Nastiest airports you've flown in...

Kritchlow

Kritchlow

Final Approach
Joined
Dec 2, 2014
Messages
7,740
Display Name
Display name:
Kritchlow
Inspired from other thread-

1) TEX (Telluride)- if you've seen it, no explanation needed.
2) RUT (Rutland)- mountains
3) DXR (Danbury)- indescribable
4) PDK (Peachtree)- I'm likely solo on this one, but it just something about it. Can't put my finger on it. High approach angle and displaced landing south? Towers to the south when landing north? Not sure but I don't like it.

Honorable mentions:
Aspen
Eagle
 
Last edited:
Oh crap.... Almost forgot about Key Largo. Can't remember the identifier. It's private. I'll give it an honorable mention.
 
Airpark Dallas (F69).

Runway is a mess, Have to contact KADS which requires you first contact DFW approach when IB.

It is small, surrounded by infrastructure, and hard to spot.

The only reason to go there is to save the 45 dollar landing fee at KADS.


From AirNav
Surface: asphalt, in poor condition
EXTENSIVE CRACKING, LOOSE ASPH & STONES ON RY.
Runway edge lights: non-standard
Runway edge markings: NSTD CNTRLN MKG INCORRECT SIZE & SPACING. RY NRS 25 FT TALL. MKGS FADED.

Obstructions: 20 ft. pole, 220 ft. from runway, 50 ft. right of centerline, 1:1 slope to clear
ROAD AT 58 FT; +4 FT FENCE AT 20 FT FM THLD ON EXTDD CNTRLN;
19 FT SIGN AT 124 FT FM THLD 70 FT EAST OF EXTDD CNTRLN.
41 ft. tree, 528 ft. from runway, 33 ft. left of centerline, 8:1 slope to clear
30 FT TREES AT 25 FT FM THLD 130 FT R; +4 FENCE AT THLD 100 FT RIGHT. +15 FT RD 110 FT R.
 
Not mainstream... just a tiny little place but the scariest I've had to deal with (cut me some slack here, new pilot). Glenwood Springs near Aspen. I did this with a CFI to help expand my boundaries. Coming from the northwest needed to hug terrain and execute a 180 into the canyon to get on final. Plus you pass over a drainage creek that disrupts lift when you are around 15-20 feet agl. That was an exciting learning experience.
 
Tununak AK, 4KA. Ocean at one end and a creek at the other.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/4ka


Cape Newenham

http://www.airnav.com/airport/PAEH


I win. We can shut the thread down.


- CAUTION: RWY LOCATED ON SLOPE OF 2305 FT MOUNTAIN.
- ALL MILITARY, GOVERNMENT AND CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT MUST OBTAIN A PPR NUMBER 24 HRS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED ARRIVAL BUT NO LATER THAN 1 HR PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR THE SITE. CONTACT SITE PERSONNEL AT: DSN 317-552-9419/9370, C907-552-9419/9370.
- PASSENGERS MUST COORDINATE ALL TRAVEL WITH ARS PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (DSN 317-552-4400/9630 OR C907-552-4400/9630) PRIOR TO ANY NON-EMERGENCY TRAVEL TO THE SITE.
- CONTACT 611 ASUS/LRAM AT DSN: 317-552-1448/4176 OR COM: 907-552-1448/4176 FOR CALPS. MAIL CALP APPLICATION TO: ATTN: 11 AF AIRFIELD MANAGER 10471 20TH STREET SUITE 231, JBER, AK 99506. CIVIL AIRCRAFT LANDING PERMIT (CALP) CONTACT NUMBERS DSN: 317-552-1448/4176 OR COM: (907) 552-1448/4176, E-MAIL: AKLANDINGPERMITS@US.AF.MIL.
- APCH FM NW, LAND RWY 14 ONLY. TKOF RWY 32 ONLY. HIGH TERRAIN BOTH SIDES & S END. SUCCESSFUL GO AROUND IMPROBABLE.
- RWY AND PARKING APRON ON 7.9% GRADE. LAST 200 FT RWY 14 MAY CONTAIN PARKED ACFT.
- ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE PRIOR TO LANDING. AFTER INITIAL CONTACT ON FREQ 126.2 OR 121.5 EXPECT A 30 MIN DELAY FOR CURRENT AIRSTRIP CONDITIONS.
- USAF INSTALLATION. ALL CIVIL ACFT OPERATORS MUST HAVE A CURRENT CIVIL AIRCRAFT LANDING PERMIT (CALP) BEFORE A PPR CAN BE ISSUED. IAW AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 10-1001 (HTTP://STATIC.E-PUBLISHING.AF.MIL/PRODUCTION/1/AF_A3_5/PUBLICATION/AFI10-1001/AFI10-1001.PDF) AT LEAST 30 DAYS PRIOR TO FIRST INTENDED LANDING. FAILURE TO OBTAIN AND HAVE ONBOARD APPROVED CALP WILL RESULT IN FINES LEVIED AGAINST VIOLATORS AND REPORTS FORWARDED TO THE FAA FSDO AND U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IAW 32 CFR 855 AND USAF OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS.
 
