M609,
perhaps not major....but it does welcome A300 and larger aircraft on a regular basis.
Interesting. Looking at ENDU on Google Earth it actually looks like they have cut a trail through the forest under the approach path ?
BOAC,
hmm. That would make a 3.28 slope VERY interesting. You sure about that?
That is according to the elevation function on Google Earth. Not sure how accurate it is ? When you cross check it with the known point of elevation for the airport is it bang on. (+/- 0 feet).
The highest point of terrain within 1 nm of the theshold appears to be at a distance of 3527 feet (0.58nm), 256 feet to the right of the extended centerline, at 844 feet asl. Exactly 200 feet above the runway threshold elevation of 644 feet.
I now see the PAPI's are set a 3.20 degrees. Using a TCH of 48 feet, a 3.20 degree glidepath would put you at 889 feet asl. when 3527 feet from the threshold. (tan(3.20) x 3527 + 644 + 48). So it would appear that on the PAPI's and just slightly right of the centerline would clear the hill by 55 feet (not counting how far your landing gear extends, or at exactly what angle (altitude) the PAPI's change from 2 white to one white).
Unless these elevation figures from Google Earth are wrong (?) I'm very surprised such an approach could be certified for night operations with a PAPI set a 3.20 degrees ?
This is all somewhat accademic to the accident because they flew into the trees 1.0nm from the threshold then impacted the ground at an elevation of around 750 feet agl at a point around 0.8nm from the threshold.
Still it would seem to make for an interesting approach. As anyone on the forum here actually flown this approach at night ?