After I posted the "Dangerous Approaches" article on Funchal, I had a huge amount of email about the airport, stories about interesting experiences people have had there, and complaints about the lack of scenery for FS2000. People who still fly FS98 can use the "Dangerous Airports" scenery by Abacus, but sadly this package has not been updated, and it looks as if the field is clear for an enterprising freeware or shareware designer.

Two emails in particular stood out: one from Bernard Lienemann, who had the opportunity to fly out of Funchal on the jump-seat of a TAP 319; the other from Egbert Drenth of Scandinavian Virtual Airlines, who had a similar opportunity - going in, this time - in a Transavia Boeing 757-200. Taken together, these photographs are so interesting that I decided to post them as a photo-story. Any scenery designers out there might like to take a look at Bernard's shots - and everyone else can scare themselves with Egbert's (which are at the end of this article).

Here is what Bernard had to say about his pictures: "In spring I was at Funchal and I had the opportunity to get a jump-seat to Lisbon when leaving with a TAP 319. Of course I asked the pilot about the tricky approach, and the changes that occured due the new displaced and lengthened runway. On thing he mentioned were the strong turbulences during approach, flying ground over and then again over water. The visual downstep to 06 can be flown like a racetrack. The approach to 24 is again with severe turbulences because this runway is partly constructed on a bridge. He spoke of turbulences like in a washing-machine, wind on and below the bridgelike runway. The new runway gives some more security because it is longer now. On the other hand the challange of the airport is still alive because of the mostly strong winds. On final of runway 23 and round the touchdown zone there are during moderate or strong wind conditions heavy and severe turbulences, because there is a valley heading perpendicular towards the runway, and the winds in that valley lead to turbulences in a spiral direction "round" bridge like extension of runway 23. Can be very tricky.."

And here are his shots. The only thing that is missing is a shot of the curving lights leading into 06 and if someone could supply a shot of this it would be great:

Awe inspiring, as I am sure you will agree.

But then I read Egbert Drenth's email and saw his pictures. Bernard finishes his email with the laconic comment that the approach is "not what it used to be"! This is just the most terrific series of shots I have seen in a long, long time, and it shows the approach to 06 to perfection. As a bonus, Egbert's last four shots show the aircraft departing on the same runway.

Andrew Herd
andrew@flightsim.com