Not just any aircraft can overcome the unique challenges that the Tenzing Hillary Airport, also referred to as the Lukla Airport, presents. Known as the one of the essential destinations along the way to Mount Everest, Lukla sits at 9,334 feet above sea level and is considered the most treacherous airport to travel to and from for a variety of reasons.
For one, this region is located in extremely high altitudes that make the air thinner, which affects a plane's lift and engine power. This airport
looms among the peaks of the Himalayas, which also serve as physical obstacles that pilots must navigate aroun. Furthermore, inclement weather in this region often results in poor visibility. In fact, most planes don't even fly over Tibet, where the airport is located. While the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla Airport only lasts about half an hour, it could be the most intense air travel you'll ever experience.
That's why only STOL (short take-off and landing) planes such as the DHC-6 Twin Otter or the Dornier Do 228 are permitted to use this airport. These aircraft can manage to land in this dangerous location because they are lightweight and rely mostly on manual piloting. Still, it takes a gutsy pilot who is willing to navigate in extremely challenging conditions.
Read more: 10 Airplanes That Managed To Fly With Staggeringly Low Horsepower
Landing A Plane At The Tenzing Hillary Airport
Constructed alongside a massive mountain and surrounded by other jutting peaks, the Lukla Airport runway only measures about 1,729 feet in length, making it one of the shortest airport runways in the world. To put this into perspective, commercial airline runways usually measure between 8,000 and 13,000 feet long, and some of the longest airport runways in the world stretch past 16,000 feet. Most commercial airliners need longer runways to land safely, which is why they can't operate out of Lukla Airport.
There are other factors that make a landing at Lukla daunting as well. At one end of the runway you'll find the steep face of a cliff, and the other end of it runs right up against a rock wall. Pilots touching down at standard airports typically have plenty of room to make another pass at a landing, but those flying into Lukla must nail the approach the first time because turning around is nearly impossible.
If pilots do manage to touch down the plane under these circumstances, they aren't out of the clear yet. That's because the tarmac they are landing on isn't even flat: It has a 12% incline. Unfortunately, these conditions have led to fatal accidents on more than one occasion. As a result, pilots are now required to have extensive training before they are allowed to attempt a landing at the world's most dangerous airport.
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