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A cautionary tale (LFHU L’Alpe d’Huez)

LFFA-D6080/18
Q) LFMM/QFALT/IV/NBO/ A/000/999/4505N00605E005
A) LFHU L’ALPE D’HUEZ
B) 2
018 Dec 28 00:00 C) 2019 Jun 30 23:59
E) MOUNTAIN INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATION ‘MI’ COMPULSORY FOR ALL ACFT’S
CAPTAIN EXC HEL

Apparently some clever chap (presumably a qualified mountain pilot) complained to the authorities about turbulence from new earthworks near the runway. Yes, I know, Huez is in the Alps – you couldn’t make it up.

So the DGAC said “gosh, yes, turbulence at a mountain airport, that’s dreadful… and by the way, you and your mountain pilot pals won’t be wanting to fly there for the next six months, will you?”

Moral: think before complaining…

Last Edited by Jacko at 30 Dec 00:16
Glenswinton, SW Scotland, United Kingdom

I don’t see your point, sorry.

L’Alpe d’Huez is not only a mountain airport, it is an altiport and consequently does require mountain rating mandatory anyways. No issue for private flights, as only commercial flights have captains. I guess they simply want to get rid of inexperienced single pilot commercial flights at the altiport. Given the usual auditorium of people getting there commercially by single pilot operations, I do see the point of adding additional safety. Even for multicrew it is an ease of OPS to make sure PIC has the qualification to teach FO …

Last Edited by at 30 Dec 10:32

Also, there seems to be a hint that people should not make safety reports in case something is done about it.

I recommend Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed.

EGKB Biggin Hill

dejwu wrote:

L’Alpe d’Huez is not only a mountain airport, it is an altiport and consequently does require mountain rating mandatory anyways. No issue for private flights, as only commercial flights have captains.

Really?

I think it means PIC.

EGTK Oxford

I assure you this is a restricted aerodrome / Altiport. You absolutely require a Mountain rating to fly into this aerodrome. A quick look at the VAC shows a 200ft difference in elevation over 400m or so of runway.

I think it means PIC.

I neither heard the term ‘captain’ in JAR-FCL nor Part.FCL PPL training.
Is there even a definition of it in PPL related documents?
I only recall it mentioned in commercial operations regulations.

Last Edited by at 30 Dec 12:21

You can also fly with a site rating. I think the issue here is that the notam requires a mountain instructor, not just a mountain qualification. Look like I won’t be finishing my night wqualification this year

It still a “temporary notams” after all? Probably after and accident, still not in the AIP nor the law yet…

Asking to have “mountain rating instructor” is very odd, how about “mountain rating instructor examiner” before visiting the site?

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Jason is right (as usual), and as the French text makes clear:

LFFA-D6080/18
Q) LFMM/QFALT/IV/NBO/ A/000/999/4505N00605E005
A) LFHU L’ALPE D’HUEZ
B) 2018 Dec 28 00:00 C) 2019 Jun 30 23:59
E) QUALIFICATION D’INSTRUCTEUR MONTAGNE MI OBLIGATOIRE POUR TOUT
COMMANDANT DE BORD D’ACFT SAUF HELICOPTERES

The issue is that the regulator’s reaction to some twerp whining about new earth berms causing “turbulence” at an alpine airport is to all but close it. Whereas previously many hundreds of pilots with a full or restricted mountain qualification could land at Huez, now its use is limited to a few dozen mountain instructors.

Also, there seems to be a hint that people should not make safety reports in case something is done about it.

I wouldn’t go that far, but we should perhaps pause to consider what that “something” may be. For instance, a flexwing pilot might reasonably complain about turbulence from heavy helicopters clattering about on the manoeuvring area of an airport. The airport authorities may admonish those noisy, but relatively well-heeled, rotorheads who buy vast quantities of fuel, or they may simply banish all ultralights…

Glenswinton, SW Scotland, United Kingdom

I’m based in Grenoble, 20 min from Alpe d’Huez. Let me try to tell you briefly what’s happening up there.
First, Huez is definitely an “Altiport”, requiring the mountain rating to land. True that you also can go there with a site rating.

Things got a bit complicated when a guy, about 10 years ago, settled there with an aircraft for scenic flights and some instruction. No trouble with that. But he also intended to keep order on the field (his order). No idea of how he flies, but I can tell you he has actually been clumsy and rude on the apron. He also managed to limit the flight activity to 1 landing a day, except for him, of course, among other silly things. Most pilots hate him to day and the situation is rather tense.
During last Summer, they have built, close to the runway huge embankments slopes. The reason was to use the earth from a building foundations ; in order to secure the runway from pedestrians (???).
I know it is surprising, but even in France, you have to ask if you want to build something close to an airport, included an altiport. The civil authority had disapproved the project, they did it however.
So, yesterday morning, appeared the Notam, restricting landings to MI (mountain instructor) until the end of June. What will come next ? We are very worried about it.

Hope my English is understandable, please be tolerant ; Thanks to all
Michel

LFLG - Grenoble le Versoud, France
25 Posts
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