Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, ASE You might think that King Kong is dangerous but his native island (Saba provided the silhouette for Skull Island in the original King Kong film) in the Dutch Caribbean (a 15-minute flight from St. Maarten) has an airport that incites more fear than the famous gorilla ever could. I personally experienced the frequent wind gusts and poor weather conditions that hamper the pilots as they must make a direct head-on landing, with the biggest fear of having a large aircraft overshoot the runway if not landed perfectly on target. 2022 Galvanized Media. It also features 1,000-foot sheer cliffs on both ends of the runway and strong vertical turbulence during winter months caused by the mountain winds. Between October and February, northwesterly winds can often exceed the tailwind limitation for many aircraft. Built upon a layer of permafrost, Svalbard is the northernmost airport in the world with scheduled public flights. The FAA has installed an FAA Weather Camera in addition to the Automated surface observing system (ASOS) available to help pilots determine the weather conditions at Aspen airport and the surrounding area.[8]. now I know what you were trying to tell me. And yes, we did land, he was a talented aviator. Another pilot said frontal passages create turbulence across the mountains so severe at times that an approach is not even possible. Perhaps its a wrong assumption that the citizens of Rifle would even want to accommodate Aspens air travelers. Position performs maintenance duties on Town parks,, The North of Nell is now hiring full-time year around for the following positions: - Controller - Housekeepers These are, We are looking for two maintenance technicians, full, or part time to perform tasks such as painting, drywall patching, room, Colorado Western Slope established water law firm seeks a paralegal. Site by TMBR. "Over the last four decades, there have been over 40 accidents all involving private,. [1], It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 20192023, in which it is categorized as a non-hub primary commercial service facility. It's almost completely surrounded by water in the Sitka Sound and weather can get a little crazy, so pilots have to watch out for boulders and debris that often wash from the causeway onto the island's only runway. Copyright 2023 Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, ASE. National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, Automated surface observing system (ASOS), Learn how and when to remove this template message, "FAA expands weather camera coverage in Colorado and Montana General Aviation News", "Nonstop Growth in Austin Leads to More Nonstops to Austin", "Delta is back: Airline's return to Aspen market drives down airfare, at least temporarily", "Aspen airport remains closed after crash that killed 1, injured 2", "NTSB concludes winds, pilot error led to fatal crash at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspen/Pitkin_County_Airport&oldid=1136741674. And to add to that, the runway is also rough with potholes and soft spots caused by heavy rains. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), little-known airplane feature that could save your life, Longyearbyen Airport lost its international designation in 2017, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It's old. Take McBrides idea one step further: Instead of spending $400 million on morphing Aspen into a mega airport, a portion of those funds could both improve the Rifle airport and fund an improved transit infrastructure from Rifle to Aspen. Instead, McBride suggests developing the Rifle airport as a more sensible regional airport, taking advantage of a much larger and flatter valley, an existing 7,000-foot-long East/West runway with takeoffs/landings in the same direction, and with an elevation almost 2,500 feet lower than Aspen to allow greater lift and milder weather conditions. Position performs maintenance duties on Town parks,, The North of Nell is now hiring full-time year around for the following positions: - Controller - Housekeepers These are, We are looking for two maintenance technicians, full, or part time to perform tasks such as painting, drywall patching, room, Colorado Western Slope established water law firm seeks a paralegal. Positioned in the Himalayan mountains, the 9,325 feet high Tenzing airport was named after the first two climbers that scaled Mt. Last week we landed five hours late because of some snow. CRJ-700 jets operated by commercial airlines receive new passengers at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport earlier this week. In Paro, Bhutan only 17 pilots are trained to maneuver the breathtaking landing and in small airports in remote locations like Norway and Antarctica, the landings are even more dramatic. A classic safe town. It's no wonder it was high on Honeywell's list of most-hated airports. It might be scary but it sure is beautiful to land on St. Maarten. The runway is narrow, bumpy, and a bit short. There's people everywhere. The 6,500-foot runway only allows for arrivals and departures during the daytime. The runway at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport was lengthened and widened in 1983 to be 7,006 feet long by 100 feet wide. Swipe is only available in chrome dev tools mobile mode. Pilots are warned when flying in that they may have to make high-angle descents. Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, Sitka, Alaska. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Content Policy. Reagan National sits between two overlapping no-fly zones, so pilots have to watch out for the Pentagon and CIA headquarters. Letter to the Editor Letter-to-the-editor | September 8, 2020. