Landing at one of these airstrips might cause irregular heartbeats and moments of anxiety.
23 November 2015 15:26
Brilio.net/en - There are probably thousands of runways around the world where airplanes converge on said strips of land on a daily basis.
If you're a thrill-seeker or on the lookout for something extraordinary, you might want to book a flight that lands on one of these eye-popping runways.
From extreme locations to unconventional designs, here's a sampler of some of the world's most unique and extreme runways.
Gisborne Airport, New Zealand
Situated on the North Island of New Zealand, it is one of the very few airstrips in the world with a train track running through the middle of the runway. And yes, both runway and train tracks are active.
Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, Saba Island
The runway on this Caribbean island is known to be the world's shortest commercial runway, with a length of only 400 meters. Obviously, only small aircrafts can land on the small strip of land.
Courchevel Altiport, France
The airstrip high in the French Alps is a drop off point for the rich, giving them access to the nearby ski slopes. The airport is situated 537 meters above sea level. Most terrifyingly, the runway ends at a cliff-edge and some planes just run off the runway and don't even have to ascend to achieve flight.
Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Nepal
This particular airport in Lukla, Nepal is considered by many to be one of the most hazardous in the world. It's main purpose? Connecting would-be hikers with Mt. Everest. However, landing at this strip of land requires great skill because at 2900 meters high, frequent wind gusts, visibility problems, and a drop off runway edge can be detrimental to a safe journey.
Barra International Airport, Scotland
Situated in a remote island in northern Scotland, Barra Airport's runway is completely situated on the beach. In fact, it is the only beach runway in the world that is used by regularly scheduled flights. During high tide, parts of the runway will be underwater.
Gustaf III Airport, Saint-Barthlemy
This commercial runway is one of the smallest in the world. Its size is so tiny that only planes with a maximum capacity of 20 people can land.
Madeira Airport, Portugal
The previous airport at this Portuguese archipelago was a pain to land on because of its very short runway. The local government's solution? Create a runway extension supported by 180 concrete beams.
Narsarsuaq Airport, Greenland
Many pilots consider this short strip of land in Greenland to be the most difficult in terms of approaches. Pilots who are coming into this airport has to overcome strong wind gusts and frequent turbulence.
Princess Juliana International Airport, Saint Maarten
This airport on the Dutch side of Saint Martin island is situated right next to Maho Beach. Deservedly dubbed as one of the craziest airports in the world, tourists still flock to the beach to experience having a monstrous airplane fly over their heads at close range.
Ice Camp Barneo, North Pole
This runway that's completely covered in snow is only open 4 weeks each year. The runway's main purpose is to provide a landing strip for cargo planes that bring supplies to the North Pole.
