Himalayan Extreme
Tenzing-Hillary Airport, serving the high-altitude town of Lukla in Nepal, was built specifically for thrill-seeking travelers. Its short (about 500 m) runway is located at a 12-degree slope; the elevation difference between the ends is 60 meters. Only helicopters and small propeller planes can use it. The northern end of the runway abuts rocks, and the southern end ends in a steep 600-meter cliff, so this airfield does not forgive pilot errors.
The risky landing in Lukla is an integral part of the Himalayan program for many climbers wishing to conquer the highest mountain in the world. "This is where most people wanting to climb Everest land," notes Quora user Amy Robinson. "It is one of the most dangerous airfields in the world."
Perhaps it is no coincidence that the airport is named after the most famous Himalayan adventurers – Sir Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay, who were the first to reach the summit of Everest.
Underwater Airfield
During high tide, the three runways of Barra Airport in Scotland disappear under water. "It is the only airport in the world where scheduled flights use a sandy beach for takeoffs and landings," writes Quora user Amit Kushwaha. Accordingly, the flight schedule is built around the tides.
The airfield is located in the shallow sandy bay of Traigh Mhòr on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. Its three runways, arranged in a triangle, are marked by wooden guide poles for approaching twin-engine turboprop De Havilland Canada Twin Otter aircraft.
Airport the Size of an Island
Landing at Malé International Airport (now known as Ibrahim Nasir International Airport) in the Maldives is a serious test for any pilot. The single runway, located just two meters above sea level, stretches the entire length of Hulhulé Island. The slightest miscalculation – and the plane will end up in the Indian Ocean, writes Quora user Peter Baskerville.
Since Hulhulé Island (one of 1,192 coral islands of Malé Atoll, spread over an area of about 90,000 sq. km) is almost entirely occupied by the airport, arriving passengers typically travel to their final destinations by speedboats.
Very Short Runway
Not for the faint-hearted is landing at Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport on the Caribbean island of Saba, writes Quora user Dairya Manek. This airfield has one of the shortest runways – about 396 meters long (usually runway length is from 1,800 to 2,400 m). This means that only small planes capable of quickly reducing speed after landing can use it.
The airfield's location is as picturesque as it is dangerous. "The runway is on a cliff, dropping into the Caribbean Sea on three sides and bounded by high hills on the fourth," writes Manek. "Because the runway is so short, jet aircraft do not land there."
High-Risk Airport
Telluride Regional Airport in Colorado, serving regional flights, is the highest in North America. It is located at an elevation of 2,767 meters above sea level. "It takes your breath away both from the risky approach and the beauty of the scenery," writes Quora user Erin Whitlock.
The airport's single runway is on one of the plateaus of the Rocky Mountains, right next to a 300-meter cliff over the San Miguel River. Previously, the runway had a noticeable slope from the ends to the center. Renovation work in 2009 corrected the situation – the runway became safer, and now larger aircraft can land on it. The current version of the airport's flight safety instructions does not recommend pilots of light aircraft to make approaches at night, to fly in winds exceeding 55 km/h, or when visibility is less than 25 km.
Blood-Chilling Approach
Passengers who used to fly into Hong Kong would watch with bated breath as their plane landed at Kai Tak Airport, now closed.
"Kai Tak," which operated from 1925 to 1998, "was one of the wonders of the aviation world," writes Quora user Jay Walker. "It was located on a patch of land reclaimed in Victoria Harbour, with high-rise buildings on both sides. The airport had a relatively short runway for large aircraft, and it was especially scary when landing on a Boeing 747. Passengers looking out the windows during landing or takeoff felt they could see what was happening inside apartments through the windows of houses."