Most Amazing Runways Around The World

As you may already know, the ideal location for a runway needs ample space, endless flat ground, favorable winds and great visibility. Those are the things that make a great recipe for an A-class runway. However that might not be the case in real world, and engineers are forced to work with what mother nature has given. These are the runways that makes you wonder how in the world the pilot is going to land. There are few of those so called ‘nail biting and unique runaways’ around the world. Here are some of those remarkable runways around the world.

Strange Runways Around The World

Toncontin Airport Runway in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Toncontin Airport Runway, Honduras

Toncontin Airport Runway, Honduras | (c) Photo By Aaron Ortiz

Tegucigalpa Airport in Honduras is surrounded by mountains and has one of the worlds shortest runways. It is just over 7,000 feet long. Despite the stubby runway, planes as large as Boeing’s 757 routinely land at the airport.  What’s more, the planes land and take off in the same direction. OK I am already biting my nails just thinking about that. As you might have imagined, the take off and landing are quick as a flash. However you will be glad to know that Honduran officials have launched an initiative to reroute commercial traffic to the safer Soto Cano Air Base.

Gibraltar Airport Runway, Gibraltar

Gibraltar Airport Runway, Gibraltar

Gibraltar Airport Runway, Gibraltar | (c) Photo By David Stanley

First off all, you might be asking where is Gibraltar? This small British territory sits between Morocco and Spain. The construction of this airport dates back to World War II and serves base for United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and commercial flights. So why is it unique? Well, Winston Churchill Avenue, Gibraltar’s busiest road cuts directly across the runway! Every time a flight lands or departs, there are railroad style gates which holds cars back. The History Channel program Most Extreme Airports, ranks it as the 5th most dangerous airport in the world!

Don Mueang International Airport Runway in Bangkok, Thailand

Don Mueang International Airport Runway, Thailand

Don Mueang International Airport Runway, Thailand | (c) Photo By RIYAN

Does this look like a normal airport? If you say yes, look carefully, smack dab in the middle of the two runways is an 18-hole golf course! Now this is a great way to spend your transit of five hours, don’t you think? The problem with this runway is that the only taxiways are located at the end of the runways. Despite a recommendation to build additional taxiways the airport had rejected it saying that it will take out part the green golf course and one fairway!

Barra Airport Runway, Scotland

Barra Airport Runway, Scotland

Barra Airport Runway, Scotland | (c) Photo By Rachel Hendrick

How would you like your flight to land and take off by the beach? You get just that in Barra, located off Scotland’s west coat. Barra has used the beach as a runway since the 1930’s. Despite it has no paved runways, the airport uses modern control tower which handles more than 1,000 flights per year. The most amazing fact is, when the tide comes in at Barra, the runway disappears, which forces flights to be scheduled around the movement of the ocean. Interesting huh?

Dammam King Fahd International Airport Runway, Saudi Arabia

Dammam King Fahd International Airport Runway, Saudi Arabia

Dammam King Fahd International Airport Runway | (c) Photo By General Authority of Civil Aviation

King Fahd International is the largest airport in the world in terms of landmass with over 300 square miles of desert. Just to tell you how huge this is, it is about 11 square miles larger than Saudi Arabia’s neighbor, Bahrain. The airport has features that requires a brand new post but a feature that makes this airport stand out is a mosque large enough to take in thousands of people. Seems the only obstacle they had in building this airport was the lack of fresh water to mix concrete though they have managed and done a fabulous job with their runway.

These are only a few of the most unique runways around the world. There are many more amazing runways that will make you go wow. If you have landed on a runway that makes you talk about it, don’t forget to share with us.

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