I got to view two landings at an interval of twenty minutes. Love people-watching. Love vodka. Paro airport has a dedicated viewing point for people who are interested in viewing the landings and take-offs. Paro International Airport in Bhutan is one of the most dangerous airports in the world. We’re the first to welcome you to our beautiful country and the last to farewell you on your onward journey. Only a handful of them have so far been certified to land the planes at Paro. Paro International Airport (Dzongkha: སྤ paro gnam thang) (IATA: PBH, ICAO: VQPR) is the sole international airport of the four airports in Bhutan. It’s only 7,431 ft long (compared to Changi Airport’s 13,123 ft), and all the above factors demand the pilot to be very precise when landing. Most airports have at least 10 nautical miles of distance for pilots to gauge an aligned approach onto the landing strip. From the perspective of a pilot, this is a difficult airport, but for a passenger, it is absolutely safe. Only eight pilots are qualified to land here. Pilots also say that the runway is only really visible brief moments before landing. As an aviation geek I was especially excited about landing at Paro Airport, which is supposedly one of the most dangerous airports in the world to land at. Paro Airport. Miss Bhutan. Very few pilots are certified to land at Bhutan’s Paro International Airport, and not without reason. However, it allows take-offs and approaches in both directions, as opposed to another recurring “world’s most dangerous” features, Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, Nepal. Would you like to fly there? They also factor in, the quality of visibility (and NOT because a gadget conveys some information), as the weather needs to be absolutely clear for a safe flight and landing. The Airport is 1.5 miles above sea level and surrounded by sharp peaks of up to 18,000 ft tall. Actual landing filmed from Cockpit. Location of Paro Airport in Bhutan:- The Paro Airport in Bhutan is a public type Airport and it is operated by the Department of Civil Aviation. PARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, BHUTAN. Can't dance to save my life. Hi Korinna, Will read up about Hawai airport too. Writing about it on my blog. Other airports rely on ILS (Instrumental Landing Systems) to guide the aircraft laterally and vertically in an approach to landing. Paro Airport in Bhutan, Himalayan Mountians. The descent is so challenging only a handful of pilots are qualified to attempt it. From the perspective of a pilot, this is a difficult airport, but for a passenger, it is absolutely safe. Apart from India, the airline also services Bangkok (Thailand), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Kathmandu (Nepal) and Singapore. Paro Airport in Bhutan, Himalayan Mountains. It is something like this: If this is the question that landed you here, please refrain from scouring various flight-aggregation sites; Druk Airways is the way to go. What’s worse is that the pilots can’t even see the short, 6,500-foot runway until right before they have to rapidly drop altitude and land. But in reality, that's just catchy click-bait. Sign up to our daily aviation news digest. A strange mix of introvert and extrovert. An Airport is dangerous because of the extreme locations of difficult approaches, high altitudes, and short runways which are there to make the landing of the airplane the most difficult one. However, the flip side of that spot is that the view does not give a clear line of sight to view the navigation that takes place just BEFORE the plane hits the runway. Tenzing-Hilary Airport, Lukla, Nepal Situated at a height of 9325 feet and surrounded by the Himalayas, this small airport has been called the most dangerous n the world. The Pilots are highly trained and skilled and need to go for Refresher Course annually. No. 2nd Most Dangerous Airport – Paro International, Bhutan Pilots have to receive special training just to fly into Bhutan’s only international airport. Yes, it is. [+] Airport , one of the most dangerous airports in the world on November 18, 2012 in Paro near Thimphu, Bhutan. only eight pilots certified to land the aircraft. It is almost like the aircraft is being flown in the alleys. The Bhutanese Department of Civil Aviation was only established in 1986, until what time Drukair was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the airport. If you are a heart-patient with a fear of flying, you need to be careful. How incredible that they have the skills to do their jobs! For a viewer, the aircraft just materializes on