Airports you would avoid flying to/from?

I don't think St. Maarten is as dicey as it may look, but Tegucigalpa is definitely an e-ticket ride! I know St. Thomas once had a bad reputation due to short runway length, but I believe that it's been extended.

Domestically, I avoid Washington Reagan and Orange County John Wayne, which I both think are accidents waiting to happen. I probably ought to put NY La Guardia in the same category, but I've flown in and out of there (even in a snowstorm!) without incident. San Diego Lindbergh Field has a long enough runway, but the congested approach seems a bit scary; I still think that they ought to build a civilian air terminal on the south side of Miramar.

 

I actually would love going to the St. Maarten one and sit on the beach watching planes land. That is just a cool sight to see for me.

I don't fly much, and don't fly to massive airports like LAX, Chicago, ATL, etc. (PHX is an exception, it's not that big, TWSS).

 

I avoid Chicago at all cost. I will gladly pay an extra $400 to not fly through there.

 

My ex-GF's family pilots would not, under any circumstances, fly into Aspen. They're ex-military, so they're highly competent. Maybe they're conservative, but they felt there was little room for error.

CW

 

I hate Aspen. Boxed canyon, you can only take off one way and land on the other. You are launched against each other frequently. Night ops are prohibited. You really have to sharpen the pencil on the hot days. Depending on if you go west or east you are landing at Grand Junction or Colorado Springs. Then there's the dive bomb approach to get in there. If you aren't fully configured over Red Table VOR you are behind the power curve. Only reason it exists is because gazillionaires insist it be there with their just say no mentailty to Montrose and 45 minute drive.

As for St. Maarten, that is a fun and beautiful runway to get into. The way it is set up right there on the beach is awesome. It's so much fun to go visual below the glide path, keep the power up, drag it in and watch the people run. It's childish and immature, but it sure is good for a laugh.

 

You're so right. Take-off runway 28, gear up, flaps up, level off at 5 or 10 ft, marvelous!!!

Saba is also a very beautiful airfield, although it was too short (400m) for our Fokker 60, so only did some low approaches there:
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Saba looks like it should have arresting gear and a catapult!

 

Hmmm............. I gonna have to go with......Augusta Ga, Albany Ga, Flint michigan, Valdosta Ga, Meridian mississipi, Tri cities TN, Bloomington IL, .......... The list is endless!!!!!

 

Saba is a blast to fly in and out of

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVdaFv6kbkw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGwomREhu2

 

St. Barts can be a fun airport to fly into also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJJSkkFXQ_Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alBwQn1Iyck

 

I flew out of Changchun on China Northern in 2005, could see ice crystals on the surface of the wing, longest 3 minutes of my life until I knew we were going to make it to 5000 feet...

 

Oh yeah!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z2o0acIlm4

 

Yes, he should have....

 

Another landing where the pilot should have gone around this time at Toncontin. The only plus to this landing is they pulled it off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJoXMcehrYo

 

HOLY F***!!!!!!!!!

 

That was some seriously BAD judgement, the only hope is those 2 pilots realized they got away with one and will not do that again. I dont know why so many pilots have an aversion to going around.

 

Im not sure about how the landing fees work, especially internationally, I was told that in ATL the fee was based on how much the plane weighed and only charged for the landing itself. No pilot in his right mind gives a **** about landing fees to the extent they are going to risk the plane the passengers and his career. And i have never heard of a company telling pilots not to go around because its too expensive in fuel and landing fees.

 

Reno, Nevada in a good cross wind is a fun ride in or out.

 

My parents have flown into Hondorus.....My dad said it was the scariest moment of his life. San Diego is pretty cool, you know a parking deck in the glide path?!?!?!?!?

 

I like to avoid Gatwick like the plague. It's just wayyy too damn confusing for me. I always end up getting lost in there

 

The airport I hate the most is Tel Aviv. 3 hour lines because every single thing has to be checked if its not a bomb. Not fun when you have 17 suit cases, 4 dogs, 3 cats and 2 very tired 3 year olds with you.

 

Ditto on DCA. Though nighttime isn't so bad as the commercial traffic is very light. I flew out of DCA once, once, and it was a pleasure, great view and all. But flying into DCA anytime other than dead of night sucks. Tiedown and fuel there is hugely inflated as well, of course.