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, Aspen, Colo. . This would address two key transit objectives: providing a safer, more dependable airport within reasonable range of Aspen, and enabling the downvalley workforce with a sane commuting experience that provides greater ease and efficiency. This airport can get a little rocky. Many of these airports are accessible only by well trained and qualified pilots. This 8,000-foot runway is built directly on ice. Parking is not allowed in front of Aspens airport terminal.[7]. CRMS offers. This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 22:35. All 150 passengers and five crew members were plucked from the Hudson safe and sound. Under the direction of, Hiring Assistant Manager. It's no wonder: The airport sits in a high mountain bowl that requires a series of rapid "step . This 5,500-foot runway is not really that hard to land at, but the city's main street intersects with the runway and has to be closed when a plane lands. Morphing the quaint Aspen airport of today the most dangerous airport in the U.S. into a Jetsons-style spaceport is being sold to the public as an economic necessity, when its not. The January 5 crash of a Bombardier Challenger 601-3R during the crews second attempted landing at Aspen Pitkin County Airport (ASE) has prompted pilots to question both their own limitations and the difficulties involved in landing at the Denver resort. I applaud the many talented pilots out there who make these successful landings every day. The airport has seen several crash landings, including an incident involving a Gulfstream charter plane in 2001 which killed all 18 people on board, while in 2011, a private plane crashed at the airport and erupted into a ball of flames after trying to land in heavy winds.. You may opt-out by. Many of the things that make Aspen so desirable also make the city's airport dangerous. The final approach slope is slightly less than seven degrees, about equal to that for the UKs London City Airport. The situation of MCAS Futenma, according to The Diplomat is in direct violation of the safety standards set down for military airfields by the U.S. Department of the Navy, in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. The dangerous U.S. Marine Corps Air Station runway sits smack dab in the middle of a crowded city, with schools, hospitals, businesses, and more than 3,000 residents in what is supposed to be a clear zone.. Other dangerous airport landings not included in this list include; Alexandros Papadiamantis airport on the Greek island of Skiathos, MCAS Futenma in Okinawa, Damascus International Airport, Aspen . The mountainous area surrounding the airport also poses a challenge, forcing the pilots to land and take off in opposite directions, but using a single runway. I called runway twelve oclock. The captain answered, Going visual. He went off the gauges and looked up out in front of the windscreen, straight ahead and said, Wheres the runway. I leaned forward and with my index finger pointed down and said Right there. He commented, Oh shit! To make things worse, one writer points out that the crosswinds here are intense, due to the airport's water-adjacent location. All the operators AIN spoke to have a policy that prohibits them from conducting night operations at Aspen. Major carriers to Aspen include United Express and American Airlines. I have landed on RW 33 numerous times, but never with low ceilings or low visibility, only during VFR conditions with high winds. Aspen has some of the best care for ski mountains and skiing in the world, some of the best cross-country skiing and hiking trails, world-class music, the Aspen Institute, and award-winning hotels and restaurants. Airport operations staff operates from the airport's Operations Center, constructed in 2006 on the west side of the airport. What makes the picturesque Princess Juliana Airport dangerous isnt the sunbathers below on the beach but the technically-too-short 7,100-foot runway originally built for the smaller planes that once frequented the island before the tourism boom arrived. The one-way landing has to be very fast since the end of the runway has a cliff with a very steep fall into the waters below. None of this will happen unless out-of-the-box thinking can hold sway over the status quo of traditional mindsets. What about Sardy/Aspen Airport up in Aspen it's been known to be dangerous too along with the one in Leadville! It is also one of three airports in the country's largest airport system so the skies around LaGuardia are packed with jets. Even under visual conditions, mountains that rise 5,000 to 6,000 feet above field elevation make Aspen a one-way-in, one-way-out airport: land on Runway 15 and depart from Runway 33. The approach was unique, because unlike most VOR approaches, you had better be configured to land when you crossed the VOR, then fly Ref plus 10 to minimums. Although the views of the Empire State Building are breathtaking during takeoff and landing from LaGuardia, this airport sits a little too close to the Manhattan skyline. Flight Tracker; COVID-19 Information; Guest Services; Food & Beverage; Terminal Map; Operating Airlines; Security; Airport Badging; Parking & Transportation. That's been the experience of the pilot who spoke to AOL Travel, "They are unbelievably demanding. So I avoid it like the plague. Executive Administrative Assistant Colorado Mountain College Aspen & Carbondale Please go to: www.coloradomtn.edu/employment for more information. Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, Colorado. The terrain, the weather . In a place with so much wonderment and joy due to many great planners, managers and employees, it is inconceivable that we would tolerate a dangerous airport, let alone the most dangerous in the U.S. P.S.