DGAC approved · TFFJ / SBH
The approach over the Col de la Tourmente, the descent down the hillside, the touchdown you have already committed to. Taught by an active PC-12 captain who flies it every day.
St Barth Landing
Endorsement
Also written Saint-Barthelemy.
- Departure
- RWY 10 only
- Landing
- RWY 10 · 28
- Aptitude valid
- 6 months
- Authority
- Arrete 3 Apr 2026
The challenge · Gustaf III · TFFJ
Why TFFJ is unique
Ranked among the most demanding airports in the world. St Barth requires a specific qualification and a mandatory DGAC endorsement.
Short runway
About 650 m of runway, barely enough for a PC-12. Precise landing distance calculation required.
Special approach
Steep descent of about 10 degrees, flyover a hill before the threshold. Visual approach only.
Variable wind
Shifting wind conditions, turbulence, windshear. Rotor frequent on final.
DGAC endorsement
Mandatory qualification issued by the DGAC. Professional training programme.
St Barth endorsement training · three routes
Three tailored programmes
From online theory to full checkout with DGAC endorsement. Choose the training level that fits you.
- Theory
Online course
- Complete theory (approach, weather, procedures)
- Cockpit POV videos
- Self-assessment quizzes
- Lifetime access
- Recommended
Full checkout
- Theory briefing
- TFFJ qualification training
- DGAC endorsement signed
- Revalidation
Annual recurrency
- Endorsement revalidation
- 2 to 3 check landings
- Procedures update
Questions · answered plainly
The endorsement, answered
Do I need an endorsement to land at St Barth?
Yes. French DGAC rules require a site-specific qualification for Gustaf III Airport (TFFJ/SBH). You must complete a checkout with a DGAC-approved instructor before acting as pilot in command into St Barth. It is a regulatory requirement, not a recommendation.
How long does the St Barth checkout take?
Ground instruction followed by flight training with multiple supervised landings. Most proficient pilots complete it over one to two days, and the endorsement is signed as soon as the standard is met.
Does the St Barth endorsement expire?
Aptitude is maintained by using the aerodrome as pilot at the controls within the previous 6 months. Fly in twice a season and it never lapses; fly in once and it does. The annual recurrency with check landings is a proficiency programme built for that second case, not the regulatory interval itself.
Why is the St Barth approach so demanding?
Runway 10 is entered over the Col de la Tourmente ridge, followed by a steep descent of roughly ten degrees to a runway of about 650 metres ending at the beach, with shifting wind and turbulence on short final.
Who can sign a St Barth endorsement?
Only an instructor approved for the Saint-Barthelemy site qualification, who must demonstrate significant experience of the aerodrome itself. There is no separate examiner stage.
I am an owner-pilot, not a professional. Is this for me?
Yes. Owner-pilots are a large share of St Barth endorsement demand. The standard is identical for everyone and the training is paced to your experience and your aircraft.
Get started · reply within 24 hours
Ready to get qualified?
Tell me the aircraft you fly and the dates you are thinking about, and you get a training plan built around them rather than a brochure.
- Instructor
- Tristan De Badereau
- t.debadereau@icloud.com
- Based
- Saint-Barthelemy, year-round