aspen airport dangerous aspen airport dangerous

I have flown into this airport many times and it is for sure a white-knuckle experience. There is no second chance landing here due to the runway position, and pilots must make it perfectly the first time. Somehow there has never been a major accident.Find out about the little-known airplane feature that could save your life. This airport is located in the southern part of Greenland and in the middle of countless Fjords. I applaud the many talented pilots out there who make these successful landings every day. There's people everywhere. You won't pay more and it won't bite you Aspen Airport offers quick and convenient access to ground transportation, car rentals and parking. No thank you! 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 making it necessary for the small. Copyright 2023 Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, ASE. He grinned and commented, I have probably flown with you on over one hundred VOR approaches and I have never seen you slow up to Ref plus 10 this far out. I said, Just do it this time for me, Ill explain later. As it turned out, I didnt have to explain later. [1] Aspen/Pitkin Co. Airport/Sardy Field covers an area of 573 acres (232ha) at an elevation of 7,820 feet (2,384 m) above mean sea level. AIN asked some pilots who regularly operate there to share their wisdom, on condition of anonymity. Plus, there are those sharp turns along the Potomac River, making landing a serious pain. In a 2017 study conducted by Honeywell Aerospace, drawing on data from its team of test pilots and the larger pilot community, this airport was named as the number-one worst airport to fly into. Only eight(!!!) Aircraft landing at Princess Juliana International Airport. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, Aspen, Colo. Every winter, snow bums and bunnies head out to Aspen to hit the mountains, but be warned when touching down at this snowy airport. The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport operates on a core set of community values: safety, health and well-being, environmental responsibility, and operational efficiency. Parking is free for the first half hour in short and long term parking lots. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); Perhaps its a wrong assumption that the citizens of Rifle would even want to accommodate Aspens air travelers. Such a plan would make our dangerous airport even more so. And the committee members never received the requested performance specifications for the different aircraft proposed for future service into the airport. 1 in difficulty: Pilots landing here require special training due to its steep approach path. People also like to climb the Maroon Bells; however, it is very dangerous, and a guide is . McBride cited the same disadvantages as above: the Aspen airport is sandwiched between mountain ridges at the end of a mountain valley with no option to lengthen the current runway; the airport is prone to harsh winter weather that often cancels flights and forces diversions; the airport operates with takeoffs and landings in opposite directions, a prescription for danger. Pilots. Many of these airports are accessible only by well trained and qualified pilots. The mountainous area surrounding the airport also poses a challenge, forcing the pilots to land and take off in opposite directions, but using a single runway. Due to the lack of runway lights, flights are only permitted during daylight, which is fine when there are 24-hours of it during summer days but not when the opposite reality takes hold in winter. Pilots flying to the airport have to worry about severe weather conditions as well as the rising tides. With no lights on the runway and during a whiteout, pilots are trained to land blind. The approach isalmost at a cliff, alongside the jagged terrain of Saba and then a sharp bank left before an immediate landing. It's old. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking news? (Absent a . Since its founding, The Town of Carbondale is accepting applications for our Parks Department temporary/seasonal positions. Due to non-standard runway/taxiway separation, the airport has a 95ft (29m) aircraft wingspan limitation. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), little-known airplane feature that could save your life, Longyearbyen Airport lost its international designation in 2017, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. I called runway twelve oclock. The captain answered, Going visual. He went off the gauges and looked up out in front of the windscreen, straight ahead and said, Wheres the runway. I leaned forward and with my index finger pointed down and said Right there. He commented, Oh shit! Copyright 2023 AIN Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Aspen-Pitkin County Airport; Aspen, CO. Shutterstock. Of course this is because Aspen has its fair share of rich and/or famous residents. It also features 1,000-foot sheer cliffs on both ends of the runway and strong vertical turbulence during winter months caused by the mountain winds. The one-way landing has to be very fast since the end of the runway has a cliff with a very steep fall into the waters below. Also known as Lukla Airport, as it's in Lukla, Nepal, the airport is located 9,838 feet above sea level. While road traffic must come to a standstill for airplanes in Gibraltar, landings at Gisborne Airport on the eastern edge of New Zealands North Island must be coordinated with the national