Nice airport - is it difficult for flightdeck ?

[munrobagger]

Have recently flown in / out here , not normally a nervous passenger but it did unsettle me a bit !! Is the 180 degree turn after take off normal , got a spectacular view of runway !! How do captains rate this airport and would it be closed easily in event of high winds or bad weather ?

Stanley

[BOAC]

Hardest bits about NCE is dodging the helis and flying obscure approaches for the Nimbys.

[Capetonian]

Nice has the 'distinction' of being surrounded by some of the most expensive real estate in the world - places such as Villefranche, Cap D'Ail, Cap D'Antibes, not to mention Monaco. The rich :mad:s who live there do not want noisy polluting smelly aircraft flying over them and have therefore campaigned over the years to have departure patterns changed. Even the lesser mortals who live close to the city, for example along the Promenade des Anglais, which is parallel to the sea, have complained that the noise is 'unbearable'.

A new pattern was introduced last year, I understand from friends who live there that a lot of the Nimbys are still not happy, despite the fact that many of them live off the tourists who are brought in by the aircraft, and that the old patterns are being reintroduced, which will simply upset another bunch of Nimbys.

I have recently been to Nice and it's a horribly noisy place, like most cities, and I can honestly say that aircraft noise is barely noticeable over the general cacophony of a noisy city, cars revving, car horns, people shouting, and so on, not to mention unsilenced pesky little motor scooters.

[Rainboe]

There's a 90 degree turn after take-off on 04L, lower than normal at 400'. On final approach, there is a low turn to the right to land on 04R. It's a little harder than normal because I am usually too busy sightseeing and checking out the superyachts in Antibes and the approach is very complicated. I do find it one of the most scenic places to fly into and out of- it really is gorgeous. It's like Sandbanks on Viagra and steroids. Increased hazard? Zero.

We really should invade France and keep it, like Gibraltar. Why not- everybody else has?

[LN-KGL]

http://www.plane-spotter.com/Jpegs/840/June_2009_Tour/Villefranche-sur-Mer.jpg

After the right turn on climb out from Nice Côte d'Azur Airport - a left side windows seat can give you this view.

[chickenstrips]

Hi munrobagger!

Whilst I’m not a Captain, I have operated in to NCE from Edinburgh on a number of occasions!

In all honesty, it’s not that it’s a particularly difficult airfield to fly to, you just have to keep the procedures simple, plan ahead very early and ensure that ATC, as good as they are at NCE, do not force you in to flying a tight, high speed arrival!

On good weather days with an Easterly wind, the arrival is around the cape away from the locals for the reasons that Capetonian mentions, with a late turn to land on 04L, not 04R (Not splitting hairs though Rainboe).

On bad weather days with an Easterly wind, all arrivals are on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) again on to 04L. Noise issues go out the window!

As for the opposite runway, 22L/R respectively, the procedure is more complicated and you fly almost along the beach – give me sat on the right a very nice view… Generally, this arrival/landing will be completed in good weather. If the weather is bad with a Westerly wind – just carry enough fuel divert somewhere other than Cannes!

The departure on runway 04R is tight due to relatively low level of the turn, the high thrust setting, the take off speed of the departure and the terrain ahead of us. Agreed, a bit more of a turn than most are used to!

I’ve never taken off on 22L, so cannot comment I’m afraid.

As for high winds in NCE, never really experienced much, more thunder storms which we will deviate around.

It’s a great place to fly to and from!

If you are interested in interesting landings and take offs, have a look at the Island or Maderia, Funchal Airport!! That really is an eye opener!

Hope that helps - All the best!

CS.

[Rainboe]

4L..... 4R.....I'm too busy sightseeing. I just line up on the best runway and if the copilot doesn't scream, I land on it. If he does, I land on the other one.

Nice has quite the most complicated arrival pattern in the world. I once had a copilot set it up, then lead me through every twist and turn in a briefing. I nearly died of boredom. And you know nobody ever flies it. The best solution is if you need it, the NHP sets it up.

[BarbiesBoyfriend]

It's our best destination airport. I love flying in there.

If the wx is good they ofer a 'Riviera' arrival which means that radar bring you in over the oggin 'til you see the airport and then you effectively do a visual.

Both ends are great but 22R is the best. Love it!:ok:

Happy time!

[LN-KGL]

I experienced only winds from the east during my short weekend stay in June this year. On arrival Friday we did the usual tour over the Mediterranean Sea and followed with 49° right turn on to very short final for runway 04L (the Reviera approach in on 176° beam from VOR CGS) - here is a photo taken only seconds before touch down
http://www.plane-spotter.com/Jpegs/840/June_2009_Tour/Landing_at_Nice.jpg

Departure on Monday afternoon was from 04R. Using the right hand runway for departures the airport get more distance to the areas sensitive to noise, but the distance between the runways aren't great enough for two runways simulatious operation - and the go-around pattern and a normal SID follow the same path for the first part of the flight. We had to wait for the Jet2 733 (G-CELE) to land and vacate runway 04L before being given the go-ahead for our departure.
http://www.plane-spotter.com/Jpegs/840/June_2009_Tour/Lining_up_04R_NCE.jpg

Charts for NCE (although not fully updated) can be found here:
http://www.fly-sea.com/charts/LFMN.pdf

For an aviation enthusiast NCE is very good spot for finding interesting aircraft - the beautiful 39 year old lady below was the catch of the day for me.
http://www.plane-spotter.com/Jpegs/840/Registrations/VP-CJN.jpg

But there is also other gems in the neighbourhood - like this Étendard I found on the beach front just west of Fréjus (close to the now shut down naval air station Fréjus St Raphaël).
http://www.plane-spotter.com/Jpegs/840/Registrations/No29.jpg

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

Ah yes, Nice. That's the place where my 'Purple Patch' of effortlessly landing the 737, time after time, came to an end.

I was thinking, with apologies to Snoopy: "Here's the great captain, about to pull off yet another immaculate landing" ... KERRUNCH! Gosh, wot a surprise! The first officer was laughing so much he could hardly do the after-landing checks, and the cabin chief came in with the "OK, who shot us down?" bit.

Oh ... grrr. :ouch:

[ERJ145 Driver]

Nice is hard if you don't plan ahead. It's hard if you descend late. It's hard if you don't set your landing configuration as briefed. It's hard if you are maintained 5NM from aircraft ahead and still have to turn 90º towards the runway. It's hard when we depart at low altitude/high bank/low turn radius and very very close to some risky chopper pilots...

But it's fun as hell!

ATC is generally good, and if the weather is generous enough (no CAVOK required) it's a pleasure for pilot, passenger and eventual photographer's eyes.

There are by far other airports in Europe more dangerous/technically difficult to fly in Europe.

[Hotel Tango]

Went into NCE as pax in May. CAVOK with an arrival on 22R. Sitting on the left the entire approach was very nice to watch. Turned final at about 3 miles at a guess. Departed 04R a couple of days later with the 90 degree right turn. All very entertaining.