The World's Scariest Runways

[bambbbam2]

Well so the article claims..
http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/the-worlds-scariest-runways

 

[winetraveller]

I agree about Reagan, I've had a couple of hairy ones there, you think the pilots got it wrong and is about to land in the drink.

 

[Keith009]

Some unlikely entries there - didn't think DCA or JFK were that scary; or maybe my flights used a less scary approach? I did remember a lot of banking after taking off from DCA though.

I'd love to be on a flight to pic 9 just for the experience. :shock:

 

[simongr]

JFK scary? The only scary thing there is inbound immigration...

Gibraltar is a little scary - I recall when I was there in about 1988 that recently some fighter jock has gone a little long and dipped his nose in the water

 

[ludoh]

Having both flown to St Maarten and Saba I believe the Saba strip is scarier than the St Maarten one - flying straight towards a mountain looking through the front window (pilot left door open as he was a friend from way back) and than making a sharp turn to land - not funny !!! The St Maarten one is only scary when you are on the beach and a 747 takes off !!

 

[kamchatsky]

The old Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong used to be scary ....... Especially with all the buildings and hills surrounding the airport itself.

Kai Tak Airport - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[SeaWolf]

Funchal/Maderia occasionally has dance parties under the runway. Would certainly be an event I'd love to attend sometime.

Photos: - Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

 

[JohnK]

From the list I have only ever flown into/out of JFK but I do not think it was runway 13L.

Some of those runways look very scary. You wouldn't want to have a fear of flying!

And it’s not always the landing that’s the stuff of lore. Matekane Air Strip, in the tiny African kingdom of Lesotho, features a stunted 1,312-foot-long runway perched at the edge of a couloir that sits at 7,550 feet. According to celebrated bush pilot Tom Claytor, depending on the wind during takeoff, it’s entirely possible for the aircraft not to be airborne by the end of the airstrip. "Instead," he says, "you shoot off the end of the airstrip, then drop down the 2,000-foot cliff face until you start flying."

It’s enough to make you take the train.

Train sounds like a great idea!

 

[winetraveller]

Having both flown to St Maarten and Saba I believe the Saba strip is scarier than the St Maarten one - flying straight towards a mountain looking through the front window (pilot left door open as he was a friend from way back) and than making a sharp turn to land - not funny !!! The St Maarten one is only scary when you are on the beach and a 747 takes off !!

Just got back from St Maarten last night, and didn't make the trip to the beach to be blown away as the GF would have thought this weird.

The largest aircraft landing at the moment is an AF A340. Until after the 20th of December when the peak season starts there won't be any 747's landing. It's a hell of a small space for an airport, and although the landing is no problem, if there were to be any emergencies on landing I wouldn't be all that confident. The space around the runway is tiny, and no run off possible. If you overshoot you are very rapidly in the drink or into buildings, mostly very sleazy casino's and strip clubs.

As an island destination it was mixed. We stayed at Orient Beach on the French half of the Island, which itself is lovely. Nothing like a good Australian beach, but I've been spoilt in that regard.

The worst of the Island is the traffic, it is at best appalling. The GF picked me up from the airport on Wednesday afternoon, and it took about 2 hours to drive less than 20k to our apartment.

On the French side the service and general attitude (outside of Orient beach) was terrible. It's amazing that these people can survive in a service industry being so rude to their customers. We both speak very good French and even that didn't help.

We did have some excellent meals, and if any body is heading that way I can fire off some recommendations for you. We are still looking for that perfect paradise in the Caribbean, so if anybody has any suggestions!

 

[Chucksta]

Try landing at YRTI (Rottnest Island) near Perth when there is a 20 knot plus cross wind.

The aircraft will almost be flying 45 deg to the runway!

Chucksta