rail service which runs the Palmerston NorthGisborne Line directly across the one main paved and three grass runways. Due to the lack of runway lights, flights are only permitted during daylight, thus hindering flights duringthe winter when the sun never rises. No surprise: There's another New York City-area airport that came in for a drubbing from Reddit pilots. Almost a month later I made a dramatic landing in Bhutan that was like a scene out of Star Wars where my commercial airliner had to bank dramatically to fit in between the narrow, remote mountain terrain. "Cancellations and delays everywhere. After the attacks of Sept. 11, security forces strongly enforce these rules. Everest. Face coverings are optional in the Aspen Airport per TSA Executive Order. This is likely due to the fact that the airport, which is wedged between two mountains, requires a swift descent at high altitude.. They'll walk off the plane with six or seven drinks and a pile of snacks in their bag. The airport is also dangerous due to strong winds, high mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport to Close May 10-24, 2023 for Airfield Pavement Maintenance Learn more. Here is my top list of mostthrilling airport landings in the world. If you were Ref plus 20 and broke out right at minimums, you were not going to get on the runway where you should. Tellurides Regional Airport sits over 9,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest commercial airport in North America. Short runways covered in ice, extremely cold temperatures, severe winds, and low visibility due to not only heavy snow but also ash clouds from nearby active volcanoes make landing at Narsarsuaq Airport in Greenland not for the faint of heart. } ); It's no wonder it was high on Honeywell's list of most-hated airports. So I avoid it like the plague. Telluride Regional Airport, Telluride, Colo. In January 2010, one pilot overran the runway following a rejected takeoff. [1], Aspen/Pitkin Co. Airport has more regular service from major carriers than any other regional ski town airport in North America. There are huge cliffs at both ends of the airports single runway, and strong mountain winds in the cold of winter, all serving to make landing an airplane in Telluride a dangerous proposition for even experienced pilots. Three years minimum experience. Located in the outskirts of Gisborne in New Zealand, this airport actually has a railway intersecting with the runway. Opened in 1946, Aspen-Pitkin County Airport was a privately owned airport. Not surprisingly, another Colorado Rocky Mountain airport is ranked as one of the most dangerous. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); Today's Video: Big Jets At Aspen Airport - The Most Dangerous Airport In America? On June 7, 2009, a Learjet 60 (registration N500SW) veered off the runway on landing and came to rest on the right side of the runway with a collapsed right main gear, with no injuries to the eight persons on board. All the operators AIN spoke to have a policy that prohibits them from conducting night operations at Aspen. The lowest landing minimums at ASE are available only to pilots who complete special FAA-training. Letter to the Editor Letter-to-the-editor | September 8, 2020. Located near Mt. Move some of the general aviation aircraft to the west side of the runway. Danger may be your middle name but this airport is treacherous not only because of the extremely short runway but because of its height, location between mountains, and, oh yeah, the lack of power and air traffic controllers. This is a BETA experience. The airport in Bhutanallows only 17 qualified pilots who are authorized to land on a runway that is surrounded by severe 18,000-foot mountain peaks. Landings are coordinated with accurate schedules to avoid approaching trains. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Content Policy. The dangers of flying into Aspen were illuminated in 2001, when a Gulfstream charter jet airplane "hit a hill and then plunged across a 200 foot culvert between the hill and the airport before. The runway at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport was lengthened and widened in 1983 to be 7,006 feet long by 100 feet wide. This airport can get a little rocky. Aspen is said to have the most dangerous commercial airport in the country, with a disturbing 44 accidents in 1980-2019, 13 of them causing a total of 44 deaths, though trending down. ", The proportion of children on flights heading to this airport is perhaps higher than any other in the country (or world, for that matter). Let's also not forget one of the most famous crashes that started at LaGuardia, US Airways flight 1549, which landed in the Hudson River after hitting a flock of birds and losing both engines. Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras (ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/Getty Images). And the parents? now I know what you were trying to tell me. And yes, we did land, he was a talented aviator. Alexandros Papadiamantis airport on the Greek island of Skiathos. Engineers had to build a platform to expand this runway, where the landing stripis located between steep cliffs and the ocean. Today, I would vote no. What To Expect When You Rent A Car Now (Youll Be Surprised), Star Female Italian Winemaker Shares Her Love For Tuscany, Take It, Easys: A New Speakeasy And Lounge At The Aria In Las Vegas, The Italian Company Offering An Alternative Kind Of Travel, Emirates Airlines Gets Even More Indulgent With Its New Champagne Service, Rixos Introduces A Five Star, All-Inclusive Experience To Abu Dhabi, Eugene Levys Reluctant Traveler, The Beatles Liverpool, Passport Renewal Delays And More. Airfarewatchdog.com suspects this is because the airport requires a swift descent at high altitude. The airport terminal hosts six rental car operations, a year-round guest services operation, plus Jeddadiahs restaurant and gift shops. One of America's Most Dangerous Airports | Landing at Aspen | Cirrus SR22 - YouTube Even on a nice VFR day, it still takes a lot of hard work to land at Aspen. Experience is a plus but not required for the right, Seeking Professional Day and Night Drivers Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Aspen & Vail Set your own schedule weekly Top Drivers Earn, The Ute Mountaineer is seeking a Marketing Coordinator. ASE is a small airport for small planes only, and traffic tends to stop in any inclement weather. The January 5 crash of a Bombardier Challenger 601-3R during the crews second attempted landing at Aspen Pitkin County Airport (ASE) has prompted pilots to question both their own limitations and the difficulties involved in landing at the Denver resort. And to make matters worse, this airport offers no lights or instrument aid so in bad weather landing is impossible. Years later when the VOR approach to RW 15 was commissioned, we flew it religiously. hello, today we are plane spotting at the DANGEROUS AIRPORT of Aspen Regional Airport!Aspen airport is located in a valley so there is always high winds. 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Nowhere else on earth does a pilot have to contend with the mix of factors that exist at this dangerous airport. Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group, Orlando International Airport; Orlando, FL, Newark Liberty International Airport; Newark, NJ, Palm Beach International Airport; Palm Beach, FL, Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport; Bullhead City, AZ, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport; Arlington, VA, Norfolk International Airport; Norfolk, VA, San Diego International Airport; San Diego, CA, Toronto Pearson International Airport; Toronto, Canada. but while landing at a dangerous airport like Aspen during poor weather, the onset of night should have given them pause. What makes the picturesque Princess Juliana Airport dangerous isnt the sunbathers below on the beach but the technically-too-short 7,100-foot runway originally built for the smaller planes that once frequented the island before the tourism boom arrived. This small airport located in Northern California is about as precarious you can get. There is a reason us pilots refer to it as LaGarbage. Parking is not allowed in front of Aspens airport terminal.[7]. Good times! The runway is narrow, bumpy, and a bit short. ", "Newark was never meant for the volume of traffic that comes and goes there," he says. Today's Video: Big Jets At Aspen Airport - The Most Dangerous Airport In America? xhr.send(payload); document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { Subscribe for more Even on a. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2014-02-03/pilots-address-hazards-aspen-arrival. All of these factors combined sometimes force nose-to-nose takeoffs and landings. Telluride is the highest-elevation commercial airport in America at 9,070 feet. All rights reserved. Additionally, the runway drops off so much on both sides that pilots at one end of it can't see planes at the other. Located in the French Alps, near the Italian border, sits this dangerous airport serving ski resorts and their daredevil guests. Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, Colorado. Its a risky maneuver under the best conditions in a high-performance jet.. Bigger is not better when 737s come knocking on Aspens door, roaring overhead like valkyries and compromising the already tenuous rural character for which Aspen still claims a sense of identity and place. Few airports challenge a pilot to the same headache-inducing degree as Aspen, playground for the rich and famous. The ambitious project won the 2004 Outstanding Structure Award which is considered the Oscars of structural engineering. "Over the last four decades, there have been over 40 accidents all involving private, non-airline aircraft that caused substantial damage or the complete loss of the aircraft in the vicinity of ASE (Aspen-Pitkin County Airport). My hubby is a . Two days ago, 200 flights cancelled for a bit of wind. Jeff Bogle is an Iris Awardwinning photographer, avid traveler and English football fanatic who regularly covers travel, culture, cars, health, business, the environment and more for Reader's Digest. All 150 passengers and five crew members were plucked from the Hudson safe and sound. "The second it gets windy or they get a [millimeter] of snow, the whole place goes [haywire]," one pilot wrote on Reddit. Yeager is another short runway, but what makes this airport a bit more thrilling is that it sits atop a flattened mountain. One operator said he does not care about approach minimums. I have had the privilege (and luck) to have landed in many of these airports, and I hope you will get to experience them as well. A journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. American Airlines pilots likely breathed a sigh of relief last fall when the airline decided to discontinue flights thereostensibly due to low demand, though we'd bet pilot hatred might have had something to do with it.