the runway, and that is when you get to see it. Hey Divya, I got to experience this first-hand myself two weeks back. People visiting Mount Everest frequently use this Nepalese airport. Be careful about shooting the landing or the take-off; the area around the airport is heavily guarded. A few days ago, a harried reader wrote to me asking if other airlines fly to Paro. It is the only commercial airport in the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan, and has only eight pilots certified to land the aircraft. Then you have to know that the airport is surrounded by mountains as high as 18000 feet. Paro Airport in Bhutan is located in a deep valley near the Paro Chhu river. As if being able to check the visual landmarks and the runway wasn’t enough, the pilot also needs to watch out for electrical poles and house roofs on the hillside as they maneuver between the mountains at a 45-degree angle before dropping quickly onto the runway. Surrounded by Himalayan peaks as high as 18044 feet, this airport to lying amidst the mountains is a difficult one to land in. These specify at which speed and altitude the aircraft needs to be at specific visual landmark check-points as the pilots make their approach. Surrounded by mountains and small houses, Paro Airport in Bhutan is known as one of the world's most dangerous airports. Love to experiment. Also in the Himalayan mountains is the Paro Airport in Bhutan. Don't like to talk much, unless of course I am in love with you. I tend to miss obvious details. Sania and Kavya’s discussion intrigued me enough to learn more about Paro Airport. This Himalayan airport is top of the most dangerous airport landings. Bhutan Airport: Paro Paro Airport in Bhutan is often labelled as "the world's most dangerous flight landing". So risky is this airport that only a few pilots qualify to land on it at anytime. It just took delivery of a brand new Airbus A320-200neo on the 18th of March, but the aircraft has yet to be deployed into revenue service. Quite an experience! The tiny airport nestled among the steep mountains of the Himalayas is said to be the most dangerous in the world. The mountains surrounding the airport can be up to 18,000 ft, while Paro itself sits at an elevation of 7,364 feet. Yes, that is how I roll. According to my driver, it is by design, and is done for the safety purpose. Why do the pilots need a … With eight years’ experience in publishing and citations in publications such as CNN, Linnea brings a deep understanding of politics and future aviation tech to her stories. Thats seems really dangerous… I would scared to land there though.. . And I’d also point out that Druk Air, flying into and out of Paro airport, is significantly more difficult and dangerous than landing in, say, Denver or Geneva. Three of them are 12-year-old Airbus A319-100s, and one turboprop ATR 42/72. You can check it from the website, or do like I did- make a note of the time by observing for a couple of days if you have luxury of time. Paro Airport, Bhutan. Yesterday I flew from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Paro, Bhutan, on Drukair. The state-owned flag-carrier Drukair, also known as Royal Bhutan Airlines, has five planes in service. To put things perspective, visual flight rules call for the pilots to use their own judgement to maneuver the aircraft while landing and taking off . This airport, situated in the Himalayas, is considered one of the world’s most dangerous. Because, this airport is located in a deep valley near the Paro Chhu river and 1.5 miles above the sea level. I notice more than you think I do. Inspite of the dangerous terrain, this Himalayan airport has never seen an air-crash (touch-wood!)! Paro is Bhutan’s sole international airport. Only Druk airways flies from Siliguri, Kolkata, Delhi, Gaya, Guwahati and Mumbai in India. However, an IFP (Instrument Flight Procedure) called RNP AR Cloud-Break is being developed for Paro by Airbus-owned NAVBLUE. Located in Khumbu, Solukhumbu District, the Lukla Airport in Nepal was renamed to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in January 2008, in honour of the first two people to conquer Mount Everest. Welcome to Paro International Airport, the gateway to himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. Love this post, I can’t imagine only having 8 pilots! Simply because you are in good hands. Join me on a flight with Bhutan Airlines (Tashi Air) A319 from Kathmandu to Paro, Bhutan. Is the flight unsafe? This decision is taken based on their knowledge of the terrain and landmarks in the valley. Strong winds whip