Aviation Specials – May 2018

Extreme Airports // 89

to the capital. The two-storey terminal

building is small and basic, but when

the largest visitors carry fewer than 20

passengers nothing more is needed.

Around 20 flights are likely to operate

into LUA on a normal day, although

upwards of 50 are possible during the

peak season. The complete lack of roads

to the area dictates that almost everyone –

and all the essential supplies – are airlifted

in. When operations are at their peak,

activity becomes rather hectic with one

aircraft immediately replacing another

on the tiny apron. At times the cycle

continues almost non-stop. There is no

air traffic control, but an aerodrome flight

information service (AFIS) is available

to advise pilots of the local weather

conditions and to coordinate aircraft

position reporting.

A narrow path runs along the highest

part of the airport boundary, enabling

visitors to look down on the frantic

operations on the apron and the coming

and goings on the steep runway. The rest

of the scenery is awe-inspiring – tall craggy

peaks top deep valleys, while low buildings

with colourful roofs line the runway edges.

Lukla is home to little more than 500

residents, but numbers are swelled by

trekkers intent on making the two-day hike

to Namche Bazaar (where most Everest

Sherpas are based) or beyond. Most

airline passengers linger in the town only

long enough to prepare for their onward

journey towards the peak, but a few small

lodges and shops cater for visitors by

providing Western-standard goods

and services.

Leaving Lukla

The Nepalese pilots’ guide warns that

during the monsoon season (June to

August), the airport is likely to be closed

for 50% of the time as operation under

visual flight rules will not be possible. The

terminal can get packed when clouds

descend and flights are cancelled,

sometimes for days on end – even a week’s

delay is not unheard of. Most passengers

wait patiently or attempt to negotiate a

seat on one of the first departures. Once

the visibility finally improves and the Twin

Otters and Dorniers start appearing from

down the valley again, everyone breathes

a sigh of relief and the jostling for the

right to get out begins. Only then do the

Nepalese Police conduct their simple

yet thorough inspection of departing

passengers and their bags, because there

are no sophisticated security systems.

Once passengers board an aircraft

and it taxies to the top of Runway 26, the

ride out is much akin to going back down

the ski-jump. The aircraft line up on the

flat section of runway as close to the wall

as possible and, with full power applied,

launch down the 11.7% slope. There is no

stopping, no turning back. Once started,

a take-off must be performed because

the only alternative is a 2,000ft (610m)

drop off a cliff edge. But the downhill run

helps build airspeed, and few accidents

occur on departure. The rest of the flight

back to Kathmandu seems rather tame

in comparison. But most passengers will

breathe a sigh of relief at conquering the

world’s most hazardous airport, and some

might even have scaled Everest too.

ACCIDENTS

Date Aircraft Phase Souls on board Fatalities

May 27, 2017 Summit Air Let 410 Landing 3 2

September 26, 2013 Air Dynasty Eurocopter AS350B Landing 4 0

October 12, 2010 Sita Air Dornier 228 Landing 14 0

October 8, 2008 Yeti Airlines DHC-6 Twin Otter Approach 19 18

June 30, 2005 Gorkha Airlines Dornier 228 Landing 12 0

October 1, 2004 Sita Air Dornier 228 Landing unknown 0

May 25, 2004 Yeti Airlines DHC-6 Twin Otter Approach 3 3

September 26, 1992 Royal Nepal Airlines Harbin Y-12 Take off 14 0

June 9, 1991 Royal Nepal Airlines DHC-6 Twin Otter Landing 17 0

October 15, 1973 Royal Nepal Airlines DHC-6 Twin Otter Landing 6 0

AIRLINES

Nepal Airlines

Simrik Airlines

Tara Air

Sita Air

Summit Air

ABOVE: All

departures must

be on Runway 24.

FAR TOP LEFT:

When the weather

is good, aircraft

arrive and depart

within minutes.

ABOVE LEFT:

Runway 06/24 has

a gradient of 11.7%.

LEFT: Robust

DHC-6 Twin Otters

are the mainstay of

operations.

LEFT: Royal Nepal

Airlines originally

served the

unsurfaced airstrip.

(AirTeamImages

Collection)

LEFT: The

Himalayan

mountains dwarf a

diminutive 19-seat

Twin Otter.

LUKLA

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