Paro, Bhutan
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Paro, Bhutan
So treacherous is the landing that only eight pilots in the world are qualified to land there. Until July 2011, just one airline, Druk Air, was allowed to use the facility.The runway is just 6,500 feet long - one of the few in the world shorter than their elevation above sea level. Planes have to weave through the dozens of houses that are scattered across the mountainside - coming within feet of clipping the roofs.
Strong winds whip through the valleys, often resulting in severe turbulence. Passengers who have been on flights to the airport have described the landing as 'terrifying'.
Boeing has said that Paro airport is 'one of the world's most difficult for takeoffs and landings'. Flights are only allowed during the daytime and under visual meteorological conditions - strict light allowances in which the pilot must make his judgements by eye rather than rely on instruments as is the case in nighttime flights. Despite the perilous conditions, the views over the clear blue waters over the Paro river and the lush green foliage of the Himalayas are breathtaking. An estimated 30,000 tourists use the airport each year, often for holidays in Bhutan.
Yongphulla Airport in Trashigang District is the only other airstrip in the country, which is yet undergoing re-construction. Buddha Air is the only international airline to use the airport. Anybody flying to Paro must first land in neighbouring countries then catch a connecting flight.
The Himalayan airport so dangerous only eight pilots are qualified to land there | Mail Online
Strong winds whip through the valleys, often resulting in severe turbulence. Passengers who have been on flights to the airport have described the landing as 'terrifying'.
Boeing has said that Paro airport is 'one of the world's most difficult for takeoffs and landings'. Flights are only allowed during the daytime and under visual meteorological conditions - strict light allowances in which the pilot must make his judgements by eye rather than rely on instruments as is the case in nighttime flights. Despite the perilous conditions, the views over the clear blue waters over the Paro river and the lush green foliage of the Himalayas are breathtaking. An estimated 30,000 tourists use the airport each year, often for holidays in Bhutan.
Yongphulla Airport in Trashigang District is the only other airstrip in the country, which is yet undergoing re-construction. Buddha Air is the only international airline to use the airport. Anybody flying to Paro must first land in neighbouring countries then catch a connecting flight.
The Himalayan airport so dangerous only eight pilots are qualified to land there | Mail Online
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I detect the slightest bit of artistic licence being used by the reporter and I am sure there are thousands of pilots who are well capable of flying this mini Kai Tak style approach. (Brings back memories)
Would love to film it from the last temple on the hill summit
Would love to film it from the last temple on the hill summit
I wonder how Boeing are such experts on the place, as no Boeing appears to have operated in there; Druk Air, the only operator to use the airport, has Airbus A319s, and before they introduced those they used BAe146s.
My company used to train the Druk Air pilots and according to our sim instructors, they were very sharp cookies. Paro still exists in our sim database, and although I haven't flown it, apparently is is very "challenging". We have Kathmandhu in our network and that is demanding as far as we're concerned. To the Druk Air guys, it's a walk in the park.
Druk Air operates A319s with A321 rated engines.
Druk Air operates A319s with A321 rated engines.
I wonder how Boeing are such experts on the place, as no Boeing appears to have operated in there; Druk Air, the only operator to use the airport, has Airbus A319s, and before they introduced those they used BAe146s.
SHJ
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Paro
Having been in to there (and out) I can tell you its a very exhilerating experience! I've been to many Cat C* airfields and this, to date, tops them all..... There are no BAe146s there!!! RR 
That must have been when they were sizing up the B737-700 or the A319 as replacements for their 146s. Looks like the Boeing demo was a bit in vain, the A319s came in late 2004. I wonder if Boeing offered them with more powerful engines than standard, like Airbus did. Druk had actually ordered the BAe RJX (heavily reworked 146/RJ), development of which was abandoned by BAe in 2002, so they had to gofor something else. The 146s were disposed when the A319s arrived so if there's a video showing both, must have been taken around end of 2004 (maybe as the A319 was the new toy).
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I was a Field Service Rep. with BAe on the first ever 146 flight into Paro for a Demo as part of a sales campaign. At that time, Druk had Dornier 228's. We landed as the video above, but this was when the runway was a lot shorter, and we touched down, braked hard and turned straight into the old terminal area. The pilot was Peter Tait, who was a senior test pilot with BAe at Hatfield and Woodford, and a great guy to fly with.
The people of Bhutan are some of the nicest people you will ever meet and they looked after us very well during our two day demo period. Interesting 40km drive from the airport to the main city, with some of the best views of anywhere in the world. I would love to be able to afford a trip back there for a holiday, but I am too old and my tired old lungs could not cope with it now.
The people of Bhutan are some of the nicest people you will ever meet and they looked after us very well during our two day demo period. Interesting 40km drive from the airport to the main city, with some of the best views of anywhere in the world. I would love to be able to afford a trip back there for a holiday, but I am too old and my tired old lungs could not cope with it now.
