Most difficult approaches

[Kiev23]

Hey to all you airline pilots out there. Whats is that hardest approach to an airport and why. Weather NOT playing a part though.

Thanx all replies appreciated

[No_Speed_Restriction]

are you asking for type of approach or actual airport name?

[tarik123]

First has to be Katmandu because of terrain, weather and VOR app.(so
many accidents there).

Quito is a tough airport too. due to the airport elevation, weather
and high terrain.

Peshawer in Pakistan is also interesting due to terrain, weather,and
the VOR app.

Leeds Bradford because of the displaced threshold, very short runway
and the Runway slope,( lots of incidents and accidents)

[Leave 5 on the glide]

Samos (LGSM), Greece

[fantom]

Samos is lethal and should be nuked.

(It might be OK in a 73 but not a 320 with 180 on board).

[mcdhu]

Try Gilgit - GIL\OPGT even in a 146

Cheers
mcdhu

[Leave 5 on the glide]

Having seen the VOR/DME to 09 at Samos from the pointy end, saying it's bloody impressive is an understatement!

[Old King Coal]

Some of my own particular favourites to get the heart racing are, in no particular order:
The Carnasie VOR approach, with visual transition, to runway 13R at JFK.
Landing to the south at Skiathos.
Approaches when it's windy at Funchal.
Conducting a baulked landing (i.e. after continuing past the 'MAP', when landing to the west) at night in bad weather at Innsbruck.
Landing at night at Lasham (I kid you not... don't ask!).
Landing in / departing from Basra (Iraq)
Approaches to a variety of West African airports during the rainy-season / bad weather (usually being very tight on fuel to divert).
Landing at Florence / Italy (in the B737-300 = bugger all fuel can be carried due to the go-around WAT requirements = the lowest fuel I've ever landed with in a jet!).
Taxying on the ramp during the winter at certain Scandinavian, Icelandic & Canadian airports.

the above not being an exhaustive list I hasten to add!

[captjns]

Some of my favorite airports were

Kai Tak

http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4SKPB_enUS268US268&q=kai+tak&um=1&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

Hold onto your breath... La Paz, Bolivia... Used to set land speed records on departure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Alto_International_Airport

Cuzco, Peru... stay away from the cocao leaves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFGjSgk-Hlk

Tegucigalpa, Honduras... also referred to as the "GOOSE". Alot more fun in the 727.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_z5HtME9n8

Sure miss those airports

[tubby linton]

Salzburg,Innsbruck,Naples,Arrecife on 21,anywhere less than7000ft long in a widebody.

[CAT1 REVERSION]

Chambery is always interesting:eek:. Especially missed approaches, 80/260's, local traffic, 36 approaches, Bad weather, narrow taxiways, HIGH GROUND EVERYWHERE and much more!:\

http://www.flickr.com/photos/s_a_t/1643175330/

[18-Wheeler]

I see no-one here has been to Papua New Guinea.
All those above are child's-play compared to some of the runways there.

Here's one that's a little bit hard - Fane, in the highlands.

http://www.billzilla.org/fane.jpg

Something like a 12° slope, a small flat area on the top and a ~2,000' drop at the bottom.
Then there's Kamuli, which is similar but is bent in the middle. And yes, both these are RPT airports.

To land - you have to land uphill and takeoff downhill - you fly level or climb a bit and then flare positively and go to takeoff power to make the top.
To takeoff, just add enough powre to start it rolling from the top.
:)

And yes, there's worse around Asia as well.

[CiFIcare]

You can land anywhere.....ONCE :}

[OzExpat]

Yep, 18-Wheeler has got the right idea. Indeed, so has CiFIcare because, if you don't get it right the first time, the very best result you can hope for is that the aeroplane won't ever make another landing anywhere else. Take a look at these One-way strips used by RPT in PNG (http://www.fototime.com/inv/E7B5232FB30FCD1) :eek: :ok:

[rubik101]

Closer to home for us Europeans is the circle to land on 36 in Calvi which can be a bit daunting. 737-800s were not really made for such an approach but still we made it!

