[Leica] Paro Airport landing Bhutan

[jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols)]

Fascinating, Howard.  Thanks for sharing your trip.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

On 12/2/2013 8:41 AM, H&ECummer 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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