AC*SE

I have two to add:

1) Gibraltar. There is a very tight procedure turn at low altitude (to avoid Spanish airspace). The procedure turn at Kai Tak was only 47 degrees. This one is in excess of 135.

2) Fredericton. There is an exclusion area over a live fire range at CFB Gagetown. There are extended, low altitude procedure turns which can be very unnerving in rough weather. If the Forces are engaging in artillery trianing, that can be all the more interesting. Years ago a PV (Eastern Provincial) pilot nearly got shot out of the sky by failing to observe the exclusion.

Boomer

A friend who's a pilot, once showed me a survey of pilots about the most dangerous airport to fly into, I;m sure it was US only)

San diego lindberg was number one(mainly because of the oft noted Laurel travel center building).

Laguardia was number 2 and
washington national was number 3.

Eastbay1K

Another vote for JNU. At least the captain explained exactly what was going to happen before it did. Was absolutely beautiful, though. I think that this topic really should be divided into 2 ... scariest from the pax perspective looking out a side window, and worst from the pilot's perspective.

YVR Cockroach

I'll agree with the DCA landing especially if from the north. No terrain restrictions but the no-fly zone above DC so the a/c have to stick to flying along the Potomac.

ITH - due to the short-ish runway for DC9s. Don't know if it is as short as BLI (which I've flown in/out of too with US and PS in DC9s & M80s) but it's up there.

OKA - takeoffs towards the east may have to powerdown for a level flight as the flight path has to go under the approach path for Kadena AFB before resuming climb (just that little risk of collision with military a/c).

WEL (Wellington, NZ) - some mountains around but not too bad.

[This message has been edited by terenz (edited 09-07-2000).]

BeantownFlyer

Growing up in NY, and doing mostly east coast and Caribbean flight runs (and non-stops to the west coast) I think I was 25 before I recall ever landing at an airport that was not on the water. Then I flew into Syracuse and almost freaked out as the plane got lower and lower with no water in sight!!! Well that was many years ago, but it still makes me anxious when there's no over water approach. Too many flights into LGA, BOS, DCA, etc., I guess! In addition to those airports mentioned by others - taking off from PSP can be harrowing as the little props attempt to climb quickly over the mountains.

Dorian

For me it is Kai Tak, San Diego, Sao Paulo (when the winds are wrong) and Teneriffe (when the weather is bad).

Dorian



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PremEx2000

I can't believe nobody mentioned Chicago Midway! Like LGA and San Diego, Midway has short runways. Plus, any landing at Midway means skimming mere feet above nearby homes. And if you're landing at Midway, you have two additional things to worry about: first, you're probably flying on a somewhat sketchy discount airline; and second, you have to put up with being in Midway. Midway gets my vote.

Don

Can't recall any airport that I'd objectively describe as scary.
But subjectively ... LGA would give me a little shudder 'cuz of a screwup long ago on a Chicago-N.Y. United flight.
As we approached over the water, I chuckled smugly to myself that *I* knew better than to be worried. A couple newbies were looking a shade nervous, since we were low enough for the engines to be sending little waves rippling out on the water behind them. But, ahem, *I* knew the pavement would be only a few seconds away. Another routine landing, no doubt.
'Til the loudest %^&*-in' engine roar I've ever heard, and a sudden lurch forward and sickeningly sharp tilt upward.
Saw the runway below only briefly -- after a wicked steep climb, we were banking *real* sharply ... and soon began circling the Bronx at an angle where looking straight out my window seemed to give me a dead-on view of tenement roofs. (of course it wasn't really that severe, but at the time ...)
Pilot came on a few moments later to say the tower had advised that ``our runway was currently occupied."
Hadda love that PATCO strike & the year of lunacy that followed ... I'm probably happiest that I don't know all the details behind that one.



[This message has been edited by Don (edited 09-07-2000).]

misstree

The Azores - like landing on a postage stamp.

misstree

Guayaqil and Quito Ecuador. Praying every second those winds won't slam you into the long mountain ranges on either side (very close) of the aircraft.

ROADRUNNER

Perhaps you would like to fly in and out of San Diego Lindberg airport on the BA 747?
Our only direct ticket to London.

Kurt

Roadrunner:

You stretch the truth just a bit: BA flies to Phoenix from SAN, then to LHR.

I don't think a fully loadedd 744 could fly to LHR from SAN under all conditions; just too heavy.

Nevertheless, a 744 in and out of SAN is a great sight (especially as it skims the parking garage on the way in each p.m.)

davidlee

St.Barts Airport--Globalflight mentioned it--but a few years ago there was also a cemetery right by the runway--I doubt if it's been moved--but it certainly packed a double whammy to have that runway and that cemetery both facing you as you land.

SYD

The LH 747 crash at NBO had nothing to do with thin air! It was pilot error in that the flaps/slats were not set for take off.

chipper

I'll go with Queenstown, NZ as the scariest. My flight in was fine, but getting out, we got above the lake and the protection of the surrounding mountains and BAM, here come the winds.

Bogot� is another that has scary mountain crossings.