This month, we depart Marseille Provence Airport (LFML) and travel to Courchevel is an airport serving Courchevel (LFML), a ski resort in the French Alps. The airfield has a very short runway of only 537 metres (1,762 ft) with a gradient of 18.6%.

There is no go-around procedure for landings at Courchevel, due to the surrounding mountainous terrain. De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters and DHC-7 turboprops served the airport in the past; however, the airfield primarily sees smaller fixed-wing aircraft such as Cessnas as well as helicopters at present. The runway has no instrument approach procedure or lighting aids, thus making landing in fog and low clouds unsafe and Continue reading →

This month, we depart Chengdu Shuangli (ZUUU) and travel to the highest airport supported in the FS world, Qamdo-Bangda (ZUBD) Tibet that has an elevation of 14,219 ft. Runway 14/32 is the longest publicly used runway in the world, at 18,045 ft or 3.42 miles. Until 2013, Qamdo-Bangda (ZUBD) was the highest airport in the world. That title is now held by Daocheng Yading Airport which is 238 ft higher, however no scenery is currently available to support an event.

The low air density at this altitude makes a higher takeoff and landing true airspeed necessary, and therefore a longer runway. The airport is 2.5 hours by Continue reading →

This month we hit 2 of the world’s most dangerous approaches in the warm Caribbean.

Saba, Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport has the shortest commercial runway in the world, only 396 meters (1,299 ft) long, flanked on one side by high hills, with cliffs that drop into the sea at both ends.

Saint Barthélemy, Gustaf III Airport short airstrip is at the base of a gentle slope ending directly on the beach. The arrival descent is extremely steep over the hilltop traffic circle; departing planes fly right over the heads of sunbathers. Ranked the 3^rd most extreme airport in the world by Continue reading →

Paro Airport has an elevation of 7,300 feet with surrounding peaks as high as 18,000 feet. It is considered one of the world’s most challenging airports in the world as only eight pilots worldwide are certified to land at this airport. Flights at Paro are allowed under visual meteorological conditions only and are restricted to daylight hours from sunrise to sunset. It is one of only four airports in Bhutan.

This month, your mission is to depart from Zia International Airport (VGZR) and fly to spectacular Paro (VQPR) with either the Bombardier CRJ-700 or Dash 8-Q400 which is available to Continue reading →

This month, our mission is to depart from Stornoway (EGPO) and fly to Barra Airport (EGPR) which is a short-runway airport (or STOLport) situated in the wide shallow bay of Traigh Mhor at the north tip of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The airport is unique, being the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a beach as the runway. The beach is set out with three runways in a triangle, marked by permanent wooden poles at each end. At high tide these runways are under water so flight times vary with the tide. Emergency flights occasionally operate at night from the airport with vehicle lights used to illuminate the runway and reflective strips laid on to the beach.

Join Canadian Xpress today in order to Continue reading →

This month, we move from high mountains to Fjords full of icebergs. Departing from St. John’s (CYYT), your mission is to fly to one of the most dangerous airports in the north, Narsarsuaq Airport (BGBW) in Greenland with either the Canadian Xpress^® Boeing C-17 or Lockheed C-130 which is available to all pilots regardless of rank, but only for the challenge.

The approach is through a fjord, so it’s necessary to make 90 degree turn to Continue reading →