Last edited:
Shamrock TX.

Airpark Dallas is a paradise compared to Shamrock.
 
Any airport with its single runway having a paved width less than one wingspan. I'm used to it, but just don't have as much fun at these due to the ever present crosswinds.
I frequent Skywest 7T7, close to my home drome, where the best part of the pavement is truly less than it's advertised width.
Glad I have no business going to Twin Oaks T94 in San Antonio.
 
Fall River, MA (since closed). The old short runway, 1,600'. Landfill on the southeast end, 30' brick building on the northwest end, in a Cessna 150 at max gross. CFI taught me the reason you fly by the book numbers for Vx.
 
The old Rancho California Airport at Temecula CA (2L0) was pretty gnarly. Its deteriorating asphalt runway was at the base of a mountain ridge, which gave it unpleasant crosswinds and made it impossible to see coming from the west (guess where I had students fly to on their first dual cross-country from Long Beach).

Rancho California closed in 1989 when the much nicer French Valley Airport (F70) opened a few miles to the north.

And it's been forty years since I've landed at Hawthorne (KHHR) or Compton (KCPM), and I wasn't crazy about those, either.
 
Last edited:
docmirror said:
Go to both and find out yourself.

I double dog dare ya.:D
Click to expand...

One of these days I'm going to fly up to the DFW area (probably McKinney)... may have to go give them a shot then! Fortunately I don't have wheel pants, because some of those cracks look scary enough lol
 
Airpark Dallas is hard to spot, it's narrow, and there's no place to go if you screw up. I'll give you that. Shamrock is a wasteland. I think some of the nuclear materials leaked out of Pantex down the road and infested Shamrock. I keep thinking I'm gonna see a zombie come floating out of one of the abandoned buildings, or the gas pump is going to launch itself 300 feet in the air when I turn the pump on. They may not even have gas anymore, i gave up on it about 2 years back. The runway is dodge-em holes and chunky asphalt, and the place is just ghost-town scary. They used to sell mogas real cheap, and there was a reason it was priced that way.
 
Cowboy... Your post reminded me of UDD, Bermuda Dunes. We went there with the jet and even AFTER we found it, it was scary. Especially taxi.
 
Kritchlow said:
Cowboy... Your post reminded me of UDD, Bermuda Dunes. We went there with the jet and even AFTER we found it, it was scary. Especially taxi.
Click to expand...

Oh Yeah! I haven't been there for decades, but that was one hole in the desert. Jeeez, you could get blown over and sand blasted in about 20 min. Good one, don't know if it's still open or not.

Ocotillo Wells was no picnic either. I swear I hit a coyote landing there one afternoon but I walked back and didn't see any carcass so it was all good.
 
Hands down, Valhalla 84C near Milwaukee. It's technically still open, though it's now listed as "OBJECTIONABLE" on the chart:

CAUTION: RWY EXTRMLY ROUGH & ELEV VARIES 30'; ACFT WITH NOSE WHEELS AVOID EAST 1100' OF RWY.
RWY HAS EXCESSIVE LTRL & LONGL UNDULATIONS FOR SAFE ACFT OPNS; USBL RWY LENGTH & OBSTN CLNC DO NOT OFFER AN ACPTBL LEVEL OF SAFETY FOR ACFT OPNS.

