Just came back from a week Skiing in the Alps. First day for a complete novice resulted in 25 falls , second day 5 falls. Third day Great until one massive fall down a Red run which I ended up on by accident ;-)Fourth day nursing a bruised shoulder, hip and pride I decided to visit the AltiPort above Meribel at an altitude of approx 5200 feet.Bathed in Snow on the clearest of days a pretty red french plane sat on skies.I enquired and after chatting to an instructor went to do some circuits and mountain flying.The strip was only about 300 metres long and after about 100 metres the ground fell away sharply and then levelled out.The idea was that you only took off down hill and landed uphill so the first priority was to taxi to a point where you could see over the top of the brow incase you took off into a landing aircraft.The aircraft had skis and NO breaks or steering other than the rudder so taxying was a fraught business with spirts of power and using ridges of snow to help direct its path.We checked all clear and I lumbered in a haphazard way towards the warm up and check area.The D140 FBMFX was newly painted and gleamed in the blinding snow. Being 5200 feet asl meant leaning for takeoff. First stage of flap and full throttle to the tail dragger had us heading towards the brow and a cut out in the forestation ahead.I kept her running true and as intructed kept the stick slightly back.We created the brow and the aircraft accelerated down the steep incline and then levitated.130 kph a few hundred feet and I raised the flaps climbing to 6000 feet for circuits.I made a teardrop onto the approach end holding 6000 feet to a very steep glide and then started down onto what looked like and impossibly short carrier landing ;-)You make a final check before pulling full flap and bringing the speed back to 110 kph. This is now dead mans territory as with skis, altitude and full flap this plane is not going around and you are committed to land.Landing is a three pointer. As soon as you touch its back onto power to climb the steep incline to turn and take off again.I visited the Altiport at Courchevel which is near by at an altitude of 6200 feet asl.In MSFS there is a huge cliff at the back which isnt there for real (anyone know of some really good mesh for this area?This area has to offer some of the most beautiful flying available with Mont Blanc nearby and some stunning scenery.I believe xp-simulations are making some photoreal scenery for the are of Chambery. Does it cover the altiports and the 3 Vallees?Last and most important flat runways are a waste of time for this challenging flying. Does anyone know if the Altiports are being modelled with the correct inclines by XP-Simulations or anyone else?Failed to take my camera which was a shame but have got some good shots from my mobile phone which I will place up if I can get them from the mobile to the computer :-)Peter

Wow Peter, sounds like ton of fun!Unfortunately for novice skiers - original falls are inevitable. Learning how to fall is lesson #1 that I give to beginners.But this plane on skis adventure must ahve been something else...Michael J.WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2

MichaelDay five I got taken out by some hooligan lad doing about 60 kts on a snow board :-)Just as I was perfecting my parallel turns so a bit knocked about ;-)Anyone any ideas on sloping runways for MSFS with serious inclines ? and especially anyone made the altiports in the Alps?Peter

Hi Peter,altiports and altisurfaces for the French Alps are availabe here: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/paneva/la_page_du_paneva2.htmlCheers, Holger

HolgerThanks for the link.The whole of the Alps / Swiss, French, Italian and Austrian are stunning and it would be fantastic to have the WHOLE as Photo real scenery with superb mesh.There is mesh on your link site is this the best for the Alps or what mesh is the best covering the whole area and not just bits?ThanksPeter

Peter, as usually, a great story, and told with "suspense"!There is an excellent paywere photreal scenery of Switzerland available Called