out told

us what to do if Anne e tried to ‘sell’ us

15km visibility, when the reality was li le

more than 1,500m. So, as we reached our

limits, we turned around over Moûtiers

and headed back to Chambéry. And that’s

how the line was drawn every time – as

accurately as possible. The fact that our

Dash 7 never suff ered a scratch over ten

years is proof that we Courchevel pilots

always put those lines in absolutely the

right place.

What remains for me, and I’m sure I

speak for all former Courchevel pilots,

is the memory of a beautiful, interesting

and instructive decade.

COURCHEVEL

60 // Extreme Airports

ABOVE: The

convenience

of fl ying into

Courchevel cannot

be underestimated.

(Wikimedia

Commons / qwesy

qwesy)

FAR RIGHT:

The hotels and

restaurants are

a short walk

away. (Wikimedia

Commons /

Peter Robine )

RIGHT: Alpine

Airlines provides

passenger services

using a Vulcanair

P-68 Observer.

(AirTeamImages.

com / Simone

Ciaralli)

BELOW: Tyrolean

Airways Dash 7 OE-

LLU arrives from

Innsbruck.

(Markus Herzig)

56-62_Courchevel.indd 60 11/05/2018 12:15