I thought my landing gear was gonna get punched through the wing when I landed there, and the taxiway that was cut through the corn wasn't even wide enough to use with a low wing plane so I just flipped around and took off again. Yuck. And that east 1100' shouldn't be used by anyone, it drops the entire 30-foot elevation change in a very small lateral distance and there are huge trees right at that end of the runway.
 
Any one where I have to worry about getting shot at on final
 
Booneville AR (4M2) / slopes down/up / hay bales / narrow / obstacles / big hills

No sweat for the 180 really, but what got us ...

The FBO guy said "y'all from around these parts?" :hairraise::lol:



2616183173_teeth_deliverance1_xlarge.jpeg
 
docmirror said:
Oh Yeah! I haven't been there for decades, but that was one hole in the desert. Jeeez, you could get blown over and sand blasted in about 20 min. Good one, don't know if it's still open or not.
Click to expand...

Still there. 15 bucks cheaper than Palm Springs, and easier to walk to the stadium.
 
Zeldman said:
Thanks.... I'll have nightmares tonight. :lol:
Click to expand...

Dude there is still a swirl from my ******* on the seat of the 207 I flew in there with.

edit: PS were you flying around Hollo Bay Sunday? Heard a couple guys buzzing around while I was sitting right seat in the KA.
 
KTCS , Truth or Consequences, NM. We diverted there one day due to weather. With friends on board. Unstaffed, no online services, no courtesy car and too far to walk anywhere, one couch in the FBO building ridden with fleas. As the weather got closer, made the command decision to get the heck out of there fast with my 3 passengers so we wouldn't get stuck.

That's nasty.
 
Been to Rutland. Other than the mountains creating some bumps on approach, not bad at all.
 
Kritchlow said:
Inspired from other thread-

1) TEX (Telluride)- if you've seen it, no explanation needed.
2) RUT (Rutland)- mountains
3) DXR (Danbury)- indescribable
4) PDK (Peachtree)- I'm likely solo on this one, but it just something about it. Can't put my finger on it. High approach angle and displaced landing south? Towers to the south when landing north? Not sure but I don't like it.

Honorable mentions:
Aspen
Eagle
Click to expand...
I''ve never had a problem with Telluride. BUT, that said, I don't attempt it if the weather is questionable.
 
The only problem I have with PDK is the machine gun rapid fire instructions coming from tower. Damn, better be on your game at that place, it can be busy.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
It's technically still open, though it's now listed as "OBJECTIONABLE" on the chart:
Click to expand...

That objectionable tag wouldn't be because of the conditions, it's due to issues with airspace or similar (but there's nothing they can do about it). It's may be due to the towers east and west of the field with the 9/27 rwy config, but I'm having trouble seeing why.
 
I thought Auburn, CA (KAUN) was pretty scary landing on 25 - terrain and non-flat runway, for a student at 30 hours.
 
Kritchlow said:
Inspired from other thread-

1) TEX (Telluride)- if you've seen it, no explanation needed.
2) RUT (Rutland)- mountains
3) DXR (Danbury)- indescribable
4) PDK (Peachtree)- I'm likely solo on this one, but it just something about it. Can't put my finger on it. High approach angle and displaced landing south? Towers to the south when landing north? Not sure but I don't like it.

Honorable mentions:
Aspen
Eagle
Click to expand...
I haven't been to Rutland or Danbury but I have no problem with Telluride, Peachtree, Aspen or Eagle, all of which I've been to multiple times with the last year. Of all of those, probably Aspen is the most challenging. Eagle, not at all.
 
In my limited experience so far the worst I have delt with was Chester, CT (KSNC). Landing there was quite an experience that is for sure. It doesnt seem like its a super short runway (2700 x 50) on paper, but the winds have plenty of tricks up their sleeves to make you use every inch on landing there. The one time i landed there was probably the scariest landing I have had because where I touched down was before my go/no go point, but holy crap i was fighting the urge to go around after i was on the ground because I was running out of runway fast. Unfortunately with the trees at the end I dont know if I would have been able to climb out with the remaining runway and didn't want to find out the hard way.

