[Leica] Paro Airport landing Bhutan

[hopsternew at gmail.com (Geoff Hopkinson)]

Amazing view out the window. The place looks a little hilly.
The runway and aircraft shots are enough to send shivers down the spine too.


Cheers
Geoff
http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman


On 3 December 2013 00:41, H&ECummer <cummer at netvigator.com> wrote:

>
>
> 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.html
>
> http://tinyurl.com/kwnsuc3
>
> Please look large. C& C always welcome. More pictures to come (of course)
>
> Nice to be back,
>
> Howard
>
>
>
>
>
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