Most difficult approaches
 

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

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

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)

Samos (LGSM), Greece

Samos is lethal and should be nuked.

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

Try Gilgit - GIL\OPGT even in a 146

Cheers
mcdhu

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

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!

Some of my favorite airports were

Kai Tak

http://images.google.com/images?sour...num=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...tional_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

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

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/

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.

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

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 :eek: :ok:

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!

homebase. means vacation is over.:p

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...

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.

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

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