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Post by jwh on Dec 12, 2020 22:41:11 GMT -5
Have been backdating some regional French Airports for my own use, the latest being this one of Perpignan Airport using my old Jeppesen charts and photographs to give it an appearance of how it would have looked around 1960. While it is not perfect, the changes have given it the vintage look that I like. Unfortunately I couldn't remove that strange water tower and the jet that is sitting outside of what was the Europe Aero Service hangar. Main changes were the deletion of the later runway which I think was built around 1965, adding the grass runway which disappeared with the new runway and changing the appearance and length of the original runway. DC-3s, Vikings and the like look much more at home there now. 1. Air Ferry Viking flyover.  2. Air Ferry Viking final approach to Runway 31.  3. Airwork Viking runway hold.  4. Air France DC-3 Runway 13.  5. Air France DC-3 take-off.  6. Air France DC-3 flyover.  7. Air France DC-3 heading for downwind leg.  8. Air France DC-3 final approach to Runway 13.  Unsure if any AI traffic has been programmed for this airport. Perhaps Tom could confirm this. Would like to have some AI traffic if possible to complete the project. John |
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Post by Defender on Dec 14, 2020 9:35:16 GMT -5
Hi John, Nice choice of airport. It was much used by British tourists bound for the Costa Brava and the other northern Spanish Med resorts. Surprising in a way given the short runway so as you say, DC-3's and Vikings mainly. I appreciate you are a master of airport research but the following might add something. It comes from www.les-pyrenees-orientales.com/Patrimoine/Aerodrome.php#Histoire and here's part of it. Google translation. In 1948, more precisely on 31 March, a report appeared requesting the classification of the Perpignan airfield in Class B, which corresponded to the normal classification of an airfield in a city like Perpignan. That's why we had to build a second runway and review the infrastructure. Debates took place, on the one hand they opposed the proponents to make the costly modifications requested, on the other hand to create a new airfield on a larger field in St Hippolyte and to use La Llabanère as a Class D airfield (acting as a 2And track). But this project was not carried out because of the too great distance from the proposed terrain with Perpignan.
The second runway was built next to the existing one, it was finished in 1949. The problem is that the work of the national diversion was not finished, and therefore for another three years, road traffic was stopped by a level barrier with each take-off or landing!
On January 24, 1951, an order authorized air traffic for aircraft larger than 4 tons, except for jet aircraft. It was the same year that the airfield was taken over by the ICC, as is now the case throughout France. This period saw the death of small airlines, gradually absorbed by Air France or disappearing. It must be said that technical advances imposed less and less on planes to stop, as travellers could make Paris-Algiers without passing through Perpignan. On May 4, 1956, work began on the large runway, which was extended successively in 1963, 1974 and 1991 to allow the current jumbo jets to stop at Perpignan.
In 1963 the terminal was destroyed to be replaced by a more modern and, above all, larger terminal. The inauguration took place on April 18, 1964 (for the 1stere) 22 July 1965 (for the 2ndAnd slice). Finally, February 25, 1964 was the date of the consecration: Perpignan-Rivesaltes was classified as an international airport, and largest in France.
My money would be on 15/33 not opening until 1963. It's mentioned in the accident report on the Airnautic Viking accident in September 1963. Goodness knows why it took 7 years! And Flight Global mentions NDB's being added to the new runway alignment in 1964. Prior to that there was just a single non-aligned NDB. There's photos of the old terminal on the web too. Same location as the new terminal. Bill |
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Post by jwh on Dec 15, 2020 22:54:35 GMT -5
Hi Bill
Thanks for your comments.
I think 1963 would be pretty well correct for the opening of RWY 15/33. I have pics from 1964 showing a Caravelle at the terminal and I think RWY 13/31 at just under 4500 feet would have been totally unsuitable for jets. Though I have seen films of Caravelles using drogue chutes on short runways. You mention a second runway finished in 1949. Are you referring to 13/31? I was under the impression that prior to that date the airport was overall grass. Perhaps another member would be able to clarify this. I have charts from 1951 showing RWY 13/31 in place with a length of 1420 Metres.
