World's most extreme airports. documentary
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World's most extreme airports. documentary
Tonight on Channel 5 UK. 19:30 hrs. One and a half hours length.
Documentary highlighting conditions that airlines face with the most 'dangerous' airports. Severe WX, short runways etc.
Should be an interesting watch.
Documentary highlighting conditions that airlines face with the most 'dangerous' airports. Severe WX, short runways etc.
Should be an interesting watch.
I thought it a bit disppointing though a reasonable choice of 'extreme 'airfields . too much CGI too much over dramatisation and not enough use made of U tube footage .
However thats being abit churlish since its better than x factor
PB
However thats being abit churlish since its better than x factor
PB
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dangerous airports
The programme on Ch5, Interesting but over dramatic, but that`s TV.
I`ve done jump seat rides into both Madeira and San Diego as the token air traffic controller. San Diego was interesting, but not frightening. Funchal is quite `gripping` especially on short final.
I have been into Lukla, fortunately not in the jump seat or I would have looked for the parachute (sic).
I thought the most interesting item was about Teguchigalpa (spelling ?). Would not be happy there.
Dave
I`ve done jump seat rides into both Madeira and San Diego as the token air traffic controller. San Diego was interesting, but not frightening. Funchal is quite `gripping` especially on short final.
I have been into Lukla, fortunately not in the jump seat or I would have looked for the parachute (sic).
I thought the most interesting item was about Teguchigalpa (spelling ?). Would not be happy there.
Dave
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I flew into Tegucigalpa (Toncontin) with American a few years ago and even as a passenger it was unerving, fairly uneventful mind, we landed, I got my bags and left! 
Return journey was a nightmare, just after the Grupo Taca accident, we got bussed to some god forsaken Honduran Air Force base that had all the charm of a Soviet apartment block but none of the facilities!
Fairly sure this programme is a repeat or has been aired previously on Discovery or History
Return journey was a nightmare, just after the Grupo Taca accident, we got bussed to some god forsaken Honduran Air Force base that had all the charm of a Soviet apartment block but none of the facilities!
Fairly sure this programme is a repeat or has been aired previously on Discovery or History
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Fairly sure this programme is a repeat or has been aired previously on Discovery or History
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Reasonable program but what about a few UK interesting fields. How about Alderney in a force 9 gale or London City with a Southern wind blowing or Bara just to name three.
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Alderney on to the grass cross strip (06?). Full power stabilised the descent on short finals quite nicely. Plymouth on a wet and windy day. Jersey onto 09(this used to be a favourite in the sim. If you didn't brief the windshear and turbulence warnings the sim instructor would up the settings for you!). Leeds Bradford any time.
None of these quite as spectacular as some, but all very unforgiving if you get them wrong.
None of these quite as spectacular as some, but all very unforgiving if you get them wrong.
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Got excited about it and then let down a lot. Over the top narration by some tw
t!
Just look on youtube and you will find better clips like an AA 757 swooping in Toncontin and getting it bang on.
Courchevel no mention about Dash 7s using it!!
Whats the place in the carribean that twotters drop on about as long as a Football pitch and has cliffs both end? What about that one!
t! Just look on youtube and you will find better clips like an AA 757 swooping in Toncontin and getting it bang on.
Courchevel no mention about Dash 7s using it!!
Whats the place in the carribean that twotters drop on about as long as a Football pitch and has cliffs both end? What about that one!
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i watched it too and thought it was interesting. id love to go to st maartens is it? where the plane flys right over the beach that would be cool and to try the hanging onto the wire haha but maybe someday I will be the one flying into the airport as a proper pilot- that would be way cooler!! x
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A few comments, as a pilot:
SAN (San Diego): have flown in there in a 747 - no big deal. the traffic they mention is a big deal in a lot of US airports, but is a systemic issue that is easily solved by banning VFR traffic from the area, which the US seem reluctant to do.
HKG (Hong Kong Kai Tak): ditto in a 747. In good weather no big deal, although at the end of a long flight, with strong southerly winds and a 700ft cloudbase in a monsoon, was a right b*stard. And that is using the IGS/ILS approach via the checkerboard. Only ever did the Stonecutters VOR approach in the sim. It required a 70+? degree course change over Kowloon rather than the IGS/checkerboard 47 degree course change.
GIB (Gibralter): big problem due to weather and wind strength, but the road crossing the runway is not even the smallest consideration. Maybe for ATC, but not pilots!
SMX? (St Maarten): Why should people on the beach be an issue for pilots? Plenty of airports with hills on the take off path, also.
Courchevel/Lulka/etc: no doubt very tricky and require specialist knowledge - no issues
Tecontin: seen the videos off utube etc - surprised that it is legal, looks horrendous - at least the 757 has a slower approach speed and good brakes compared to a 737/320.
Caribbean airport: maybe a case for a float plane operation?
... as I said , just some rambling thoughts
SAN (San Diego): have flown in there in a 747 - no big deal. the traffic they mention is a big deal in a lot of US airports, but is a systemic issue that is easily solved by banning VFR traffic from the area, which the US seem reluctant to do.
HKG (Hong Kong Kai Tak): ditto in a 747. In good weather no big deal, although at the end of a long flight, with strong southerly winds and a 700ft cloudbase in a monsoon, was a right b*stard. And that is using the IGS/ILS approach via the checkerboard. Only ever did the Stonecutters VOR approach in the sim. It required a 70+? degree course change over Kowloon rather than the IGS/checkerboard 47 degree course change.
GIB (Gibralter): big problem due to weather and wind strength, but the road crossing the runway is not even the smallest consideration. Maybe for ATC, but not pilots!
SMX? (St Maarten): Why should people on the beach be an issue for pilots? Plenty of airports with hills on the take off path, also.
Courchevel/Lulka/etc: no doubt very tricky and require specialist knowledge - no issues
Tecontin: seen the videos off utube etc - surprised that it is legal, looks horrendous - at least the 757 has a slower approach speed and good brakes compared to a 737/320.
Caribbean airport: maybe a case for a float plane operation?
... as I said , just some rambling thoughts
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Toncontin
I think someone had a large drycleaning bill after this one...
YouTube - Toncontin Feb 2009 - Risky Landing
PL
YouTube - Toncontin Feb 2009 - Risky Landing
PL
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Very interesting and informative programme. Could have mentioned a couple of other airports perhaps? Male in the Maldives, probably not difficult to land at, but the geographic location of it being just a small island makes it extreme in itself?
Agree with many other posts on the over dramatised stuff on it, and the annoying commentator. Aside from this programme going way back, did anyone ever watch the series of Flightdeck on the discovery channel? It must have been on about 10-12 years ago, maybe even earlier than that! They were very good.
Agree with many other posts on the over dramatised stuff on it, and the annoying commentator. Aside from this programme going way back, did anyone ever watch the series of Flightdeck on the discovery channel? It must have been on about 10-12 years ago, maybe even earlier than that! They were very good.
