I was wondering if anyone has had any practical experience flying into and out of Elba.
Yes I know its expensive but I have friends who insist if we cant fly to Bornholm due to weather then we fly to Elba.
My biggest concern is the runway length about 3000’ and flying to the north we have to fly between mountains that are 2NM directly on the departure end of 34. You must maintain 600’/minute while working up a valley on a 45 deg offset to the departure end of final. If there is a NW wind then there is sure to be a downdraft caused by the mountain directly at the departure end of runway 34. On a hot and Humid day with a strong down draft it would be close. Of course everything would have to come together just right. Mid day TO with temps in the 90s or 30 C Humidity (by the seashore) 15 -20 kts over the mountain creating a nice downdraft. Aircraft at MTOW.
MTOW takes 2100’ to break ground 70 deg day a little above standard. 0 wind.
Am I seeing demons where there are none? .
Anyone have experience with Elba?
C210_Flyer wrote:
Anyone have experience with Elba?
We fly there between five and ten times per year. My most recent visit was last Saturday 
The good news: The airport restaurant is open again with a new tenant, after one year of closure. I had excellent “linguine allo scoglio”. They now offer set menus at lunchtime for something like 15 Euros, which is a bargain price in that region and compensates for some of the airport charges. AVGAS is still very expensive – in the order of 3.5 Euros per litre.
It is a wonderful little airport with ultra-friendly staff. Approach and departure to the south (over the sea) is easy, and cloudbreaking is safe over the water south of the island. But stay absolutely above 3500ft if unsure of your position. Arrival from the north with a piston aircraft is fairly easy if you configure for landing before going down the 10% slope to final. Haven’t flown a C210 for years, but it should be capable of doing that. Stay on the PAPI on short final and watch your speed and everything will be fine. Departing to the north with a piston aircraft (single and twin) is something I personally would not do. In the summer heat you will struggle to outclimb the mountain slope even if everything is working fine and the slightest cough of your engine will send you straight into unlandable terrain. There have been several fatal accidents already. Either take off with a little tailwind component or wait for favorable conditions.
Peter wrote:
Peter 03-Jun-16 10:44 #02
here ?
what_next wrote:
It is a wonderful little airport with ultra-friendly staff. Approach and departure to the south (over the sea) is easy, and cloudbreaking is safe over the water south of the island. But stay absolutely above 3500ft if unsure of your position. Arrival from the north with a piston aircraft is fairly easy if you configure for landing before going down the 10% slope to final. Haven’t flown a C210 for years, but it should be capable of doing that. Stay on the PAPI on short final and watch your speed and everything will be fine. Departing to the north with a piston aircraft (single and twin) is something I personally would not do. In the summer heat you will struggle to outclimb the mountain slope even if everything is working fine and the slightest cough of your engine will send you straight into unlandable terrain. There have been several fatal accidents already. Either take off with a little tailwind component or wait for favorable conditions.
Thanks Peter and what_next.
Kind of what I thought, TO to the south and if possible land to the north. If landing from the north have gear out with 2 notches of flaps and speed at 85 Kts before entering the descent.
FWIW I approached from the south to a left downwind join and had no problem, in the TB20, doing a left base without hitting anything. There is plenty of room, if you can fly a tight circuit. You need to be fully configured at the start of the downwind.
However I might have been at/above the surrounding terrain when downwind and left base.
But there is also a dip in the terrain, to the NE of the runway, IIRC, and people joining from the north come in through there. Then you don’t have to descend so steeply. And same for departures to the north – you turn right after liftoff. This is from vague memory!
Peter wrote:
This is from vague memory!
All correct. But still, an engine failure on departure flying to the north will result in a sure crash. There is absolutely nowhere to land even if you follow that little valley. I flew there a couple of times in a piston twin (C421) commercially, so I had to do the calculations. The twin would not have been able to make a safe climbout on one engine following the lowest possible terrain. We therefore always departed to the south. My current jet has very powerful engines and still requires a tailored escape procedure for a northbound single-engine departure which has to be followed precisely.
Guess the subject is covered – just two cents I learnt there two weeks ago…
With other AC arriving or departing, take your time :-)
Since they do not have a separate taxiway, there is (longish) backtracking on the RWY on arrival and departure.
Made me go circle on arrival, when a small jet didn’t depart as planned due to a Flight Plan / Roma CTR issue.
(approaching from North, you only have the RWY in sight shortly before / when starting final – and TWR mentioned nothing)
You might feel like a sitting duck on the 16 – you’re backtracking (on arrival or departure) and a plane not in sight announces “final 16”…
The curvy approach from North to 16 allows for a somewhat normal descent.
Wouldn’t like to depart on 34 for the same turns during climb (not even thinking of tech issues)
Will go there again, definitely.
Note: Avgas is €3,54L
Thanks everyone for their input.
My Bornholm trip looks like it will be cancelled due to 3 drop outs. If we do come to Elba for sure I will keep the plane light and for departure land at Portoroz for Gas. Mostly for light weight departure with the added benefit of 1/2 the price of gas.
