Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/12/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Excellent photos, more soon I hope. Flying an Airbus VFR sounds really exciting. Ken -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+kcarney1=cox.net at leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+kcarney1=cox.net at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of H&ECummer Sent: Monday, December 02, 2013 8:42 AM To: lug at leica-users.org Subject: [Leica] Paro Airport landing Bhutan Esther and I are just back from a fascinating week visiting Bhutan - the mountain kingdom nestled between India, China (Tibet) and Nepal - and famous for measuring its Gross National Happiness (GNH) rather than the usual Gross Domestic Product. Also it is a no smoking country - that's right country! Sharing this visit with you I want to start with the Paro Airport - located in the Western end of Bhutan. Travel and Leisure in 2009 named it the most dangerous airport in the world for landings. The 6500 foot runway is at 7,300 feet elevation and Paro is surrounded by mountain peaks up to 18,000 feet high. The zig zag landing approach down the valleys - with severe cross winds - means that only day time visual landings are allowed. No instrument landings and certainly no night flights. Initally only 8 pilots (2009) were certified to fly into Paro - but I am sure there are more now. Flying to Paro from Bangkok Druk Air stops at the Indian airport of Bagdogra to off load pilgrims and to fuel up - there being no jet fuel at Paro. This pretty well empties the plane and allows passengers to crowd on to the left side in order to get a full view of the Himalayas in the 20 minute flight from Bagdogra to Paro. We got a good seat: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/DistantHimalayasW.jpg. html http://tinyurl.com/l6xcm6h More Mountain views http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/HimaMtn1w.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/kqukaes Yet another view http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/HimaMtn3w.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/oq97lsy A third view - this time of Jhomolhari (24,000 ft) The Dalai Lama fled Tibet through the Chumbi valley on the western side of Jhomolhari - considered a sacred mountain by both Tibetan and Bhutanese Buddhists. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/JhomolhariW.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/n8t2h4y Our goal - the Paro Airport runway - far away deep in the valley: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/ParoAirportfmairW.jpg. html http://tinyurl.com/kmpfyo9 Another view of the runway: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/Parorunwayw.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/m4jo3xc The Druk Air Airbus 319 coming in for its approach http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/DrukAir1w.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/l9n2ah2 Closer and turning http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/Druk2w.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/km4tlpr Lining up for the runway http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/Druk3w.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/knsyfl8 Touch down! http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/Druk4w.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/lp25xxv The Airbus on the ground. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Bhutan/DrukAirbus319w.jpg.htm l http://tinyurl.com/kwnsuc3 Please look large. C& C always welcome. More pictures to come (of course) Nice to be back, Howard _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information