January 2011 - Ecuador Milk Run

This flight of the month was inspired by my neighbor who travelled to southern Ecuador last summer to visit family and friends. (pict1) As we were talking about her travel plans it occurred to me that this Flight Club has flown in Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and Bolivia. We've done a couple of features in Peru and Chile as well as several flights in Brazil but we have never been to Ecuador (save for a tour of the Galápagos islands some years back).(pict2) This month we will fly down the spine of the Andes Mountains to some interesting and challenging locations. (pict3)
Ecuador straddles the equator, from which it takes its name, and has an area of 109,415 square miles. Evidence of human cultures in Ecuador exists from c. 3500 B.C. Its capital city is Quito, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the 1970s for having the best preserved and least altered historic center in Latin America. The historic center of Cuenca was also declared a World Heritage Site in 1999, for being an outstanding example of a Spanish-style colonial city. Ecuador is a presidential republic and became independent in 1830, after having been part of the Spanish colonial empire. It is a medium-income country with only about 10% of the people living below the poverty line. Ecuador is also home —despite its size— to a great variety of species, many of them endemic, like those of the Galápagos islands. This species diversity makes Ecuador one of the seventeen megadiverse countries in the world. Ecuador's new constitution of 2008 is the first in the world to recognize legally enforceable Rights of Nature, or ecosystem rights.

Wherever you are coming from, make your way to Ecuador's Capital city, Quito. While certainly not the most difficult approach for airliners in South America, it's 9,200-foot elevation with surrounding mountains makes it a challenge for commercial pilots. (pict4) One must especially pay close attention to the altimeter and approach plates for the winding, mountain-skimming approach into runway 17! (pict5)

Getting Your Assignment: Once at SEQU, make your way into the main terminal building and ask Security to lead you to the "January, Flight-Club Briefing Room." ("Habitación de reunión de Vuelo Club") They will check your identity and security papers and then lead you upstairs to our "quarters." I told them that you all rarely arrive at the same time so accomodations only need to be for a maximum of two pilots. Once you arrive, feel free to unpack and stay for a few hours but remember, others will likely be coming along in due time so respect the rest of us and don't just move in!

Anyway, you are required to fly an aircraft capable of hauling up to 15 passengers this month. (No little four-seat turbos Alastair) You can pick a DC-3 or Dash-8 or Do-328jet, even one of Tony's fancy Cessna Corporate Jets is fine ... We are not flying impossible approaches this month like landing a CRJ at Courchevel, but you will be facing some challenging real-world approaches and our short runway is under 3,500 feet so Geert's 732 may be out of luck.

You are welcomed to change aircraft along the way and you can fly to the noted airports in any order you like but remember, 15 pax! (pict6) Cotopaxi (SELT) 9,200 feet ASL - 12,000-ft long runway This airport is a bit high but it's long-enough to take large aircraft. Caution: In FSX there is a highway that crosses the middle of the runway so there may be cars coming into your path! The city sits in a high valley and the surrounding hills aren't to close-in so your approach and departure should be fine - there's even room here if you have to go missed. (pict7)

Cuenca (SECU) 8,300 feet ASL - 6,200-ft long runway A little lower, a little shorter, things a little tighter here. (pict8) (pict9)
Loja (SETM) (pict10) 4,000 feet ASL - 6,500-ft long runway This is an airport that Maria mentioned specifically. Terrain makes this a one-way-in, other-way-out airport and the ideal approach (which is longer than I took in the Dash-8) invloves driving down the valley between the hills. She reported that in reality there are no night/evening approaches here and, in-fact, if things are too windy (as happens) the airport will close due to the danger from the near-by mountains. (pict11)
Macara (SEMA) 1,500 feet ASL - 3,200-ft long runway This area is right down on the Peruvian boarder and looks lush and green by FSX-standards. (pict12) (pict13) The Google map shows a highway right through town and you will certainly see that in the sim as you come into this narrow, dead-end approach. This is even tighter and shorter than Loja and you aren't going missed here unless you are flying a rocket! (pict14)

From here, you are free to fly whatever you like to wherever you like. I flew up and down this route a couple of times, here are some more photos: (pict15) (pict16) (pict17) (pict18) (pict19) (pict20)

Good Luck Have Fun Happy New Year