The Ecuadorian connection - "Dangerous airports"

[Wayne Pierce]

Pilots and other personnages.

This weeks GFI was donated by Commander Arturo Carvajal. It is a short flight and will take about an hour+ in the ATR.
Your departure is at a very high altitude already. A longer takeoff is needed than normal. Use a minimal fuel load. This route is direct and not very scenic, but the fun starts when all of us get to the destination and try to land near the same time, so spacing is crucial here. There are no missed approach procedures documented.

Departure : SEQU

Destination: SETM

Suggested route : QMS DCT RIOJA UW5 GIRON LOJ

The visual approach will start at LOJ NDB at 12,000' heading 150° descending to 8,500' and then turn right back to HDG 340° descending to 4,600' turning right final to small RWY 06 landing at 3900. Mountains everywhere.

Flight Level : FL260

Distance : 297 Nm

AA Equipment: ATR 72 500

Charts and sceneries FS2004: Guayaquil FIR

You will enjoy this challenge very difficult flight. If possible practice first, I did already.
WLP

[Harold Henderson]

Start time on this will be 0100Z since we have come off DST, but it is still 8pm EST, 7pm CST, 5pm PST, etc.

[Harold Henderson]

Well, this was Arturo Carvajal's (AAV905) suggestion and he showed up to fly and give commentary enroute! Joining him were, Bert Rivera (AAV476), Ted Martin (AAV537), me (AAV580), Sergio Sanchez (AAV742), and Wayne Pierce (AAV783).

Here's the lineup to depart Quito: me at the hold short, Sergio, Wayne (trying to get control of his computer), and Arturo.

[Harold Henderson]

Departed and dodging mountains and climbing like crazy ...

[Harold Henderson]

I think Sergio is dodging some geese ...

[Harold Henderson]

Wayne.

[Harold Henderson]

Arturo makes it off with Ted waiting on the runway.

[Harold Henderson]

Ted lifts off.

[Harold Henderson]

Sergio heading to the south.

[Harold Henderson]

The landing approach takes you down the valley away from the airport while you descened, then a 180 toward the airport and still descending, then an almost 90 degree turn to final when the airport finally appears just past a hill.

So, here's Ted on his approach coming back down the valley toward the airport, while Arturo, above, is on the outbound leg.

[Harold Henderson]

Arturo deftly flys over Ted's hulk and lands long. Ted had a scenery crash (honest ... that's what he said).

[Harold Henderson]

Bert arrives on the scene overflying the NDB before turning down the valley.

[Harold Henderson]

On the approach and angling for the runway.

[Harold Henderson]

And the crowd. This was a very enjoyable and challenging flight to a place few if any of us had flown into before (other than those wimps that practiced). Thanks, Arturo!

[Harold Henderson]

Arturo mentioned they actually flew Embraer 190's into the airport, so I thought I would give it a try. I was about 20,000 lbs short of max weight for the take off.