As I mentioned the backdate is for my own use and even if not totally accurate has the vintage feel I like.
Always find researching old airports so fascinating.
John
John
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Post by Defender on Dec 16, 2020 11:29:52 GMT -5
Hi John, That 1963 accident report has 13/31 as 1400x50 metres (15/33 as 2000x45) but maybe that's rounded off. It also shows weight limits for these runways as 30 and 60 tonnes respectively. So your 1420 metres sounds good for right up to the opening of 15/33 when the "new" road around the north end was probably opened, as it's unlikely 13/31 would have been shortened,  about 1355 now, until 15/33 was available. The old road cutting diagonally across the north end is still visible on Google Earth. Yes like you I find this sort of research quite absorbing and you always learn something. Now I know why DC-4's weren't used at that time. Bill |
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Post by Defender on Dec 16, 2020 11:42:41 GMT -5
This photo might explain why the present runway is so narrow. Perhaps it was always like that, paved centre strip and grass shoulders out to 50 metres? Yes I can see shoulders at the northern end still visible on GE.  |
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Post by jwh on Dec 16, 2020 20:40:17 GMT -5
Hi Bill I have that shot which I believe is from around 1951. It does look like grass on either side of the tarmac. Below is a IGN aerial survey shot from 1955 which looks very much the same. Unfortunately in AFCAD I couldn't reproduce that so I went with the runway I put in based on the old charts that I have.  Another interesting shot I came across is this one of an Air Algerie Caravelle at Perpignan dated 1961 showing the old terminal buildings which means he would have landed on the original runway. If so a very nice piece of flying. I would imagine he would have flown out at a fairly light weight.  Charts from 1951 show the runway length as 1420 Metres, 1974 at 1360 Metres and 1975 and 1978 at 1260 Metres. So it seems that over the years it has slowly been shortened. Doing my runway at the 1420 Metres I can get the DC-4 in and out but the Constellation, I think, would be doubtful. I'll be doing an upload of Perpignan to my Flickr page shortly. John |
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Post by Defender on Dec 17, 2020 12:19:54 GMT -5
Hi John, I'm struggling a bit with a Caravelle being able to use that runway as an alternate. There's another photo of a DC-6B sitting at the old terminal. Maybe the new runway opened earlier or that 1961 date was wrong but I don't think we're going to learn any more. Doesn't affect your creation anyway but I'd stick to DC-3's and Vikings.  Thanks for your interest and I look forward to seeing your France additions to your flickr albums. Bill |
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Post by Tom/CalClassic on Dec 17, 2020 15:03:58 GMT -5
In 1962 the AI traffic includes an Eagle Viscount and a Britannia, Air Algerie DC-4, and Air Inter (Airnautic) Viking. There are also charters - Airnautic B307, BIAS DC-4, Euravia L-749, Fairways DC-3, and Lloyd DC-4.
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Post by Defender on Dec 17, 2020 15:36:27 GMT -5
Yes timetableimages shows an Eagle scheduled service, Viscount summer 1961 and DC-6B summer 1962. And these were at night time which makes me even more doubtful that either aircraft would use the original short and narrow runway.
Bill
Correction (?) I see Air Algerie always used DC-4's right from the 50's so despite conflicting info that runway 13/31 could at least handle DC-4's.
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Post by Defender on Dec 17, 2020 17:46:28 GMT -5
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Post by jwh on Dec 19, 2020 21:34:56 GMT -5
Hi Bill
That 1961 aerial shot certainly solves it. You can see why that Air Algerie Caravelle was there in 1961. Will have a number of them in my Perpignan upload.
I had found that site and was working my way through it but I started at the bottom rather than the top. Was up to 2016.
John
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