Mountain Aviation.

If mountain flying is a high-level discipline - some would even say it's the best flying school there is - you don't have to be a mountaineer, though... In fact, landing in the mountains is very similar to mountaineering: you have to find the best route, choose the right holds, know how to interpret the signs in the sky and the state of the snow, and above all return safely. Translated into aeronautical language, this means that before trying to land, you first have to see where you'll be able to take off from, depending on the state of the snow, the slope and the obstacles, and of course there's the adrenalin rush of first tracks and exploits.
In mountaineering, there will be those with the soul of a summit conqueror who have become a legend, such as Jacques Balmat for the first ascent of Mont Blanc or Edward Whymper for that of the Matterhorn. Mountain aviation was pioneered by Hermann Geiger, who developed the technique of landing on the mountain slope to rescue climbers, a technique that was later used in the construction of altiports and even airports in the Himalayas, and Henri Giraud, who landed his Piper on the summit of Mont-Blanc and subsequently fought to justify the practice to the authorities.
Mountain flying is therefore not a mass activity, but one that has to be earned and requires rigorous respect for the mountains and their ecosystem. A new generation of lighter, stealthier aircraft has arrived, but the technical nature of flying and the risks involved are still very real, just as they are for mountaineers, regardless of advances in equipment and lightness. As with mountaineering, it's a demanding passion, but at the controls of a plane...

Preface by Pierre Geiger
Aiming for the top
I.The pioneers of mountain flying
François Durafour
Joseph Thoret
Hermann Geiger
Henri Giraud
II. The five real French altiports
Courchevel (1962)
Méribel (1963)
Megève (1964)
L'Alpe d'Huez (1968)
Peyresourde-Balestas (1971)
III. French mountain aircraft
Caudron G-3
Jodel D-9 Bébé
Jodel D-11
Jodel D-140 Mousquetaire
Jodel D-140 Abeille
Du Jodel-Robin DR-250 au DR-400
Piel CP-30 Émeraude
Morane-Saulnier MS-505 Criquet/Fieseler Fi-156 Storch
Morane-Saulnier/Socata Rallye
III. American mountain planes
Piper J-3 Cub
Piper PA-16 Clipper
Piper PA-18-95 Super-Cub
Piper PA-18-180 Super-Cub
Piper PA-20 Pacer
Cessna 150D
Cessna 185 Skywagon II
Maule Aircraft M-6
Aeronca Champion
Aviat A-1 Husky
Cubcrafters Carbon-Cub
Stinson Voyager
Aermacchi AL-60

IV. Pilatus, Dornier and de Havilland Canada
Pilatus PC-6 Porter
Pilatus PC-6 Turbo-Porter
Pilatus PC-12
Dornier Do-27
De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin-Otter
V.Lighter machines
Aeros Sky-Ranger
Avid-Flyer Hauler et Kitfox
Humbert Tétras
ICP Savannah
Tecnam P-92 Echo et Tail-Dragger
Dyn'Aero MCR-01
Glastar GS-1
Pipistrel Virus et Sinus
Diamond HK-36 Super-Dimona
Bibiography
Useful addresses
Acknowledgements