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The world's most challenging airports require special pilot skills

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The world's most challenging airports require special pilot skills
Policy
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Patrick Shanahan, President and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems | Simple Flying

Landing at some airports is considered especially difficult due to factors such as challenging terrain, short runways, and complex approaches. Pilots often have different opinions on which airport is the hardest to land at, as personal experience and aircraft type can influence their perspectives.

Large international airports in congested airspaces, like Dubai International Airport, require pilots and controllers to be highly vigilant because of heavy traffic throughout the day. In cities with multiple busy airports close together—such as New York, which includes JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, and Teterboro—the complexity increases further. Approaches must be carefully coordinated within narrow corridors, raising workload for flight crews.

LaGuardia Airport in New York features a Park Visual approach to runway 31 that differs from standard instrument approaches. This requires extra attention from pilots since such procedures are not common at most commercial airports. Similar visual approaches exist at other major U.S. airports including Washington-National and San Francisco.

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Aspen-Pitkin County Airport in Colorado is notable for its location at 7,820 feet above sea level within a mountain valley. The airport's operational challenges mean only regional jets operate there regularly; SkyWest Airlines crews are specifically certified for Aspen flights on behalf of American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express. Due to steep approaches and demanding go-around procedures required by surrounding mountains, special FAA training is mandatory for pilots landing here.

London City Airport also presents challenges with its steep approach angle and high-traffic environment. Both Aspen and London City restrict which aircraft types can operate there due to these unique conditions.

Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport serves Funchal in Madeira and has a single runway where one direction (Runway 05) cannot accommodate a straight-in ILS approach because of nearby terrain. Pilots must perform a visual approach involving a sharp turn onto final while contending with frequent strong crosswinds caused by the ocean on one side and mountains on the other. Special training is required for those flying into Madeira.

Saint Barthelemy Airport (St Barts) in the Caribbean has a very short runway—just over 2,100 feet—and no ILS system due to its position next to a slope ending at the beach. Only small aircraft like the De Havilland DHC-7 regularly serve this airport. Pilots must rely on visual aids during their steep descent over hills just before landing; additional training ensures safety despite minimal margin for error.

Paro International Airport in Bhutan sits deep within a valley surrounded by peaks up to 18,000 feet high. Only daylight operations under good weather are allowed because there is no ILS system; pilots navigate visually through narrow valleys before making steep turns onto final approach using limited navigational aids. Only Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly here using specially trained crews.

Tenzing-Hillary Airport (Lukla) in Nepal lies near Mount Everest Base Camp at an elevation of over 9,300 feet with an extremely short runway featuring a steep gradient directly facing mountainous terrain. Go-arounds are rarely possible so pilots must commit fully to each landing attempt after completing specialized STOL (Short Takeoff/Landing) training.

These examples illustrate how certain airports around the world present significant operational challenges requiring special skills or certification for flight crews.

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