Bush flying, in the Himalayas

[tvieno]

I am doing the World Tour III, and for those who have done it maybe are familiar with this airport, VNLK, Lukla Nepal. It took me three
attempts to land that tiny little runway in a Beech King 350.

It is only about 1600ft, with a mountain to the east and a mountain to the west. Of course the runway is 06 - 24 and at 10,000ft elevation. My
first mistake was coming in from the east. Nestled on the side of a mountain, it is next to impossible to spot until you are right on it. Plus
there is not a lot of room to turn around in the mountain valley for go-arounds.

I don't do a lot of bush flying and definitely not any short landings and this put me to my skills. I will say I am not happy with the landing I did,
but I was successful not crashing.

The route I did is : VEPT IPLAS JKP AHALE KIMTI VNLK About 160 miles. With this approach, you are coming in from the west. I suggest
you either get a map with topography or use your GPS with the TERrain turned on. Full flaps and just over stall speed is what I recommend.

[gbapache]

Lukla is a challenge If you every want to try it again just for grins try something made for short field landings such as a PC-7 or a Dornier.
(note the new quote)



Post Edited ( 02-03-10 03:54 )

[Joeflyer]

I liked using the Twotter at Lukla. Got some really nice landing results there...all positive rates that is...even if I was half drunk

The last WT I used the Pilatus Porter....never can go wrong with that one!

[airmiles]

Give it a go with a 733 much more fun!! There are some shitters of my drunken attempt in the screenshot thread

http://www.fspassengers.com/forum/showth...?tid=15914

[Joeflyer]

I should have known Pedro was going to respond to this one

[crowebird]

@pedro... some of that looks like the payware lukla, but why is your mountain so messed up?

[airmiles]

crowebird wrote:
@pedro... some of that looks like the payware lukla, but why is your mountain so messed up?

At the time I had payware and freeware running hence some of the odd textures

[the_nick]

I've done the same yesterday but for take off I took the default cessna 172 with having major problems for keeping the engine running I
went down the runway , felt into the canyon and wasn't able to get out anymore. so I made a left turn followed the river for a while and
landed near the river on a flat place where there are buildings on the hill.

[poden]

I've landed at Lukla with a Pilatus PC-12. Used up all the runway, but seemed to do OK.

[DSW334]

What was that other airport in that neighbourhood that we flew too in WTII before going to Lukla? Was it VLNK or something like that? It
had a nice descent as well. Remember all those screaming folks in the back of my 738. ""Watch your descent rate", Pull Up Pull
UP..

[gbapache]

Wasn't it LAKO? Like landing in a grain silo.

[tvieno]

DSW334 wrote:
What was that other airport in that neighbourhood that we flew too in WTII before going to Lukla? Was it VLNK or something like that? It
had a nice descent as well. Remember all those screaming folks in the back of my 738. ""Watch your descent rate", Pull Up
Pull
UP..

yeah, my co-pilot was screaming, "We're gonna die!", GPWS yelling, "Pull up". I am glad that leg is behind me.

Taking off was a close one too.. On rwy24, full flaps, throttled up and didn't let go of the brakes until N1 was 100%... and I think I gave those
trees a trim on that slope.