One of the coolest things for pilots based in Switzerland is the possibility to fly in the Alps all year long. Narrow valleys, spectacular cliffs, peaks, glaciers, and famous mountains like the Matterhorn or Mont-Blanc make the Alps a wonderful playground for pilots. Flying the Alps in a light aircraft is only possible VFR. The IFR routes there are at or above FL150, making them unreachable without turbo engines and pressurization. TDI engines could make it possible, but then comes the need for portable oxygen. Hypoxia is a serious hazard when flying above 10′000 feet, which is a common thing in the Alps. I experienced light hypoxia once, after flying for 20 minutes at FL135.

Many alpine passes require crossing altitudes above 9′000 feet. Some can’t be overflown below 12′000 feet. This might sound extraordinary high altitudes to some of you. A pilot from a low and flat country once asked me if any usual PA-28 could reach such altitudes. The answer is definitely yes. 14′000 feet is a classical maximal operating altitude for normally aspirated single engine aircraft. Check in the aircraft flight manual of your favorite type, you could be surprised. It could however take time to climb to such altitudes. Just as a reminder, the maximal altitude is defined as this where the aircarft is able to maintain a 100 feet per minute climb rate. Not exactly a steep climb.

Flying the Alps is challenging in different ways. Navigation is not that easy. No railways, not motorways, not large cities. Finding the correct valley simply by its magnetic orientation is not so easy. Nothing looks like a valley as much as the next one. GPS is certainly a good help. Even known routes change dramatically between seasons. Snow can easily cover roads, lakes and other landmarks. Weather also requires particular attention. Wind can generate dangerous downdrafts and severe turbulence. Learn to interpret Alpine weather, decrypt signs and always fly there with respect. If you’re not used to mountain flying it’s a good idea to hire a local instructor for your first flights.

The rewards of Alpine flying are to the level of the challenges. Wonderful landscapes, details that can be seen from bird’s eye only, extraordinary airports like Courchevel, Samedan or Saanen. Sion can also look impressive, but flying there is really easy. The Rhône valley can be flown from Lake Geneva to Sion at 3′500 feet and its wide enough for 180° turns everywhere. Sion is a good starting point for Alpine flying. Weather there is almost always find, and it’s very close to nice sightseeing destinations. The Matterhorn is one of the most famous mountains in the world, and it’s only 20 miles from Sion. Flying along the valley and then to the north, you can overfly the Aletsch glacier, pass by the Jungfraujoch, and descend towards Bern.

If you continue straight after Brig – to the East of Sion – you’ll reach the very central part of Switzerland where the Nufenen, Grimsel and Furka passes almost join. From there you can fly to southern part of the country and land in Lugano or head North-east and descend the Gothard pass towards Buochs. The possibilities are endless. Flying passes is fun and easy for orientation but you can also fly over the ridges at higher altitude and enjoy the view.

Many posts of my blog are about the Alps. I even wrote a series of four on this very topic. Personal memories, tips for you, Courchevel, and my personal Alpine to-do list. I also reported here about my landing on a frozen lake, the Lac Noir. If you found this page while preparing your first trip to Sion, you should have a look at this post. And if you’re preparing for Saanen, don’t miss my video guide. If you come from outside Switzerland and wonder how it is to fly VFR there, I compiled some tips for VFR flying in Switzerland.

There are also many photos and videos from the Alps in the galleries and separate posts. I once took pictures of mountain lakes in the Nufenen and Grimsel passes. I like the Matterhorn and Mont-Blanc so much that I dedicated one post to each. You can also find spectacular pictures in the Flying the Alps and Grimsel photo galleries.

If you decide to come fly there and look for advice, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll be happy to help you as far as possible.