When one airport was built on the island of St Helena in the middle of the Atlantic, it was initially dubbed “the most useless airport in the world”. That’s because wind shear on the cliff lane made landing dangerous.
Today, the airport is operational, but it is Category C, which means that pilots need to be specially trained to land there. But he’s not the only one — here are some of the most impressive, and also terrifying, airports in the world.
Madeira, Portugal
Anyone who goes on holiday to Madeira knows that the island is known for difficult landings — and sometimes no landings at all. The airport’s proximity to high ground means turbulence and wind shear before landing.
The track ends at the edge of the cliff, which is thankfully low, on either side, with a road below it. Airplane enthusiasts love Madeira so much that the airport built a platform next to the runway so they can see the pilots do their best when landing.
Leh, India
The 23rd tallest airport in the world doesn’t seem very tall, until you realize that it sits at 10,682 feet (about 3,255 meters) above sea level.
Surrounded by mountains and with a short runway, the airport is hit by strong winds in the afternoon, which means that flights are restricted to the morning period.
Wide-body and heavy aircraft are not allowed, and all pilots who land on the site receive special training.
Saint Martin
You don’t have to be an aviation geek to have watched videos of planes landing in San Martino — social media is full of images of jets landing at the airport in the Caribbean.
This is because the runway ends right at a beach, which means planes come to land high above it. While it sounds fun, it’s dangerous.
In 2017, a woman was killed by a jet engine explosion as she and other tourists in bathing suits hung from the airport fence. For those on board, taking off is a little scarier than landing — as you head straight for the mountain that rises behind the airport.
Paro, Bhutan
At 7,364 feet (approximately 2,244) above sea level, Paro is Bhutan’s only international airport. Despite this, few pilots are allowed to land there, such is the difficulty of landing.
Landings are only allowed in good visibility conditions, that is, in daylight, because there is no radar. Therefore, planes must make a manual approach. They must also pass between hills and over houses before entering the track.
City of London, UK
Flying over a capital to land is an unusual sensation these days, but with London as your destination, you’ll fly past the city’s skyscrapers, round Canary Wharf and land at such a steep angle that you’ll feel like you’re in a helicopter. Taking off is equally invigorating.
Reagan National Airport, USA
In June 2021, when a Frontier Airlines plane skidded off the runway at Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington, a passenger described the episode as “a little scary.” But you don’t have to be involved in an incident to get goosebumps here — the sharp turns of planes near the Potomac River to line up with the runway, plus bypassing no-fly zones across the city, make landing a little tricky. for pilots.
Innsbruck, Austria
Surrounded by mountains, Tyrol’s capital is a top ski destination and a magnificent place to fly. Or rather, the views are. The challenge for riders is magnificent in a different way.
Planes must dive over a peak of nearly 8,000 feet (about 2440 meters), deal with gusts of wind in the mountains and, depending on the wind direction, may even need to bank sharply to maneuver into position to land in the valley.
Congonhas, Brazil
São Paulo’s domestic airport used to have a drainage problem. It was such a serious failure that it caused a fatal accident in 2007. After that, the runway was resurfaced to correct the problem, but landing can still seem quite tricky.
A few kilometers from the city center — which in São Paulo means it’s still in the middle of the city — the single lane, which debuted in the 1930s, is surrounded by urban sprawl, meaning you’ll be flying over buildings and rooftops to the last minute.
Lukla, Nepal
Mountains, wind shear and a short runway — Lukla has it all. Often called the world’s most dangerous airport, the gateway to Everest, in the mountains of Nepal, has its runway laid out on a cliff between the mountains — just 1,729 feet (almost 530 meters) from it — plummeting straight into an abyss. at the end.
To help the planes slow down, the runway is even angled upwards. There is also no room for maneuver. If a plane is on its final descent, it needs to land. Still, the mountain views are incredible on the way down.
Saint Helen
You will likely have a crash landing on St Helena. Wind shear combined with a cliffside airport means planes take a good hit when they land.
Fix your eyes on views of Longwood Plain, where Napoleon was exiled, and the small capital Jamestown, built into a canyon crevice with a single harbor. Originally intended for small aircraft only, the runway was extended to accommodate a 757.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.