through the valley, often resulting in severe turbulence. In my opinion, Princess Juliana International Airport is also as challenging as Paro. This airport is so dangerous that only a handful of pilots are qualified to land here. Let us know in the comments! Firstly, there is no radar to guide planes into the airport. Paro Airport Viewing-point Details: 1. Paro’s airport offers only one to two. Doesn’t it sound so scary? An avid reader, traveler, happy-go-lucky lazy-bum is what I am, very effortlessly. The mountainous terrain surrounding the Toncontin Airport is extremely hazardous for airplanes, particularly on the approach to Runway 02, which requires a hairpin turn and a steep landing. This also means that the airport is operational only during the day-time, because of the Visual Flight Rules (as opposed to Instrument Flight Rules). The first Bhutanese female captain is Ugyen Dema who joined Drukair in 2006. 8 One tells BBC he's "absolutely flying with the eyes only" as he lands — no instruments are used. We use ads to keep our content free. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They used to be trained in UK. The tiny airport is nestled in a deep valley and surrounded by sharp peaks of up to 5,500 m (18,000 ft) tall. Hate beer. Paro is a valley-town in the Himalayas; hills surround it from all sides. While landing, the pilots hand-fly the plane with their local knowledge, navigating it mindful of the electric poles, roofs of the homes, trees, hill-sides etc. Why is Paro Airport (currently the only international airport of Bhutan) considered one of the most dangerous airports to land in the world? The other airline that flies is Bhutan Airlines. High hills surround the 6,445 foot runway where Bhutan allows only day … it provide beautiful information…. Despite being one of the toughest airports to land at, there has not been a single mishap here. Half Changi Airport’s runway length, and you’ll have an idea of Paro Airport’s tight landing strip. This airport is particularly dangerous due to its location in a deep valley, which is surrounded by mountain peaks as high as 18,000ft (5,000m). Drukair has 25 Bhutanese pilots, as well as 10 expatriate pilots on their crew. Brings me back those Paro memories. 1. Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock, Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock Plus, Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock Origin, Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock, British Airways Looks At In-App Digital Health Passport, Frontier Airlines Will Retire All Of Its Airbus A319s In 2021, British Airways CEO Pushes For Fewer Restrictions For Vaccinated Travelers, CMA CGM Air Cargo Flies First A330-200F Commercial Flight, Aer Lingus Starts Hiring For Manchester Base. Paro International Airport was initially built as an air-strip for on-call helicopter operations by the Indian Armed Forces on behalf of the Royal Government of Bhutan. Read your other posts – great going! Please Support us by turning off your adblocker. In fact, it is so dangerous that only a dozen pilots are certified to land there, all of which work for the national airline, DrukAir, the only one flying. Thank you for stopping by. For these reasons, flights are only allowed during daylight and under good visibility, and can often be diverted due to clouds. Have you landed at Paro Airport? Is it because of the mountains? Inspite of the dangerous terrain, this Himalayan airport has never seen an air-crash (touch-wood!)! If you're flying internationally and require a connecting flight to Paro, your luggage will not be checked in all the way to Paro via your first flight. Landing at the airport nestled in the heart of the Himalayas is entirely dependent on favourable weather conditions. The airport is also dangerous due to strong winds, high mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. I dug deeper once I was back from the trip. The country’s first airline, Drukair, was established only in 1981 and inaugurated scheduled revenue flights two years later. Only eight pilots are said to … Bhutan’s Paro International Airport is frequently featured on lists over the “world’s most dangerous airports.” Less than two dozen pilots are certified to make the manual by-daylight-only approach between 18,000 ft peaks, through a long, winding valley and onto a runway that is only 7,431 ft long, and visible only moments before landing. One morning I found Kavya, my fellow-traveller in Thimphu, and our hostess Sania, discussing the famed Paro airport and the perils that surround it. i read your all