Most dangerous airports in the world

Have you ever wondered, what it means to be a pilot? A lot of people would say you have to be able to stay calm under pressure, have quick reactions and be able to make quick decisions. Most of the days you don’t need these skills. Majority of pilots would say that they only come in handy, when you have big crosswinds, mechanical failures or any other technical issue,which will put you or your passengers on board at risk. However some takeoff and landing conditions are riskier than others, and when it comes to these airports, you need every tiny bit of skill and sometimes luck to safely land your plane. This is why we prepared for you the most dangerous airports in the world. Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride!

 
Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport

It is the only airport on the Caribbean island of Saba. The mountain terrain on the island made it very difficult to build an airport. On one side you have huge mountains and on the other the sea. Not to mention that on three sides of the runway, you have cliffs that go straight down to the sea. So you cannot over/undershoot  when landing or taking off.

Courchevel International Airport

Courchevel is one of the most prestigious ski resorts in the Alps. To accommodate rich tourists, a small airport was built. But this is not an airport for the faint of heart. When landing you face traitorous alpine weather, poor visibility, a short 18.5 percent steep runway and to add to this, the ski runs are just a stone’s throw away.

Lukla Airport in Nepal

Situated in the Himalayas, the Lukla airport is an eye sore for pilots coming in. For many years it has been the main way to reach Mount Everest. The runway of the airport is so short, that it is actually slanted so you would be landing uphill to stop faster and taking off downhill for extra speed. The pilot has to use full thrust to take off or he falls into a valley below him. Also you cannot overshoot the landing and try again, as there is a mountain at the end of the runway.

Princess Juliana International Airport

This is probably one of the most popular sites for airplane spotters. The airport is located on the coast of the Mediterranean with just a small beach at the end of the runway. Planes land so close to the fence that with a long enough broomstick you can actually hit its tail.

Madeira International Airport

The airport used to be extremely dangerous for its short runway and difficult geographical conditions. As demand grew for larger aircraft to come in to the airport, the runway had to be extended. With mountains and sea surrounding the airport the only way to go for the runway was the sea. They could have just made a landfill but instead opted for 70m tall columns to support the longer runway.

Source  Aviatime