From short runways to high winds to mountainous terrain, these airports were deemed to be the scariest to fly in or out of. You may think twice into travelling to these places in terms of flying. From short runways to high winds to mountainous terrain, these airports were deemed to be the scariest to fly in or out of.
Here on this Caribbean island, the only airport juts briefly out into the ocean. Billed as one of the shortest runways in the world, there is a high possibility of overshooting the runway and ending up in the ocean.
Tenzing-Hillary airport, Lukla, Nepal
According to www.telegraph.co.uk, there is no room for pilot error during take-off and landing at this high-altitude airport that was re-named in honour of the first men to conquer nearby Mount Everest. The dramatic approach involves navigating a tight route through the mighty mountains of the Himalayas and then, immediately on touchdown, slamming the propellers into reverse in an attempt to avoid crashing into the mountainous wall of rock at the end of the runway.
Gibraltar International Airport
This runway is the only one in the world with a major road running through the middle of it. Traffic on Winston Churchill Avenue has to be stopped every time a plane lands or takes off. Not only that, the short runway stretches out into the harbour.
Courchevel Altiport, French Alps
Only certified pilots are permitted to land at this high-altitude airstrip in the Saint-Bon-Tarentaise region of the French Alps. The short, steep and sloping runway - at a gradient of 18.5 percent - has been designed so that aircraft are slowed down on landing. The approach to the altiport is via deep valleys and the mountainous weather conditions make for extremely hazardous flying conditions.
No tarmac here, just ice and snow. The ground temperature is closely monitored - if it is too warm, the ice many not support heavy aircraft. For an added level of difficulty, nz.lifestyle.yahoo.com says, pilots are advised to try not to sink more than 10 inches into the ice.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
