Cusco Chinchero airport under construction

[broadreach]

Any knowledgable thoughts as to the actual fit-for-purposeness of this 3,720m asl international airport under construction in Peru? Supposedly designed to provide better access to Cusco and Machu Picchu than via Lima. Have found no references in PPrune.

[DaveReidUK]

Looks like an ideal location for an airport.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/536x249/cusco_chinchero_34d4fca460ba5733742fceedacfda74dc1dc42f0.jpg

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/uphill-battle-to-stop-peru-from-building-new-airport-near-machu-picchu-180977088/

[Australopithecus]

That elevation puts it well outside the AFM max elevation of 737-800, and flirting with the max pressure altitude of 12,500’ for A330. The 787 limit is 14,000’. Obviously departures will have to tech stop not too far away given the elevation. I don’t know if its even possible to lift much of a load at all, especially if there are any obstacles nearby.

[Bidule]

I think it will be lower than La Paz for instance, and other ones in Peru and Bolivia.

.

[broadreach]

DaveReid thanks, that Smithsonian article is, so far, the only reasonably intelligent one about the airport. The whole idea of the new airport, aside from getting it out of the centre of Cuzco, was to bring more tourists to Cuzco and Machu Picchu, the latter of which is already super-saturated and subject to daily quotas. Yes, La Paz El Alto is higher, 4062m ASL and also subject to tech stops. It beggars belief how governments allow themselves to be roped into projects like this. Well, maybe it doesn't!