Aspen/Pitkin County Airport to Close May 10-24, 2023 for Airfield Pavement Maintenance Learn more. Aspen has some of the best care for ski mountains and skiing in the world, some of the best cross-country skiing and hiking trails, world-class music, the Aspen Institute, and award-winning hotels and restaurants. Opened in 1946, Aspen-Pitkin County Airport was a privately owned airport. From the very beginning, the airport has seen many crash landing including the deadly one in 2001 of a Gulfstream charter plane. The landing at Tioman Island has pilots heading straight for a mountain and then making a quick 90-degree turn to line up with the runway. It's in the middle of nowhere, and almost completely deserted. ", Another pilot writes, "LaGaurdia is 100 percent the worst. 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. In Paro, Bhutan only 17 pilots are trained to maneuver the breathtaking landing and in small airports in remote locations like Norway and Antarctica, the landings are even more dramatic. Two days ago, 200 flights cancelled for a bit of wind. They built a series of platforms on an artificial island extending from the current runway. Today's Video: Big Jets At Aspen Airport - The Most Dangerous Airport In America? Even under visual conditions, mountains that rise 5,000 to 6,000 feet above field elevation make Aspen a one-way-in, one-way-out airport: land on Runway 15 and depart from Runway 33. 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 planes landing here to touchdown at inclined angles just to slow down. Ever grabbed that airplane armrest a little tighter during landing? We should know the different capabilities of the different aircraft now. Fair Game. Tackling Everest might be the least scary of all! They were right on minimums, and I was seconds away from calling a missed approach when I got the runway? The Telluride Regional Airport is considered by many to be one of the most dangerous airports in the country. The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport operates on a core set of community values: safety, health and well-being, environmental responsibility, and operational efficiency. The 6,500-foot runway only allows for arrivals and departures during the daytime. Another dangerous high altitude airport makes the list because, according to Interesting Engineering, in order for planes to prepare for the descent into Toncontin Airport, they must make a quick 45-degree bank turn to reach the runway in a valley then rapidly drop altitude, being careful not to scrape the terrain directly underneath. Brush up on these tips on how to survive a plane crash before you fly. It doesnt help it makes some of the most dangerous airports list. All Rights Reserved. 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. You do not want to cross these sneaky signs. Its a risky maneuver under the best conditions in a high-performance jet.. "The second it gets windy or they get a [millimeter] of snow, the whole place goes [haywire]," one pilot wrote on Reddit. Passengers, prepare for your ears to pop! Pilots need a special license to fly into Aspen Airport because its so dangerous! Bookmarks are saved to your account and can be accessed from any device. The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is certificated as a Class I, ARFF Index B commercial service airport under FAR Part 139. So I avoid it like the plague. The terminal has a cellphone parking lot to accommodate motorists waiting to pick up passengers. Today, I would vote no. It landed in the second spot on Honeywell's list. 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. Three years minimum experience. You might think that King Kong is dangerous but his native island (Saba provided the silhouette for Skull Island in the original King Kong film) in the Dutch Caribbean (a 15-minute flight from St. Maarten) has an airport that incites more fear than the famous gorilla ever could. You can also count on excited kids to do any number of other disruptive thingspush the call button, play with the seats, and, perhaps most grating, start singing tunes from Frozen. Few airports challenge a pilot to the same headache-inducing degree as Aspen, playground for the rich and famous. 2022 Galvanized Media. Only eight(!!!) Commercial interests are clearly at the controls, guiding the proposed Hindenburg of an airport expansion on the assumption that bigger jets will bring more passengers and more money to enrich insatiable commercial interests. Swipe is only available in chrome dev tools mobile mode. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=b33647a7-cfc9-4622-8744-8db2ccb386a9&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=581001735045528842'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); Today's Video: Big Jets At Aspen Airport - The Most Dangerous Airport In America? but while landing at a dangerous airport like Aspen during poor weather, the onset of night should have given them pause. On my next visit, I will be taking the ferry from neighboring St. Maarten. If you are flying into Lukla, you are likely heading to climb Mount Everest. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); They just let them do it.". If you were Ref plus 20 and broke out right at minimums, you were not going to get on the runway where you should. Princess Juliana International Airport / St. Maarten. Aspen Airport: pretty in summer and potentially dangerous in winter. On my next visit, I will be taking the ferry from neighboring St. Maarten. When we landed, I counted at least 20 planes sitting around waiting for gates, apparently some had been waiting for two-plus hours.". ASE is a small airport for small planes only, and traffic tends to stop in any inclement weather. No aircraft operations are permitted between 23:00 local and 07:00 local. An October 2018 opinion piece in the Aspen Times began with an ominous statement; "The Aspen Airport is rated the most dangerous in the United States." The airport has been the scene of. } All the operators AIN spoke to have a policy that prohibits them from conducting night operations at Aspen. 