World's scariest runways

**Laxmobster** · October 3rd, 2008, 01:51 PM

The World's Scariest Runways | Travel + Leisure

I didn't see a thread for this so I thought to post it up.

**Just Kill Me** · October 3rd, 2008, 02:00 PM

I fucking hate take off and landing... just thinking about it, ugh.

**MohandasKGanja** · October 3rd, 2008, 02:20 PM

Hey, I've been on runways 2, 3, and 7. Tegucigalpa is the scariest of the three because you don't even know where it is until you are on top of it -- because it's right below the clouds. When we landed without too much trouble the passengers broke out into applause. I've never seen that before.

**witchcurlgirl** · October 3rd, 2008, 02:41 PM

I've been on 2,3,7 and 8.

they have # 8 as JFK in NY, but not LaGuardia which is way scarier...it's really short and on the water...it's had a few crashes over the years

**Just Kill Me** · October 3rd, 2008, 02:42 PM

LaGuardia is kind of crazy when coming in. As much as it makes my eye twitch I insist on looking out the window.

**witchcurlgirl** · October 3rd, 2008, 02:50 PM

^^ I'm a peeker as well.....

**Zee** · October 3rd, 2008, 03:09 PM

LaGuardia is amazing when you take off- I don't what the angle is- but you are moving steep and fast.

One of my hateds has been renovated. Pilot used to describe hitting an aircraft carrier as an easier landing. Used to dread flying into Charleston's Yeager Airport- it was literally the top of a mountain range and you would sometimes miss the first pass.

**Laxmobster** · October 3rd, 2008, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by MohandasKGanja

Hey, I've been on runways 2, 3, and 7. Tegucigalpa is the scariest of the three because you don't even know where it is until you are on top of it -- because it's right below the clouds. When we landed without too much trouble the passengers broke out into applause. I've never seen that before.

I think that is a cultural thing. On all hispanic flights to Central America that I've been on, the passengers always bust out in applause when the pilot lands. I was freaked out the first time I flew to El Salvador with my mom, then just joined in and was the screaming little white girl.

The only runway on this list I've been on is Regan National, it didn't seem all that frightening to me but I can understand the airspace dilemma.

**L1049** · October 3rd, 2008, 04:44 PM

Not scary for the people on the aircraft but for people on the beach, would be Saint Maarten's Princess Julianna airport.
Being an amateur aviation photographer, this place is my dream vacation...I'm damned determined to get there one day.
I'll let the photos speak for themselves:
http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?location=St.%20Maarten-Princess%20Juliana%20Int'l%20-%20TNCM

On a more local scale Castlegar airport in BC is a bit scary. It's surrounded by mountains, you can't not do a straight in a approach, and you can't land at night (though they are making it so you can land at night.)
In BC weather can go from good to shitty in 10 minutes, and at Castlegar it means the difference between landing and diverting.
There was an Air Canada Jazz flight I was on Vancouver to Castlegar once, it was a bit cloudy but visibility was still good. We were on approach and the landing had to be aborted. We than circled for about an hour and a half, tried to land again. After that aborted approach, the flight was finally diverted to Kelowna.
The above scenario is a common scenario for Castlegar flights. You board the plane expecting to be diverted, especially during the winter.
It's actually kind of funny to see someone that has never flown into Castlegar before. They're usually the ones that get pissed that you have to circle for an hour

I found a video on youtube of a Castlegar landing. Now picture this in cloudy, shitty, typical BC weather and you get the idea of how difficult it is. PS-I love my Dash 8's

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9gxtADTSAQ[/YOUTUBE]

**KrisNine** · October 3rd, 2008, 08:47 PM

Taking off from John Wayne airport in Orange County, CA is pretty scary.

**Quazar** · October 4th, 2008, 05:44 PM

Both John Wayne and LaGuardia airports require really steep takeoffs. At John Wayne, they even warn you beforehand about this because it is so significant - it's like being in a rocket ship. LaGuardia seems like you're taking off and landing on an aircraft carrier. This does not help my already crazy fear of flying.

**L1049** · October 4th, 2008, 07:51 PM

As far as local airports go, SO FAR the scariest runway I've been on is Castlegar (posted above), mainly for the incredibly difficult approach.

During ground school, my instructor showed the 'class' this video during a break:
This looks like fun

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfU_O_jW_4Q[/YOUTUBE]

**A*O** · October 4th, 2008, 08:43 PM

La Guardia is very special. I especially liked the way the pilot told passengers not to be alarmed if they look out of the window and see other aircraft on apparent collision course because "those guys in the control tower know what they are doing". Anyone see that movie Pushing Tin?