What do Barra, Honduras and Guatemala City all have in common? They are all in the top 10 scariest airports in the world – but in another survey, Barra was voted in the top 10 ‘inspirational approaches’.Michael Alexander recently spent a family holiday on Barra and found out for himself whether it was scary or inspirational.
The one-hour flight from Glasgow had been an experience in itself, and gave a different perspective on the five-hour journey normally taken from Oban aboard Caledonian MacBrayne’s regular ferry, the Clansman.
But as the twin-engined turbo-prop began its descent from 8000 feet towards the small crop of land appearing on the horizon ahead, the 13 passengers knew that they were in for a thrilling finale as they prepared to land on one of the world’s most unusual landing strips a beach.
Touching down without a paved strip may seem like a crash landing for unsuspecting passengers, but on Barra, at the southernmost end of the Outer Hebrides, it’s a normal experience.
When the airport isn’t in service the beach is a popular spot for locals to hunt for cockles, but when the windsock is flying you would do well to observe from afar.
Only one airline flies to Barra, and passengers can expect to arrive safely on one of the three runways (marked by concrete poles) formed when the tide goes out.
As one of the only airports in the world where beach landings still occur, it’s an unusual experience and has passengers almost literally on the edge of their seats as the aircraft banks around and prepares to touch down amid a sea of spray.Tourists gatherTourists on the ground also gather outside the remote terminal building with cameras in hand when they know a flight is due. Only the cynical would say it’s because they might witness a crash!
But the beaming smiles of passengers says it all as they step from the plane onto the beach and make their way into the tiny terminal building with its popular cafe and friendly staff. Many are amused to see that baggage reclaim looks more like a bus shelter in the tiny car park.
British Airways aircraft maintenance technician Barry Quinn, from Kirkcaldy, flew from Heathrow Airport to Barra, via Glasgow, for a short break. He has flown to all corners of the world on holiday, but ranks his Barra experience as one of the most unusual.
He said, “When we flew in, most passengers weren’t exactly sure where the runway was.
“We were descending, descending, descending, then the plane banked around and came in very low over a narrow strip of sand dunes before landing on a piece of sand which had clearly been covered by sea just an hour or so earlier.”
He added, “It was all perfectly safe the pilots who fly this run are in total control but it’s a wee bit disconcerting as a passenger when you are used to landing on proper runways!”
We had arrived on Barra by ferry a five-hour crossing from Oban preceded by a three-hour drive from the east coast but I had to make an unexpected three-day trip home to Fife for a funeral.
The quickest return was to fly back to Glasgow and it was certainly an experience. The views flying across The Minch and down over Argyll were outstanding, and with trains working seamlessly, I was home just four hours after taking off from the Barra beach.Hair-raising dropsBut while a published survey by SmarterTravel listed Barra as the world’s sixth scariest airport, it actually seems fairly mild by comparison when you look at the full selection.
Toncontin International Airport, Honduras Getting through the mountains is only one hurdle to overcome for a safe landing in Tegucigalpa. During descent, planes need to make a 45-degree bank to reach the 7000-foot runway located in a valley. Due to the mountainous terrain, passengers will experience a quick drop in altitude for the plane to line up with the runway. Frequent winds complicate matters, as pilots are forced to make last-second adjustments.
Gibraltar Airport, Gibraltar As if having the Mediterranean Sea to the east and the Bay of Gibraltar to the west of the airport weren’t enough to complicate a landing, the main road to Spain also intersects the runway. You may be thankful if your plane gets diverted to a nearby airport due to weather, though you’ll still have to brave the runway when you walk over it to get from Spain to the British overseas territory. Because of this, traffic must be stopped when planes are using the airport, and pilots must quickly engage the brakes, as the 6000-foot runway doesn’t leave much room for error.
Nantucket Memorial Airport, Massachusetts The US Army Air Corps specifically chose Nantucket, or the Grey Lady, as a training base during the second world war because of the frequent fog and low ceilings that make navigation a challenge, forcing pilots to rely solely on instruments to fly. In a matter of minutes, fog can roll in and turn clear, blue skies grey.
Paro International Airport, Bhutan If you want to visit Bhutan, chances are you’ll have to fly into Paro, the only international airport in the country. Soaring through 16,000-foot Himalayas with whipping winds gets your adrenaline pumping as you approach the 6050-foot runway in a deep, tree-lined valley. Pilots are trained to fly into Bhutan and accessing the airport is entirely dependent on good weather.
Yeager Airport, West Virginia In Coonskins Ridge, Charleston, the arport’s cliff-face, at an elevation of 982 feet, can be intimidating, especially when you have only 6302 feet of runway. It’s a flattened mountain-top if planes overshoot the runway, there’s nowhere to go but down.
La Aurora International Airport, Guatemala Mountains, altitude and a steep drop at the end of the runway make flying into La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City a fun ride, even from a pilot’s point of view. Pilots have to weave their way through a series of volcanoes, including the active Pacaya that recently caused the airport to close, before flying low over the city and approaching a runway at the edge of a valley.
LaGuardia Airport, New York City The main 7000-foot runways at LaGuardia were extended in 1967 over water. In case gliding over Flushing and Bowery bays isn’t enough of a thrill, pilots have to avoid interfering with flights from two other extremely busy airports nearby JFK and Newark. With the airport a mere eight miles from Midtown, it can create the illusion of planes skimming rooftops.
Wellington International Airport, Wellington, New Zealand With a single 6351-foot runway that appears to begin and end in crystal blue waters, it’s easy to see why flying into Wellington may make you uneasy. Strong cross-winds are a challenge, with the northen approach descending between hills and over trolley lines.
John Wayne Airport, Santa Ana, California Strict noise requirements may not seem scary at first, but if you’re not expecting engine cutbacks during take-off, it can be disconcerting. Due to its proximity to communities, JWA has one of the most stringent aircraft access and noise monitoring programs in the USA, if not the world. Pilots begin their take-offs close to full power, then incline quickly and steeply before reducing engine power.
Photos used under Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user calflier001.