articles. How did you experience the approach? Depending on if you're a thrill-seeker and nature lover, or rather keep two feet on the ground, it could be interpreted this way. Bhutan’s Paro International Airport is frequently featured on lists over the “world’s most dangerous airports.” Less than two dozen pilots are certified to make the manual by-daylight-only approach between 18,000 ft peaks, through a long, winding valley and onto a runway that is only 7,431 ft long, and visible only moments before landing. This in itself affects and restricts the performance of aircraft. The pilot needs to fly entirely on manual mode, according to procedures for landing that have been designed by experienced pilots and aircraft manufacturers. Paro Airport: Bhutan, Himalayan Mountains This is definitely one of the most dangerous airports in the world as only eight pilots are qualified to land flights here. Can communicate better in writing than in speech. Landing in or taking off from Paro International airport is incredible, just watch the video below and you will understand what I mean. Satellite view of Paro airport; make note of the fact how it is surrounded by gigantic mountains, with a runway strip which is only 1.9 kilometers long. The number of pilots qualified to fly into Paro Airport is in the single digits. Fast forward to minute 6 if you need to! The privately-owned Bhutan Airlines operates two Airbus aircraft, both of them of the A319-100. The drive to the viewing point takes about fifteen minutes (by car) from the town. Later, Sania told us that there are times when it feels that the plane might crash into one of the hills-sides, or trees. their own judgement to maneuver the aircraft while landing and taking off, Nightlife In Thimphu: Karaoking Monks Of Bhutan, Read This If You Are Solo Indian Traveller To Bhutan, Spiti Diaries–II(Day 2)( Kaza-Dhankar-Tabo), Paro: Bhutan's Docile Progeny - A Borrowed Backpack, Read This If You Are Solo Indian Traveller To Bhutan - A Borrowed Backpack. Paro Airport - Himalayan Mountains, Bhutan . If you do not already know, Paro airport is one of the toughest airports to land on, in the world, as stated by Boeing. A safe landing was made. Bhutan’s Paro Airport is surrounded by 18,000-foot mountain peaks that make it so treacherous only 17 qualified pilots are authorized to land there. Why Is Paro Airport (Bhutan) One Of The Toughest To Land On? The airport used to be even more dangerous up until 2007, when a large portion of the nearby hillside was flattened and the runway was extended. 8 pilots only!!! nice information. Love food. But why? The airport has been rated as the most dangerous airport in the world for over 20 years in a row. The only time I’ve had a similar experience was landing in Hawaii and the runway wasn’t very long. Be in the know. Not only that, she also explained us how one doesn’t see the runway right until one final steer before the touch-down, even though the plane keeps descending sharply. Thankfully the pilots there are very skilled too because if we didn’t stop we would have gone straight into the ocean! Only two airlines fly to Paro International Airport. Truly incredible! Paro International Airport in Bhutan is 1.5 miles above sea level and surrounded by sharp peaks of up to 18,000ft tall. It is 6 km (3.7 mi; 3.2 nmi) from Paro in a deep valley on the bank of the river Paro Chhu. With surrounding peaks as high as 5,500 m (18,000 ft), it is considered one of the world's most challenging airports, and fewer than two dozen pilots are certified to land at the airport. At Paro, the pilots only have one VOR (Very high-frequency Omni-directional Range) to guide them. 11. Paro, Bhutan in a A319. Can sleep for twenty hours straight. Understandably so, because it flies right next to it, aiming to touch the 1.9 kms runway with enough run-distance on the ground. The runway is just 6,500 feet long. Another factor that makes flying into Paro unique and challenging is the length of the runway. Kavya was narrating her experience as she had flown to Bhutan, while I had gone overlands. Journalist - With a Master's in International Relations, Linnea has combined her love for current affairs with her passion for travel to become a key member of the Simple Flying team. If you intend to visit the viewing point at Paro airport, please make sure you know the ETA for the incoming flights. What makes the Courchevel Airport so dangerous is the altitude of course (6,500 feet), but also the tiny 1,760-foot runway and its 18.5 percent gradient slope … Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.