Most obscure airport you've flown into?
Apr 22nd, 2007, 09:38 AM
#23
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If we're talking most remote than Easter Island is it. The airport actually is ready to receive any size planes and the NASA shuttle. NASA has a small station there in case the shuttle has to make an emergency landing.
Easter Island is the most remote spot in the world. I believe it's at least 6 hour flight from any place.
Easter Island is the most remote spot in the world. I believe it's at least 6 hour flight from any place.
Apr 23rd, 2007, 03:42 PM
#24
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My sister used to live in Joplin, MO and they had a very cute little airport. The airport had 2 gates, but my sister told me they only use 1. It had turboprop service only but it was a real airport, code JLN. She assured me that if we get to the airport just 30 minutes before flight time, we would still have plenty of time to spare and she was right.
We pulled up to the airport and parked about 30 feet from the door. (parking was free) We went in and I waited behind 2 people to check in. The metal detector had a barrier up and nobody had gone through yet. About 15 minutes before flight time they closed the checkin counter so the ticket agents could process us through the metal detector. Once we all got through the metal detector, (all 15 of us) these same people put on big ear muffs and went outside to direct planes and load luggage.
Quite obviously this was all before 9/11, as metal detectors today must be operated by TSA workers. I was very impressed with their ability to multi-task, but the days of jack-of-all-trade airports are gone.
We pulled up to the airport and parked about 30 feet from the door. (parking was free) We went in and I waited behind 2 people to check in. The metal detector had a barrier up and nobody had gone through yet. About 15 minutes before flight time they closed the checkin counter so the ticket agents could process us through the metal detector. Once we all got through the metal detector, (all 15 of us) these same people put on big ear muffs and went outside to direct planes and load luggage.
Quite obviously this was all before 9/11, as metal detectors today must be operated by TSA workers. I was very impressed with their ability to multi-task, but the days of jack-of-all-trade airports are gone.
Apr 25th, 2007, 05:56 PM
#26
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I'm not famous for many things, but certainly famous for throwing up quite often. [Most recent throw-up was November 2006 on a flight from London Heathrow to Vienna. Yup, 30 years later, I'm still throwing up on airplanes.]
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Apr 27th, 2007, 02:13 PM
#28
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telluride, co
it may sound pathetic, but the landing is a daring ride.
circle a mountain a few times, slowly lowering, then you drop at a steep incline, and pull up at the last minute to land. One exhilarating ride in a dash-7!
it may sound pathetic, but the landing is a daring ride.
circle a mountain a few times, slowly lowering, then you drop at a steep incline, and pull up at the last minute to land. One exhilarating ride in a dash-7!
Apr 28th, 2007, 08:27 AM
#29
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For me, the most obscure airport was in Jomsom (JMO), high up in the Annapurnas in Nepal in Dec. '98. The airline was "Cosmic Air" (I kid you not) and the plane, an 18 seat Twin Otter.
I was fighting a bad case of "Bali belly" and we landed in high winds on a dirt runway. The plane fishtailed on landing and it was all I could do to keep it together. We spent 11 days trekking back to the closest paved road. It was amazing.
I was fighting a bad case of "Bali belly" and we landed in high winds on a dirt runway. The plane fishtailed on landing and it was all I could do to keep it together. We spent 11 days trekking back to the closest paved road. It was amazing.
May 4th, 2007, 03:50 AM
#31
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I was born & raised in Chicago. I have always flown out of either O'Hare or Midway. 20 years ago I went to visit my brother in North Carolina. I flew into Raliegh-Durham. My brother had me fly home out of Newburn b/c it was a lot closer to his house than RD.
We were outside the airport taking photos & goofing around. Finally I said we should go inside the airport b/c I was afraid I would miss my plane. My brother gave me a strange look & said,"There is only one plane. You'll see it when it lands."(oops)
Second flight, from Cozumel to Chichen- Itza. It was a 12 seater jet prop. The pilot had me ride up front with him. (I was 26 at the time) We landed on the grass runway just like in the movie,"Against all Odds".