[ray cosmic]

homebase. means vacation is over.:p

[jpu0509]

In the US

KBOS 33R, before the improvements
Hilton Head SC
New Haven Conn., RWY 14/32
Nite, VIS 15 to KCRW in CRJ200, be careful:=

Just a few to make the hair stand up a bit...

[The Real Slim Shady]

Heho in Myanamar is quite interesting.

Take the 140 radial from Mandalay VOR, SA around 9000ft. At the third ridge descend into the bowl in the hills or if overcast, take the 4th, descend over the lake and nip over the saddle to the south back in to the valley. NDB approach isn't worth even thinking about.

Or Bagan.....from Mandalay head for the Irrawady to the North, turn westish and follow the river. At the third island turn south....voila.

[michelda]

What do you think about these ones.....:)

http://www.aspeterpan.com/
then click on "aviosuperfici and ghiacciai" and choose what do you want to see.

have fun

Ciao

[stilton]

Bristol UK on a bad weather day can be a bit challenging.

[Dash7Ace]

i would assume that most of the strips in PNG are CAT C due to the obvious un orthodox high risk nature of the arrivals and departures, being conducted in unfavourable winds, terrain, devoid of navaids, conditions of the runway, slope, steep gradient for the desent, cloud base, etc etc.
Any of you gents care to explain in detail perhaps the definitons of CAT B and CAT C airfields?
tried everything under the sun, googled and so forth and came up dry on this one. maybe some bush pilots current or ex, may fill me in..
thanks guys and fly happy
Ace:ok:

[kishna]

The different categories will be laid out in your ops manual. Extract from ours:-

(a) Category A (unrestricted). An aerodrome which satisfies all of the
following requirements:
(i) an approved Instrument approach procedure;
(ii) at least one runway with no performance limited procedure
for take-off and/or landing;
(iii) published circling minima not higher than 1000 ft agl; and
(iv) night operations capability.

(b) Category B. An aerodrome which does not satisfy the Category
A requirements or which requires extra considerations such as:
(i) non-standard approach aids and/or patterns; or
(ii) unusual local weather conditions; or
(iii) unusual characteristics or performance limitations; or
(iv) any other relevant considerations including obstructions,
physical layout, lighting etc.

(c) Category B**. There are special needs for a Category B** airfield
that fall between the Cat B and C requirements. These are
airfields that have terrain, ATC or other environmental
considerations such that the company has specified particular
requirements, but that does not have to satisfy the recency
requirements of a Category C airfield.

(d) Category C. An aerodrome that requires additional
considerations to a Category B** aerodrome. Category C airfields
require the Commander to prove aerodrome competence within
the previous 12 month validity period as indicated by a valid
Category C airfield certificate.

[michelda]

In my post.........
circling is not allowed:):):):):)

[issi noho]

maybe just me but the VOR app to 21 in ACE can spoil the previous 4 hours of routine.

[OzExpat]

The only A, B, C codes related to aerodromes that I'm aware of are the ICAO codes in Annex 14 and, of course, none of them have any bearing on the sort of strips that you've seen in my photos. But, yes, the broad concept of the "C" code, as explained by kishna is pretty close.

There are recency requirements for pilots operating into places like these and they also need a certain amount of animal cunning to interpret strip conditions prior to landing. This includes a requirement for knowledge of the route, or routes, to and from these aerodromes.

There's no "airfield certificate" for these places because the rules here don't require aerodrome certification as a distinction is drawn between aircraft, based on seating capacity. These aerodromes are served by aircraft with seating for up to 19 passengers and this is the cut-off point for certification under our rules.

The regulator places the responsibilty on the operator to ensure that the aerodrome is safe for their operations. This requirement has been responsible for operators ceasing services to some of these places.

[Topper80]

nice thread :eek:

[proxus]

I have done Samos 09 twice on a 757 and didn't think of it as a difficult approach. It's one of the more interesting for sure.