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. ", Perhaps worse than crying kids are entitled rich people, and pilots get plenty of those in this destination for the wealthy. Of course, this is the reason why the No. Due to the lack of runway lights, flights are only permitted during daylight, thus hindering flights duringthe winter when the sun never rises. Copyright 2023 AIN Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Landing gear and flaps must be extended before the final approach fix at Aspen if the airplane is to get down in time and still be slow enough for touchdown. On the bright side, there are some incredible airports and destinations you can now reach thanks to these 20 Exciting New Flight Routes Coming in 2020. Between October and February, northwesterly winds can often exceed the tailwind limitation for many aircraft. The airport needed to be built on permafrost with the runway insulated against the ground so it will not melt during the summer. Not surprisingly, another Colorado Rocky Mountain airport is ranked as one of the most dangerous. According to the Aviation Global Incident Map, there wereover 500 emergency landings and 20 plane crashes worldwide this year, and none of them were at any of the most dangerous airports. And so it goes . It's becoming more common in people under 55. Any airport that requires special pilot training easily makes a list of the most dangerous airports in the world. In the winter, its regular, weekly flights number more than 170 (not including extra flights often run during busy holiday seasons). Searching the world for the most amazing People, Places and Things. Many of these airports are accessible only by well trained and qualified pilots. But, can you believe among all this excellence, we are home to the most dangerous airport in the United States with 50 crashes in 55 years of aircraft coming and going from our airport. Meanwhile, the $400 million estimate for Aspens expansion is a princely sum for grandiose designs at the most dangerous airport in the country. The minimums were not based on how low you could go without hitting rocks, they were based on how low you could go, lose an engine and climb out safely. It also can demand that any private pilot who plans to come to the Aspen airport must first pass a vigorous mountain flying exam or pay a steep penalty. And if you're delayed, you can be sure you'll hear some smart comments.". Yeager is another short runway, but what makes this airport a bit more thrilling is that it sits atop a flattened mountain. Congonhas Airport / Sao Paulo, Brazil Sao Paulo's Congonhas airport iswell known to pilots for its short runway and dangerous approach. Caroline Bonynge, the airport's director of operations, said the private plane "had a hard landing and lost tires, but did not have a belly landing.". 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. SOCIAL MEDIAS:Discord Server: https://discord.gg/bucSStwInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/milehigh_aviation/Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/milehigh_15-MY AIRPORTS- Denver International Airport (Will Be Done September 2021)- Honolulu International Airport (Operational)- Colorado Springs Airport (Operational)- Montrose Regional Airport (Will Be Done October 2021)-VIDEO SCHEDULETuesday, Friday, and Sunday-FUTURE GOALS FOR THE CHANNEL- Have 10,000 subsribers by 2023-EQUIPMENT Camera - Canon VIXIA HF G 60Editing Software - Filmora XPC - Alienware i7 Computer-This content may not be used with out permission granted.MileHigh Aviation -#GeminiJets #milehighaviation #geminijetsairport #geminijetsairportupdate No thank you! "We really don't want to scare people from flying, so maybe we should call these the most "thrilling" airports to land at. Wow Travel says that the Gibraltar Airport has but one runway and that that dangerous runway cuts right through the main street of the city! Morphing the quaint Aspen airport of today the most dangerous airport in the U.S. into a Jetsons-style spaceport is being sold to the public as an economic necessity, when its not. Saba island also is known as King Kong island with the tiny airport in the far right. Aspen/Pitkin Co. Airport/Sardy Field covers an area of 573 acres (232 ha) at an elevation of 7,820 feet (2,384 m) above mean sea level. Due to its surrounding terrain structures in the North, East and South, Aspen Airport only has one possible starting direction. Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras (ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/Getty Images). All 150 passengers and five crew members were plucked from the Hudson safe and sound. Since its founding, The Town of Carbondale is accepting applications for our Parks Department temporary/seasonal positions. Telluride Regional Airport, Telluride, Colo. The terrain, the weather . Leave the runway where it is, and dont move it 80 feet to the west, putting incoming and outgoing aircraft closer to Shale Bluffs, and. The lowest landing minimums at ASE are available only to pilots who complete special FAA-training. Under the runways are culverts allowing water to run from the mountain. 1 in difficulty: Pilots landing here require special training due to its steep approach path. Paul Andersens column appears on Mondays. 2. 