The real issue seemed to be that on the end of 35 there is a drop off and right around the threshold the CTLS i was flying really wanted to balloon right at the edge. that and the winds were squirrely and quite different on the ground due to the terrain and hangar placement.

Now I fully admit that a lot of this may be that I am still fairly low time, but I am going to do some more short field practice before I consider going there again.
 
Clark1961 said:
Wussy - go into the Minam or Big Creek (or any number if Idaho strips)...
Click to expand...
I'll say that the most challenging airport I've been to was with Bob B. I was not flying, nor would I have attempted it with my limited skill in small airplanes at farm fields. That was the little place he took me to near Gastons.
 
Last edited:
I would also have to disagree with Rutland, though I will admit that it, as well as DXR, are probably a very different experience in a jet. In a lowly bugsmasher, if the pilot is on his/her game and the winds aren't too hairy, I'm not too worried about either.

My picks:

1. Sebewaing, MI (I forget the identifier): the runway is short and in really bad shape. I wouldn't land my Cardinal there.

2. Mackinac Island, MI (MCD): Worst winds I've ever experienced, on two different occasions. They weren't especially strong, but made up for that by being variable on the time scale of fractions of a second.

3. Parlin Field, NH (2B3): because of the surrounding mountains, NOT the field itself which is one of my favorites. But if there's any significant wind at all, watch out.

4. Oakland-Troy, MI (KVLL): the approach to rwy 9 is excessively steep due to obstacles, including trees and a power line. You also go right over a mall, and the thermals on both ends of the runway can ruin all your plans in a hurry. I've had two instructors say they would not sign off a student to go in there alone. I was based there 2008-2014.

5. Dalton Field, MI (3DA): 2500 foot runway, displaced by 800 feet on both ends due to trees. Very doable if you know the field, but you need a well-picked go-around point and the discipline to follow through if you don't have all three down and settled by then.

Honorable mention: Kellys Island, OH: short runway with a sharp downslope on the east end. Wouldn't try taking off to the west in a Cardinal.

Okay, these are all probably a piece of cake for anyone who trained in the Rockies. But I found them a lot tougher than either DXR or RUT.
 
Last edited:
DavidWhite said:
Tununak AK, 4KA. Ocean at one end and a creek at the other.
Click to expand...

First time I went into Tununak, AK there was a 45kt crosswind that I found out about later. All I knew was the windsock was straight out and I couldn't stay lined up on the runway. I ended up landing on the taxiway. Actually, I called it a crosswind landing on the runway with a 90 degree crab.

Crooked Creek could be a pretty knarley place to get into sometimes. It was nestled in between two mountains and had a pretty significant upslope. If there was a crosswind, you ALWAYS had a sinker on short final. Made for some interesting landings.

The old Marshall was a pain too. It seemed like it was always a tailwind landing from both directions. And at 1900' you really needed to do it right. I was glad when they opened up the new Marshall.
 
Kritchlow said:
Inspired from other thread-


2) RUT (Rutland)- mountains
Click to expand...
Really? I flew into Rutland on a student dual night cross country and flew there with my wife on my second flight after getting my private certificate. I don't recall it being particularly challenging when compared with airports (paved, without considering backcountry strips) such as Glenwood Springs (KGWS) in Colorado (in a canyon), Angel Fire (KAXX) in New Mexico (on a plateau with substantial crosswinds venturied by the peaks to the west) or Mountain Air (2NC0) in North Carolina (a private airport for a fly-in community in the shadow of the highest peak in the eastern mountains).
 
midlifeflyer said:
Really? I flew into Rutland on a student dual night cross country and flew there with my wife on my second flight after getting my private certificate. I don't recall it being particularly challenging when compared with airports (paved, without considering backcountry strips) such as Glenwood Springs (KGWS) in Colorado (in a canyon), Angel Fire (KAXX) in New Mexico (on a plateau with substantial crosswinds venturied by the peaks to the west) or Mountain Air (2NC0) in North Carolina (a private airport for a fly-in community in the shadow of the highest peak in the eastern mountains).
Click to expand...

I'll agree with Glenwood Springs. Angel Fire wasn't so bad but I don't remember it being windy that day and I'm sure that makes a big difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top