15 Most Dangerous Airplane Landings | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

A look at 15 airports with terrifying landings, including icy runways, intersecting railways, and short runways near cliffs.

Key Insights

• 💨 Many dangerous landings are caused by challenging weather conditions, such as gusty winds and strong turbulence.
• 🙂 Short runways, intersecting railways, and lack of lights or instruments contribute to the riskiness of certain airports.
• 🚴 Some airports are located in remote areas with unique challenges, like Antarctica's icy runway and Greenland's mountainous terrain.
• 😣 Landings at beach airports, like Barra Airport in Scotland, are affected by tides and severe weather conditions.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What makes Wellington International Airport in New Zealand dangerous for landings?

Wellington International Airport is known for its gusty winds and a runway that starts and ends in the water, making maneuvering landings difficult for pilots.

Q: Why is the Porchaval International Airport in France considered dangerous?

Porchaval International Airport has a short runway with an 18.5 downward gradient and lacks lights or instruments for bad weather landings, increasing the risks for pilots.

Q: What challenges do pilots face when landing at Station Antarctica?

Pilots landing at Station Antarctica face the challenge of a runway made of ice on volcanic rock, as well as winter darkness that requires blind landings.

Q: What makes Gisborne Airport in New Zealand risky for landings?

Gisborne Airport has a main runway that intersects with a national railway line, posing potential collision risks and causing delays for planes.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Wellington International Airport, New Zealand, known for gusty winds and a runway that starts and ends in the water.

• Porchaval International Airport, France, features a short runway with an 18.5 downward gradient and no lights or instruments for bad weather landings.

• Station Antarctica, a runway made of ice on volcanic rock, used by the US Antarctic Program for summer landings. Pilots are trained for blind landings due to the winter darkness.

• Gisborne Airport, New Zealand, has a main runway intersecting with a national railway line, causing potential collision risks.

• Gibraltar International Airport, with a runway ending abruptly at the sea, requiring pilots to brake immediately after landing.

• Madera Airport, Portugal, located between cliffs and the ocean, requiring advanced training for pilots and dealing with strong winds.

• Congonhas Airport, Sao Paulo, Brazil, known for its dangerous approach through a dense city area and short, slippery runways.

• Telleride Regional Airport, Colorado, known for its high elevation, sheer cliff sides, and vertical turbulence during winter.

• Svalbard Airport, Norway, the northernmost commercial airport in the world, with no lights and challenging weather conditions.

• Barra Airport, Scotland, with runways located on the beach that get submerged during high tides and severe weather conditions.

• Narsarsuaq Airport, Greenland, where strong winds, icy mountains, and difficult landings are common.

• Princess Juliana Airport, St. Martin, with a beach located at the end of the runway that creates gusts of sand and wind for planes and beachgoers.

• Saba Airport, Caribbean, known for the world's shortest runway and a challenging approach alongside cliffs and jagged terrain.

• Para Airport, Bhutan, with a dramatic approach between mountains at a 45-degree angle before a quick descent onto the runway.

• Toncontín Airport, Honduras, featuring a narrow runway near mountains and complicated landings that require sharp turns and quick ascents.