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. Aspen's airport has reopened Saturday afternoon following an hour-long closure after a private plane had a "hard landing," an airport official said. National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, Automated surface observing system (ASOS), Learn how and when to remove this template message, "FAA expands weather camera coverage in Colorado and Montana General Aviation News", "Nonstop Growth in Austin Leads to More Nonstops to Austin", "Delta is back: Airline's return to Aspen market drives down airfare, at least temporarily", "Aspen airport remains closed after crash that killed 1, injured 2", "NTSB concludes winds, pilot error led to fatal crash at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspen/Pitkin_County_Airport&oldid=1136741674. CRMS offers. Airfarewatchdog.com suspects this is because the airport requires a swift descent at high altitude. The runway at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport was lengthened and widened in 1983 to be 7,006 feet long by 100 feet wide. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb. But when the passengers break into applause on landing and you walk out into the magnificent fresh air and temple style airport, it is well worth the adventure. This can lead to occasional delays, cancellations, and weight restrictions depending on wind strength and direction. Alexandros Papadiamantis airport on the Greek island of Skiathos, MCAS Futenma in Okinawa, Damascus International Airport, Aspen Airport, St. Bart's and many others. Site by TMBR. now I know what you were trying to tell me. And yes, we did land, he was a talented aviator. This is likely due to the fact that the airport, which is wedged between two mountains, requires a swift descent at high altitude.. With mountains to the north and east, Mexican . Executive Administrative Assistant Colorado Mountain College Aspen & Carbondale Please go to: www.coloradomtn.edu/employment for more information. 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. FAR Part 36 Stage II aircraft operations are not permitted more than 30 minutes after official sunset. To make things worse, one writer points out that the crosswinds here are intense, due to the airport's water-adjacent location. Engineers had to build a platform to expand this runway, where the landing stripis located between steep cliffs and the ocean. McBride described the local airport as "dangerous" and said he was . This downtown airport is considered one of the most dangerous, according to Airfarewatchdog.com. The runways are also considered the most slippery in the world and have resulted in a large number of fatal crashes. Get ready for a bumpy landing if you're flying into this California airport. Paul Andersen. The approach isalmost at a cliff, alongside the jagged terrain of Saba and then a sharp bank left before an immediate landing. Email resume to: samantha@cprestaurants.com or, The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. The ambitious project won the 2004 Outstanding Structure Award which is considered the Oscars of structural engineering. It is located in a heavily built-up part of thehuge city and gives you the impression that you are scraping the tops of high rise buildings as you land. How dangerous is the landing at this rather unassuming airport with the microscopic 6,500-foot runway tucked in among 18,000-foot peaks of the Himalayan Mountains? In the popular ski town of Aspen in the United States is the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport. Flight Tracker; COVID-19 Information; Guest Services; Food & Beverage; Terminal Map; Operating Airlines; Security; Airport Badging; Parking & Transportation. 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. At only 1,300 feet long, only well-trained pilots are allowed to fly in the area. Perhaps its a wrong assumption that the citizens of Rifle would even want to accommodate Aspens air travelers. Airport operations staff operates from the airport's Operations Center, constructed in 2006 on the west side of the airport. 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. 1. Swipe is only available in chrome dev tools mobile mode. On a training flight into Aspen one weekend, I put a high time, skilled captain, in the left seat for his first flight into Aspen with weather. Pilots are forced to make a dramatic sharp turn and land near the valley, and the experience is often compared to landing on an aircraft carrier. Instead, McBride suggests developing the Rifle airport as a more sensible regional airport, taking advantage of a much larger and flatter valley, an existing 7,000-foot-long East/West runway with takeoffs/landings in the same direction, and with an elevation almost 2,500 feet lower than Aspen to allow greater lift and milder weather conditions. 13 Worst Airports to Fly Into, According to Pilots, 20 Exciting New Flight Routes Coming in 2020. This airport can get a little rocky. After the attacks of Sept. 11, security forces strongly enforce these rules. 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. 4.9K views 1 year ago hello, today we are plane spotting at the DANGEROUS AIRPORT of Aspen Regional Airport! He is the proud dad of teen daughters. There is a reason us pilots refer to it as LaGarbage. All of these factors combined sometimes force nose-to-nose takeoffs and landings. The strong winds are the most threatening element to landing on the 6,000-foot runway. Although no one was hurt, the plane sustained significant damage. Some have compared taking off at this airport to a "ballistic missile" and a "space shuttle liftoff.". 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. Masks are available but not required inside the Airport. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Major carriers to Aspen include United Express and American Airlines. Tellurides Regional Airport sits over 9,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest commercial airport in North America. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2014-02-03/pilots-address-hazards-aspen-arrival. Responsible for overseeing a variety of efforts in support of various aspects, Full-Time (5 days per week 8 hour shifts morning and/or afternoon shifts) at Colorado Rocky Mountain School. 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. Per Title X of the Pitkin County Code, the airport has several unique operating limitations. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Combining air and ground travel to accommodate regional needs well into the future is good planning. It's old. The approach was unique, because unlike most VOR approaches, you had better be configured to land when you crossed the VOR, then fly Ref plus 10 to minimums. 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Such a plan would make our dangerous airport even more so. This facility houses airport operations and facilities maintenance staff, as well as the airport's fleet of ARFF, snow removal, and other airport equipment. In addition to the regular appearance of ice and snow, conditions also feature swirling winds and mountains on either side. 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. Aspen has some of the best care for ski mountains and skiing in the world, some of the best cross-country skiing and hiking trails, world-class music, the Aspen Institute, and award-winning hotels and restaurants. 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! CRJ-700 jets operated by commercial airlines receive new passengers at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport earlier this week. Aspen-Pitkin County Airport; Aspen, CO. Shutterstock. Reagan National Airport, Washington, D.C. Pilots have to be especially skilled to fly into this difficult airport. With mountains to the north and east, Mexican airspace to the south and strong tailwinds blowing in from the west, pilots better watch out. One pilot, writing on Reddit, laid out his reasons for avoiding it: This despised airport is a major pain in large part because it's the most heavily guarded airspace in the world, seriously restricting pilots' options (unless they want to have a fighter jet roll up next to them). This airport is located on the beach in the shallow bay of Traigh Mhr on a remote island. I flew into Aspen regularly for 26 years, many, many weekends every year, starting before they had an approach and would clear you to SKIER intersection at 16,000 feet to hold. if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, Aspen, Colo. . 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. Since its founding, The Town of Carbondale is accepting applications for our Parks Department temporary/seasonal positions. 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. That crash killed 18 people onboard. ", The proportion of children on flights heading to this airport is perhaps higher than any other in the country (or world, for that matter). 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. This airport is thought to be one of the most dangerous in the United States because it is in a very dangerous area. The tricky approach through the mountainous area is well known for itsgusty winds which make it extremely difficult to maneuver landings. Letter to the Editor Letter-to-the-editor | September 8, 2020. In 2011 this runway was . There is even a point when the bottom of the plane comes perilously close to mountaintop homes on approach, one red cliffside home is the key focal point for pilots on their approach. Besides the congested airspace that all airports in the area suffer from, one pilot explained to AOL Travel that Newark stands out as "the worst. [1], It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 20192023, in which it is categorized as a non-hub primary commercial service facility. Copyright 2023 Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, ASE. The highest commercial airport in the United States, its runway sits on a plateau above the San Miguel River and dips in the middle. 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. Theres no cost/benefit in sacrificing long-term safety and efficiency for short term expedience and convenience. These reflect our local character and mission to preserve the high quality of life you're sure to experience throughout your visit in Pitkin County. Pilots must be certified to land in Aspen. This downtown airport is considered one of the most dangerous, according to Airfarewatchdog.com. 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. The food [is terrible] and it's insanely expensive. Check out more of the scariest airports to take off from and land at. [6] For most aircraft operations, especially commercial operations using CRJ-700 planes, aircraft must land to the south but take off to the north. The airp. "This is likely due to the fact that the airport, which is wedged between two mountains, requires a swift descent at high altitude.". Any advice on what i can tell her to reassure her that the ASE airport is safe even a night landing? Provided Pilots will tell you that flying into and out of Aspen can be dangerous and so does the data. Plus, there are those sharp turns along the Potomac River, making landing a serious pain. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swiss001yt/\rTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/swiss001yt/\rDiscord: https://discord.gg/swiss001\r\rMy editor Kepyy (edits every other day):\r\rhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa5Uvl2Wb8zg6E0fuXgW89A\r\rPatreon:\rEmil Trane\rPatrick Fox\rFalasiGamer\rAlexander pace\rBrady Brooks\rOK\rT Bone\rC4 Shadow \rCannedPig TV \rpevetti\rTushar Agarwal \rCebu 516\rSwiss001FanBoy\rF.