Exciting approaches

[John_Cillis 2,406]

Sim or real life, there are approaches that are breathtaking.  A few for me, all real life:

SFO 28L or 28R.....  You are over the water on approach until the last possible second, then the threshold slides underneath you....

London Heathrow, landing to the west......  In 1984 I came in from over central London, seeing all the sights along the Thames as we flew in from the west, then turned around over approx London City airport to land back to the west.  It was exciting and my first taste of the United Kingdom ever.

Caracas Venezuela.....  Coming in from the Atlantic, you see a wall of mountains ahead and realize you have just traveled to another continent.  The mountains have a red color and rise far above the sea.  Impressive indeed!

John

[lennie 48]

Yes for sure! I especially like SFO 28R! Nice to do in a slow GA plane.

[Christopher Low 5,352]

Runway 09/27 at LXGB Gibraltar (1680m) or EGPB Sumburgh (1500m) are also over water right to the last second....with the added bonus that you will be in the water at the other end if you do not stop in time!

Edited October 24, 2018 by Christopher Low

[RamonB 449]

For small GA - Up to a Twin Otter. 

• VFR,  Not only the approach.... but landing.
• TFFJ  St, Barts. Runway 10/28, either one.   (2119 ft)
• SABA/TNCS  Runway 12/30 (Shortest Commercial Runway 1300 ft)
• (Both included in FT St. Maarten Complete).

For Jets.

• Beautiful approaches, specially at dawn/dusk with gusts and cloud coverage.
• TXKF Runway 30 Wade Intl,  Bermuda. (Long Runway +9000 ft)
• (LatinVFR)

I'm flying the Caribbean these days, but there are so many more in West Canada and Alaska.

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by RamonB

[John_Cillis 2,406]

i forgot to add San Diego.  Aircraft there usually land to the west, and if you are seated on the port side of the aircraft you have great views of hotel housekeepers and apartment dwellers doing their cleaning on the floors above you!  Quite a fun approach indeed!

John

[tttocs 301]

I particularly enjoy the RNAV (GPS) V RWY 8 approach into Juneau, AK (PAJN).  Don't know what it looks like with default scenery, but with Orbx S Alaska and Orbx PAJN it's simply spectacular.  The sequenced approach lights over the water at a 15d angle from final, the complex waterways, the mountains and glaciers surrounding...  Even better when you fly it with some clouds and mist around (which is most of the time).

Never done this one IRL, only in the sim, but I'd love to.

Scott

[pracines 823]

Exciting? MHTG South RNAV RWY 2 

[FDEdev 955]

IRL and in the sim:  Courchevel.  Same length as Lukla but with an 18.7% slope instead of the rather 'level' 12% at Lukla.  In and out with a 4-engined turboprop was definitely exciting.

Edited October 25, 2018 by J35OE

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi Folks,

RE: GA

IRL - my most Exciting to date - 2000 foot (relatively short and narrow) - and included in the ORBX Freeware Pack - photographed and documented same for Bill Womack for another of his $100.00 Burger Run series at some point in the future...

Goodspeed CT

 

Regards,
Scott

 

 

[John_Cillis 2,406]

6 minutes ago, scottb613 said:

Hi Folks,

RE: GA

IRL - my most Exciting to date - 2000 foot (relatively short and narrow) - and included in the ORBX Freeware Pack - photographed and documented same for Bill Womack for another of his $100.00 Burger Run series at some point in the future...

Goodspeed CT

 

Regards,
Scott

 

 

That does look like one amazing approach, especially with the bridge right there!

John

[scottb613 1,188]

 

16 minutes ago, Cactus521 said:

That does look like one amazing approach, especially with the bridge right there!

John

Hi John,

I've posted this elsewhere - so if you've heard it my apologies...

Hah - let me tell the rest of the story - so my home drome is 6200x150 - I'm used to 3000 plus runways - before my first trip to Goodspeed - I tell my wife - now look - this isn't going to be like anything you're used to as it's a pretty small runway - she states verbatim "I have the utmost confidence in your abilities" - she said with a sly grin - knowing she's blowing smoke you know where - fast forward an hour and a half - we're in a left hand pattern for 14 (approach over the bridge) and I'm turning base to final - I see her tense up next to me and she practically shouts "WATCH OUT FOR THE BRIDGE"... LOL - we had plenty of space - I'm like "what happened to all that confidence ?" followed by "I SEE the bridge - I'm not going to hit the bridge"... I followed C172 from Long Island in - and they actually complemented me on my approach and landing - too funny... I've been back several times now - it's a hoot every time...

On our walk into town - met a guy outside one of the homes along the route - started talking - said he used to fly his Piper Cheyenne into the airport all the time - now THAT would have been interesting....

It is a quintessential New England airport - looking forward to see what Bill can do with it...

Regards,
Scott

 

Edited October 25, 2018 by scottb613

[Luis Hernandez 569]

SKBG, my hometown airport: cliffs in 3 of the 4 sides of the runway 😮

[Chris Crawford 49]

The circle-to-land runway 27 at Telluride was always my favorite approach