precisely 3,800ft. After that point, there is
another left turn towards the touchdown
zone with a fi nal straight-in run of just
0.1nm to the threshold.
The last short leg used to be rather
challenging due to a small hill beneath it
that caught out anyone who was a li le
fast or a li le high, but it was removed
in 2007. That same mound could also
cause the unwary to land long and fast,
resulting in some ferocious braking to
avoid a 300ft (91m) drop at the far end of
the airstrip. The relatively short runway
and high airfi eld elevation did not help
either, but they were not overly limiting
for most aircraft.
The geography, steep approaches
and turns in close proximity to high
terrain demands accurate fl ying and
strict adherence to the procedures, and
most carriers roster only their most
experienced staff to operate into TGU.
All pilots undergo additional simulator
training that covers the local procedures,
most airlines schedule initial trips with a
training captain, and some place recency
limitations on crews too.Hub-less
Tegucigalpa has not been a hub since TAN-
SAHSA closed in 1994. However, it is still used
by carriers from North, South and Central
America. American Airlines fl ew Boeing 757s
into TGU in the past but has replaced them
with Airbus A319s. Today, the largest aircraft
to visit regularly are Boeing 737s and A320s,
but restrictions on larger aircraft are due to a
lack of apron space rather than performance
demands. In any case, the local market does
not demand high-capacity long-haul aircraft
at present, so pressure to make further
improvements to the airfi eld infrastructure is
held in abeyance.
However, lack of an ILS means the airport
closes during heavy rain and when the
visibility drops below 3nm and traffi c is
usually diverted to San Pedro Sula (SAP), or
even San Salvador (SAL) in neighbouring El
Salvador. The Honduran government again
proposed commercial operations be moved
to Soto Cano Air Force Base following
the turn of the millennium, but removal
of the hillside at the threshold of Runway
02 and a 984 ft (300m) runway extension
completed in 2009 helped reduce theproblems. The airport closed again during
political upheavals in December last year,
but the situation has calmed, and normal
operations have resumed.
Toncontín has an international terminal
with a mere four gates, all served by
airbridges, which is more than adequate
for the 30 daily fl ights that use them.
The domestic facilities are undergoing
refurbishment. In 2016 throughput reach
708,484 passengers with 577,442 of that
total travelling from or to other countries.
Meanwhile cargo reached 7,657 tons (7,780
tonnes), and the airfi eld was also used
by the Aeroclub de Honduras. In 2000,
InterAirports (Aeropuertos de Honduras)
won a 20-year concession to manage the
facilities, along with the airports at San
Pedro Sula, La Ceiba and Roatán. The fi rm
has been the driving force behind the
upgrades that have made fl ying in and out
of Toncontín a li le more straightforward
and for now the pressure is off. So, the
small airport serving the Honduran
capital is set to continue to excite
passengers and ensure pilots remain
at the top of their game.Extreme Airports // 85TEGUCIGALPA
ABOVE LEFT:
TACA International,
now operating as
Avianca Central
America, uses
Embraer 190s on
regular services
from San Salvador
in El Salvador.
ABOVE: TACA
Regional (now
Avianca Honduras)
ATR 42-300 HR-
AXH on short fi nal
to Runway 02.
LEFT: Departures
are over the city,
and high ground
dictates a le
turn shortly a er
take-off.
BELOW: A US Air
Force Boeing C-17
Globemaster III
makes an approach
to Runway 20 over
the city.80-85_Tegucigalpa_TC.indd 85 11/05/2018 11:21