Breathtaking footage has emerged showing a pilot skilfully landing an Airbus at what is dubbed the 'world's most dangerous airport'.
Paro International Airport, located in the South Asian country Bhutan, is known across the globe for its extremely challenging approach - which sees landing be made even trickier due to its unique mountainous surroundings.
So much so, that only 24 pilots are actually allowed to land on it.
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But, one of those 24 talented pilots has captured the whole thing on tape and we're lucky enough to catch it from a POV perspective as if we were flying the thing itself!
The video, uploaded to YouTube back in 2021, was titled: "Airbus Landing at World’s Most Dangerous and Challenging Airport in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan."
What makes the runway approach so taxing is the tough navigation through the Himalayan valleys, leaving the plane to conduct 15 demanding manoeuvres just to land the plane safely.
The first manoeuvre sees the aircraft follow 'a series of turns to align with the valley' that lead to the runway taking place over 'picturesque landscapes and mountain peaks'.
The second is all about visual navigation as the airport does not have Instrument Landing System (ILS) due to the terrain. Because of this, pilots need to 'rely on their training and experience' to ensure a safe descent back down from the sky.
Navigating the valley is up next, which sees the plane require 'precise navigation to maintain the correct flight path and altitude'.
Then there's a constant descent 'with limited go-around options', which means pilots have to 'carefully manage the aircraft's descent rate to remain on the desired glide path'.
A sharp turn to the left is then required as the aircraft nears the runway threshold followed by touchdown calling for pilots to 'aim for precise touchdown points to ensure a safe landing'.
Next up are the 'runway considerations'.
The runway at Paro Airport is 7,431 feet (2,265 meters) in length, which is 'relatively short for commercial aircraft operations' hence why 'precise control of airspeed and touchdown point is crucial'.
Terrain awareness is another big thing for the pilot to keep in mind if they should need to 'quickly respond to any deviations to ensure safe clearance from obstacles'.
Due to the very challenging nature of the approach, landing at Paro Airport requires pilots with 'specific training and experience'.
Because of this, only 'qualified and specially certified pilots' are allowed to fly in and out of the airport.
"The landing at Paro Airport's runway 15 is not only a remarkable feat of aviation skill but also an awe-inspiring experience for passengers and crew alike, offering breathtaking views of the Himalayan mountain ranges," the YouTube video's description concludes.
The footage has since gone viral after clocking up more than two million views, leaving aviation fans all over rushing to the comments section to share their reactions to the pilot's impressive skills.
One YouTube user penned: "That was crazy. The whole video, I kept searching for the runway. That was impressive flying right there. That house on the right, on the hill right before the runway must be able to see the passengers in the plane as it goes by, because it appeared as if it was next to it."
A second exclaimed: "Holy cr*p! The ultimate circle to land experience. Fantastic piloting, serious skills. Can you imagine what kind of view the locals get as that bird is making that last bank to final? So cool!"
And a final YouTube user pretty much summed the whole thing up in just a handful of words: "Amazing, great skills, effortless."
It sure was.
Topics: News, World News, Travel
Rhiannon Ingle