Out and Back // Madeira / Funchal Airport // TAP A320

[Asad Khawer]

Just flying around Madeira, one of my other favourite airports. Pretty challenging approach, one of the hardest after Kai Tak. Hope you like the shots.

There are some scenery issues due to incompatibility with another add-on, please forgive them!

About the airport: Madeira Airport (IATA: FNC, ICAO: LPMA), also known as Funchal Airport and Santa Catarina Airport, is an international airport located near Funchal, Madeira. The airport controls national and international air traffic of the island of Madeira. The airport was opened on July 18th, 1964 with two 1,600m runways. The airport was once infamous for its short runway which, surrounded by high mountains and the ocean, made it a tricky landing for even the most experienced of pilots. The original runway was only 1600 meters in length, but was extended by 200 meters 8 years after the TAP Air Portugal Flight 425 incident of 1977 and subsequently rebuilt in 2000, almost doubling the size of the runway, building it out over the ocean. Instead of using landfill, the extension was built on a series of 180 columns, each being about 70m tall. This airport is also considered the Kai Tak of Europe because of its runway and approach, excluding flying over a city. For the enlargement of the new runway the Funchal Airport has won the Outstanding Structures Award, given by International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE). The Outstanding Structures Award is considered to be the "Oscar" for engineering structures in Portugal.

1 - Parked at the gate, with all our unfortunate passengers inside.


2 - Taxiing to the runway. We'll have to back taxi, the taxiways don't go till the end!


3 - And we're turning around to line up.


4 - All checks are done! We're ready to roll.


5 - Barreling down the runway at full throttle.


6 - And we're off! Notice the pillars below the runway, which was extended after original construction.


7 - Starting to bank as we line up for the approach back into Madeira.


8 - We're almost back, this will require some steep turning as we're a bit late!


9 - Almost lined up. We'll need some rudder to align perfectly with the center!


10 - And we've engaged the funny little reversers on this Airbus. (First Airbus I've ever flown!) Our flaps are hanging loose.


Some more shots in the reply my friends!

[Asad Khawer]

11 - And we're back on the taxiway again! We've been assigned our stand.


12 - Turning in for the final parking spot.


13 - All parked up! The doors are open, we await the trucks, which are delayed by an Air Berlin not too far away.


And just a parting shot of the airport itself for your enjoyment...


I hope you liked the shots my friends!

[Smutley]

Awesome.

[CycoFlo]

Awesome Stuff my Friend! Your Angles are truly special! Your Work is coming along great!
But you should have taken the Approach a bit lower!

[Asad Khawer]

Thank you my friends!

Florian, yep, the approach was too high and the landing was slightly untidy. I guess you learn as you go along!

[peer01]

Awesome post my friend I enjoyed it! I remember I got very wet feet there with a Constellation (also TAP) several times in FS9

[Asad Khawer]

Thanks Jan! Madeira can be very scary at times, especially with fog and crosswinds!

[boxcar]

Good one Asad, though I nearly soiled myself on that approach. :-) Nice post.

Jan: You went swimming there with Connie a few times? :-P
Ha ha ha ha!

~David~
.

[Asad Khawer]

Thanks David.

And LOL!

[peer01]

My friends, there's a big difference between "swimming with a Connie" and "heroic Connie ditching" Yes? understood?