Western Alps Highlights Tour

[CavalierDuck 106]

The tour takes in the western Alps from Annecy (LFLP) in France to Saanen (LSGK) in Switzerland.  We start at the GA field at Annecy, but before heading into the mountains proper there is a little detour into the neigbouring valley past the spa town of Aix-Les-Bains and Chambery.   We won't stop at the main airport at Chambery but instead at Challes-Les-Eaux (LFLE), a smaller field used by light GA aircraft and gliders.  Now we make our way round the valleys to Albertville, site of the 1992 Winter Olympics.  Start a steady climb at Albertville to put you in position for the approach to Courchevel (LFLJ), the altiport of sloped runway fame.  On leaving LFLJ our next waypoint is Mont Blanc, the highest point in Europe at just short of 16,000ft.  How high up you want to go is up to you.  Then it's downhill all the way into Italy and Aosta (LIMW).  The next waypoint is another of the Alps most impressive peaks, the Matterhorn (14, 692 ft).  We can then check out the private jets at Sion (LSGS), followed by another climb out of the valley to head towards our last stops: Gruyeres (LSGT) - there's a cheese connection - and finally the airports in the Orbx freeware Saanen package Zweisimmen (LSTZ), St Stephan (LSTS) and finishing at Saanen itself (LSGK).

Flightplan

Now available here in PLN and GFP formats.

Aircraft

At just over 200 nm the route isn't too long but will involve some steep climbing - you have been warned.  When I put it together I had the PC-6 in mind but I now realise not everyone has it, especially the P3D v5ers.  There aren't any bush strips planned, but there might be the odd sloping runway (no prizes for guessing where).  Similar aircraft choices to last week would work.

Scenery

Orbx EU landclass and an improved mesh will help the appearance of the Alps.

Orbx Saanen (freeware)

Courchevel  - Orbx or LLH Creations payware

Courchevel freeware: there is a freeware Courchevel in the AVSIM library by Guy Nemoz.  It was designed for FSX; I have tested it in P3D V4.5 and it puts a sloped runway in approximately the right place.  Unfortunately the buildings are missing but it is the runway that makes Courchevel different and that works.

Particulars
Date and time: June 27, 2020. 1800 UTC
Where: AVSIM RTWR Teamspeak - Casual Flights Channel
Teamspeak Server Address: ts.teamavsim.com
Cross-Platform Multiplayer: JoinFS. Latest version is here. (FSX, FSX-SE, and P3D)

If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks!

[MM 422]

For those with extra time on their hands, Starting the Porter in 27 Easy Steps.

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

"My apologies if I have missed a couple of steps"  😄

 

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

Courchevel in V5 is not all that bad...

 

[CavalierDuck 106]

A reminder of what happens when you get it wrong at Courchevel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw7eBmi1Lt8

There are no go-arounds - you just get to choose how you're going to crash....

 

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

Oops! I just LOVE the comments from all the armchair pilots. My guess would be that real pilots would simply say to themselves "Glad that wasn't me"

Personally, I think he did it all wrong and I would have done a MUCH better job.

[Ted Striker 338]

After watching that video I am thinking that the Milviz Bell 407 would be the appropriate aircraft...