Posted on 04/14/2008 6:51:38 AM PDT by yankeedame
Another harrowing field is Baguio Airport, Luzon Island of the Philippines. Located in the center of a major mountain caldera. The surrounding valley is formed like a bowl with a ragged 8,000 foot rim usually fringed with cummulus clouds. The 4,500’ runway is on high ground with clifts at each end with a low mid-field. The runway is not flat.
During rainy season, this field was especially fun and similar to FCLPs (field carrier landing practices).
When my Dad was alive we used to go to South Boston (which was his childhood home) and watch the planes approach Logan...which was only a few hundred yards from where we situated ourselves.It was cool to see the 747's pass so close over us that you could almost reach up and grab the landing gear.
Oddly enough, I’ve landed at 4 of these - Reagan, JFK, St. Maarten and Honduras. The US Air Force has some runways that are much scarier. Auxiliary Field #3 at Eglin AFB, FL and the main runway at Anderson AFB, GU come to mind immediately.
You are correct on Kai Tak.. We flew there is C-1As from Cubi Point. There was a point of no return in 1975 where after if unable to land at Kai Tak we had to ditch. China was a problem then. The IFR approach to Kai Tak was a large square pattern going VFR at checkerboard signaling the field was a hard-right turn away. Remember lookin up into Hong Kong apartments.
I remember flying out of Shreveport back in the 70’s. The plane pulled onto the runway, then one of the little tractors came out and backed us to the very end of the runway, the tail was hanging out over the grass. The pilot went to full throttle while holding the brakes. When he had enough power he released the brakes and we were off. Kind of like a 727 taking off from a carrier. I felt like I knew what the Doolittle boys went through coming off the Hornet.
ping
Wow!
Been to Williamson once as PIC.
A nearby GA airport in KY sits in a valley so narrow that it is a one-way airport. Only listened to the unicom chatter while passing nearby. Seemed like the “pattern” was away from the runway, above the hills. Maybe a Freeper can comment on the local customs there.
Here’s the most harrowing airport I ever landed at.
Yeager Airport, renamed in 1985 to honor Brigadier General Charles “Chuck” Yeager, is located outside of Charleston, W. Va. along the Elk River. Given the area’s mountainous terrain, 9,000,000 cubic yards of earth and rock from over 360 mountain acres had to be cleared and graded to make way for the airport when it was constructed in the 1940s.
I was going in on a regional airline back in the 60s. Looking out the window, I saw we were headed directly head-on in to a cliff. At the last moment, the plane popped up (probably due to an updraft along the cliff face) and landed on the end of the runway. I took a train out of there.
I have flown in to the two in this country and have a friend who has flown into Bhutan. When he got home he told us it was pretty scary landing there.
It has probably changed by now, but I remember 40 years ago being pretty impressed with the mountains surrounding the Rio de Janeiro airport. It was pretty steep coming and going.
Another diverting factoid about the Gibraltar strip: The only road from Spain into Gibraltar crosses it in the middle.
Great thread.
San Diego’s can be cute, too.
ping
I was wondering when someone would mention the old Hong Kong airport. Flying in and out now is gravy.
Too bad Wake Island is no longer active. Blow the approach or takeoff and you are swimming. Had to be heavily loaded on takeoff to make the next landfall: great fun to see the runway stop and water appear just as you lift off.............
I remember that!
IIRC you're coming in parallel to a craggy mountain range called 'The Seven Sisters.
Caracas ,Venezuela airport used to be built right on the Caribbean Sea. The runway dumped into the sea.
I recall coming in for a landing and all I saw was water until the end of the runway which looked like a boat ramp.
Jackson Co., NC. airport is pretty neat.
Top of a mountain loped off. A drop at both ends.
landing lights on...
It pales in comparison to Fane, PNG...
Landing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oB73Z767S8
Takeoff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhp0jbTpUGM
Shiver....
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