Whats the most 'interesting' approach?
 

Living close to Leeds Bradford, I've seen more than a few 'colourful' approaches (who did point that runway in that direction?). Any other approaches regularly made interesting by local weather etc.?

I've been stood in the tower at LBA and watched an AirUk F27 "CLIMB" to make the threshold of 28 !!!!

Have you seen the Leeds Bash in the PPRuNe Bashes Forum ?

Sedona in Arizona. Think miniature grand canyon type landscape. The runway is on top of a kind of plateau/pillar, with sttep sides. There is a slight upward slope to it with vegetaion on the small run-in. Leads to an interesting perspective on landing. Lets just say my instructor at the time, decided my approach was a little low and corrected it for me! :eek: :rolleyes: :D

Innsbruck (LOWI), in a B-720B...anyone remember Montana Aviation...that operated there? I knew guys from the company....what a sight for the big Boeing. Big time accuracy and proficiency required. NOT easy!

Well for me two spring to mind! Sumburgh,(EGPB)(The Scottish Kai Tak) :D Flying towards a cliff with a light house on it, then break left and land! The other has to be Corfu which is not very nice at night! This was my face the first time I saw the approach plates for Corfu --> :eek: Actually most of the Greek Islands hold their own little traps! Also as Innsbruk has already been mentioned, has to be Saltzburg. (LOWS)Very interesting go around...WATCH OUT FOR THAT CASTLE!!!! :D :D :D
Eff Oh.

Madeira on a windy day; but not half so interesting now, than it was with a 5,500ft runway.

Fogbound - Agree with you about Sedona. Don't forget also the fact that its bloody high so when you eventually come to take off again you feel like you're doing Mach 1!

Not sure about the most interesting approach, but for an interesting departure try one of the SIDs out of Moscow. Level at about 1500', turn right 90 degrees, then left 90 degrees. All the while some controller who sounds like hes got his head in a bucket will be passing you heights in metres. Fun...

I totally agree with you about Sedona. Here's a photo my passenger took on my third approach at Sedona following 2 go-arounds due to strong downdraughts on short finals. This one ended OK but firm! http://toandfromtheairport.tripod.com/Sedona.htm
http://toandfromtheairport.tripod.com/Sedona.htm

[ 10 November 2001: Message edited by: invalid entry ]

Sondrestrom Fjord, Greenland. The ILS parallels the cliff face at about 1/3rd of mile off the wingtip, DO NOT go left of the Loc! Do it in VMC first or you'll scare yourself when you pop out at DH!

Now that's "interesting" :D

i'm suprised no one's mentioned the Lukla appr in the milk river ravine in Nepal

less than 2000' cut out of sheer himalaya, 8°upslope, land uphill only, NO overshoot. elev around 9300' or so.

non deHavilland/Pilatus a/c need not apply!

[ 11 November 2001: Message edited by: OnTheStep ]

...& speaking of mountains, what about Aspen, CO ? Outstanding scenery & tricky approach. Another favourite (in the bizjets industry) is Chicago, Meigs airfield, over lake Michigan... just beautiful. Unfortunately this great airfield is in danger, as officials have decided it should B closed next year. Hopefully it won't happen.

MF

A particularly interesting one would have been Seo d'Urgell in Spain. Built to be the airport for Andorra, it sits on the cut-off top of a hill in a fairly narrow valley surrounded by 8-10,000' mountains with a long drop off each end of the runway. Apparently the charter companies took one look at it and said "no thanks". There is a runway, terminal building, customs, car park etc. but it has never been used apart from a few light a/c and sunday markets. Spooky.

Surprised no one has mentioned the lovely(?)city of Nice. The last time I flew the circling approach onto 22, we had gusty strong turbulent winds off the mountains ( Seem to remember something about that from met lessons )whilst trying to avoid overflying the city and missing the hills just a short hop from the threshold. To add to the fun,they like a higher than normal approach path and give you no approach lighting.
Take off on 22 is also good fun. 90 degree turn at 400, plus stopping at 1500, so as not to hit the arrival traffic only 1000' above.

Isafjordur, Northwest Iceland. The airfield is situated on one side of a fjord, very close to steep mountainside (makes for interesting viewing as a pax on finals when looking out of the side window!)

For me it had to be Megeve, in France. 4800+ft elevation, 400m runway, with 102ft upslope, tight in a valley.

...oh, and I forgot the 3000ft cliff facing you as you land - it's just a couple of hundred metres beyond the end of the runway - one way in, one way out. Go-round? I think not! It's arrive-or-bust flying. Just thankful I went in a heli!

Holly Copter.

Courchevel has always looked interesting :eek:

Not really an approach, but I recall there was a DHC-7 service to one of the French altiports. V1 was brake release.

Landing requires application of full power at touchdown to make it up hill to the ramp.

As for Lukla with an 8 degree slope -- sounds like you could launch a glider without bothering with bungees. All you have to do is land it there :D

Agree with ConJam...Sondrestrom is unique. Sonde has killed its share of aviators; it's like flying down a pipe with a dead end.
Also Thule in low light conditions in Winter. Very weird colors, purple, etc. on approach.

lukla.
http://home.pacbell.net/bmoede/Nepal/runway.jpg
http://ariel.syv.com/~tad/nepal/images/0511_main.jpg
dep:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~ehnewton/lukla%20airstrip.jpg

[ 15 November 2001: Message edited by: OnTheStep ]

OK that's it. OnTheStep wins this hands down!