Aviation Specials – May 2018

96 // Extreme Airports

steep by descending. There is a very real

danger of fl ying so low that performance is

not available to climb back up to the runway.

And without the possibility of a go-around

you could fi nd yourself very much behind

the power curve with no options to exit.

Start the approach at the Passeiry VOR

navigation beacon near Geneva. From

there, follow the 160o radial onto fi nal

approach at 7,500ft. Touchdown is likely be

fi rm since the runway will be rising. Pilots

would be wise to save some additional

energy for a fl are, which will go beyond

the normal landing a itude and requires

a slight climb to meet the runway slope.

Anyone who touches down late will hit the

steepest 18.7% segment of the strip instead

of the 12.5% portion and the impact will

be even more severe. Lift dump devices,

brakes and propeller reverse or beta

should all be used to slow the aircraft, but

not stop it, prior to cresting the incline to

ensure the aircraft doesn’t roll backwards.

I found the procedures Captain Stolle

used to get the Dash 7 airborne interesting.

The technique involved se ing all four

engines to 50% power, then increasing

only the inboard pair to 100%. After the

nose dropped off the plateau onto the

down-sloping runway, the non-fl ying pilot

would increase the outboard powerplants

to 100%. This stepped application was

designed to preclude a loss of directional

control in the event of an engine failure.

According to Stolle, the aircraft could

lift off at light weights after reaching the

shallower portion of the runway, but it

wasn’t unusual for it drop off the end and

sink into the valley before gaining enough

speed to climb away.

These days, the most frequent visitors

to Courchevel are light aircraft including

Pilatus PC-12 single-engine turboprops.

Helicopters also operate from the altiport,

shu ling visitors to resorts, providing local

area tours, and even whisking skiers to

the surrounding slopes. Pilots fl ying into

Courchevel must either hold a French

mountain rating or a specifi c airport

qualifi cation licence, which requires them

to land at the airport once every six months

to maintain currency.

All the major simulators (FSX, P3D,

X-Plane) contain a bare bones version of

Courchevel, but true enthusiasts will use

add-on scenery, custom-built to replicate

the airport and its surroundings. Currently,

the best product for FSX/P3D is a package

by LLH Creations that provides an authentic

rendition of the altiport, including accurate

runway slope and surrounding ground

textures down to 4cm (1.5in) per pixel.

Both winter and summer versions are

provided. The ski slopes, facilities and

village are all faithfully reproduced. For

X-Plane, a free rendition is available

that approximates the airfi eld and the

surrounding area and provides the proper

runway gradients.

COURCHEVEL

Add-on scenery for FSX/P3D http://www.llhinfo.com

Add-on scenery for X-Plane forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/fi les/fi le/24720-lfl j-courchevel/

Suggested aircraft Pilatus PC-12, Cessna 208 Caravan, DHC-6 Twin O er, DHC-7

FLIGHT SIMULATION

ABOVE: Dash 7s

are the largest

airliners to have

used the altiport.

Flight simulators

can reproduce

the experience no

longer available

to crews and

passengers.

LEFT: Final

approach in a

Turbo Porter. Even

in such an aircra

the options to go

around are limited.

BELOW: A Twin

O er waits for

departure from

Runway 05.

94-98_Flight Sim.indd 96 11/05/2018 15:54