We were outside the airport taking photos & goofing around. Finally I said we should go inside the airport b/c I was afraid I would miss my plane. My brother gave me a strange look & said,"There is only one plane. You'll see it when it lands."(oops)
Second flight, from Cozumel to Chichen- Itza. It was a 12 seater jet prop. The pilot had me ride up front with him. (I was 26 at the time) We landed on the grass runway just like in the movie,"Against all Odds".
May 4th, 2007, 08:18 PM
#32
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Back in '71 we flew from Madrid to Freetown to visit some friends over Christmas break. I think we were on a KLM flight that stopped in Lagos, Accra, and Monrovia before Freetown. (Could have been a different airline--I was a kid and not in on the particulars.
Several hours before we were supposed to arrive at our first stop, the plane suddenly descended and before we knew what was happening, we could see endless sand dunes on both sides of the plane. Everybody was asking what was going on. We thought we were crash landing in the Sahara or something.
At the last moment we could see a smallish runway and had the hardest landing and braking I've ever experienced. We'd landed in the Spanish Sahara for some reason. We all had to get off the plane, sat in this dinky "airport" building for a while, then got back on and proceeded on our planned itinerary.
There was never any explanation...very weird. Most hole in the wall place I've ever landed. Not even sure where it was!
Several hours before we were supposed to arrive at our first stop, the plane suddenly descended and before we knew what was happening, we could see endless sand dunes on both sides of the plane. Everybody was asking what was going on. We thought we were crash landing in the Sahara or something.
At the last moment we could see a smallish runway and had the hardest landing and braking I've ever experienced. We'd landed in the Spanish Sahara for some reason. We all had to get off the plane, sat in this dinky "airport" building for a while, then got back on and proceeded on our planned itinerary.
There was never any explanation...very weird. Most hole in the wall place I've ever landed. Not even sure where it was!
May 5th, 2007, 03:52 PM
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Flying into Virgin Gorda on a 4 passenger commercial airplane, including the pilot. Flying over the old volcano and drop down onto the dirt runway.
The runway most like an amusement park ride is the landing at St. Barts. The runway cannot handle planes more than 19 passengers, because if you're long you're in the ocean.
You come in over the highest hill on the island, where the 2 main roads cross. Lots of cross winds and you move 30-45 degrees both ways as you try to land.
It's a local favorite, to watch landings. One a week, or so, a plane will clip the roof of a car, or go a tad too long. Great local amusement.
The runway most like an amusement park ride is the landing at St. Barts. The runway cannot handle planes more than 19 passengers, because if you're long you're in the ocean.
You come in over the highest hill on the island, where the 2 main roads cross. Lots of cross winds and you move 30-45 degrees both ways as you try to land.
It's a local favorite, to watch landings. One a week, or so, a plane will clip the roof of a car, or go a tad too long. Great local amusement.
Jul 2nd, 2007, 09:27 AM
#39
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Not even coming close to any of your exotic destinations and adventures:
I was quite surprised at Lorient Airport in Southern Brittany when the AF Embrear jolted at full landing speed over two catch-ropes on the runway. And when I saw two Eurofighters lining up for take-off on the taxiway.
LRT Bretagne Sud shares its facilities with French airbase, so the feeling is a bit like landing by accident on a mil airport.
I was quite surprised at Lorient Airport in Southern Brittany when the AF Embrear jolted at full landing speed over two catch-ropes on the runway. And when I saw two Eurofighters lining up for take-off on the taxiway.
LRT Bretagne Sud shares its facilities with French airbase, so the feeling is a bit like landing by accident on a mil airport.
Jul 2nd, 2007, 09:41 PM
#40
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This isn't fantastically obscure, but I'm amazed no-one's mentioned Gilgit in Pakistan.
Can there really be a view from a plane to rival that of Nanga Parbat over your head when you're at the plane's peak altitude? Or (I swear) the distant glimpse of Mount Goodwin Austen?
Can there really be a view from a plane to rival that of Nanga Parbat over your head when you're at the plane's peak altitude? Or (I swear) the distant glimpse of Mount Goodwin Austen?