One of the more difficult is probably Nassarsuaq Greenland on a 757. 1800 m Rwy landing with a downslope of -2.7% and the Rwy overrun would put you in the ocean. That was an interesting one as well.

[twochai]

One of the more difficult is probably Nassarsuaq Greenland on a 757. 1800 m Rwy landing with a downslope of -2.7% and the Rwy overrun would put you in the ocean. That was an interesting one as well.

Yes, and don't even think about it in winds over 25 knots (which are very common) the turbulence created by the air falling down the glacier is absolutely brutal. I once watched a DC-8-63 almost come to grief at BGBW.

[Capt. Inop]

Well challenging approaches that i've flown, LOWI, ENAT and Jackson hole WY.

There's probably many more, but my memory aint what it used to be :suspect:

[galaxy flyer]

Are you guys serious about 757 or DC-8s using BGBW or do you mean Sondestrom? BGBW is Cat A and B only. BGBW only has 6004 feet of total runway length.

GF

[eckhard]

I've been to BGBW a few times over the last couple of years and yes, I would agree that it can be challenging. Air Greenland operate a 757 into there and apparently land on both 07 and 25. Minima are published for Cat A, B and C. (Not D).

I would doubt that a DC-8 could get in there though.

[OSCAR YANKEE]

Gilgit OPGT - as mentioned interesting, however Chitral definitely worse - OPCH.

However my "favorite" still is Yakawlang in Afghanistan. 8700 ft gravel, only open during summer, and usually ISA +20....... :}

[Fingersmac]

NDB A TRUE (GNSS) for CYXP - Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada.

http://airphotos.nrcan.gc.ca/photos101/images/a31623_030.jpg

http://charts.ivao.ca/CAP1/CYXP.pdf

[ImbracableCrunk]

Maybe not as bad as some, but Juneau and Kodiak can be sporting. Pusan Circle 18R is a pain, but mostly because of company "procedures."

[twochai]

Are you guys serious about 757 or DC-8s using BGBW or do you mean Sondestrom? BGBW is Cat A and B only. BGBW only has 6004 feet of total runway length

Yes, I watched an SK DC-8-63 land at BGBW on more than one occasion back in the eighties - I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it. Charters from Copenhagen, I think.

On that occasion I was passing through on ferry flights quite frequently.

[Dan Winterland]

Pusan Circle 18R is a pain, but mostly because of company "procedures."

Not to mention the hills. It works to TERPS standards, not PANSOPS. At 2.3 miles, you're just inside the highway. Go outside it and you're in for a whole load of hurt at night - as an Air China 767 found out in 2001 when they didn't appreciate the difference between the circling minima for the two standards!

The big problem with PUS 18R is if you're using it, it usually means you have a 30knt plus quartering tailwind which makes the approach a challenge. We have Kathmandhu and Pusan on our network and I'd rather fly into KTM than the Pusan circling approach at night.

[JanetFlight]

Quote:
Are you guys serious about 757 or DC-8s using BGBW or do you mean Sondestrom? BGBW is Cat A and B only. BGBW only has 6004 feet of total runway length
Yes, I watched an SK DC-8-63 land at BGBW on more than one occasion back in the eighties - I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it. Charters from Copenhagen, I think.

On that occasion I was passing through on ferry flights quite frequently.
twochai is offline Reply

On the 80's at PDL/Azores we used to have 707 of Independent Air and D8's of Worldways and Airlift Int from/to USA&Canada with more than 1700 mts!;)

BTW, my vote goes to Saba, Lukla and old RWY at GIB:)

[Sky Goose]

issi noho

maybe just me but the VOR app to 21 in ACE can spoil the previous 4 hours of routine.


Was there a few weeks back for that approach, and agree with you, done the circling at INN a few years back and thought ACE was more demanding.

[4Foxtrot]

Milford Sound (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milford_Sound_Airport) in the South Island of NZ. Here's a pic of someone taking the easy way in via rwy 11.


http://www.world-airport-codes.com/photos/large/MFN_simon_gunson_milfordairport_jzqf7fkpkw.jpg