Lukla Airport

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Lukla Airport

IATA: LUA - ICAO: VNLK
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		N/A
Serves		Lukla
Elevation AMSL		9,380 ft (2,860 m)
Coordinates		27°41′13″N, 86°43′47″E
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
06(landing only)/24(take off only)	1600	527	Asphalt

Lukla Airport (IATA: LUA, ICAO: VNLK) is a small airport in the Town of Lukla in Khumbu, eastern Nepal. In January 2008, the government of Nepal announced that the airport would be renamed in honor of Sir Edmund Hillary^[1]and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, the first persons to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Sir Edmund Hillary passed away on January 11, 2008. Tenzing Norgay died in 1986. The airport is now officially named Tenzing-Hillary Airport (LUA|VNLK)^[2]

Runway characteristics include 527m of bitumen runway. The width is 20m and the runway incline is a staggering 11,75°, equivalent of almost 20%. The apron has 4 stands and there is one heli-pad located 150m below the TWR (air traffic control tower). No landing aids are available and Air Traffic Service is limited to AFIS (Aerodrome Flight Information Service) only.

The airport is quite popular as Lukla is the place where most people start their trek to climb Mount Everest.

There are frequent daily flights (i.e. no night service) between Lukla and Kathmandu, weather permitting. Although the flying distance is short, it can easily be raining in Lukla while the sun is shining brightly in Kathmandu, or vice versa. The airport's siren blasts the mountain air to inform personnel of incoming aircraft. The paved tarmac is only accessible to helicopters and small fixed wing short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft such as Twin Otters or Dornier Do 228. There is about a 700-metre (2,000 ft) angled drop at the end of the runway to the valley far below. The airport is contained within a chain link fence and patrolled by the Nepal armed police or civil police around the clock.

When leaving on an outgoing flight, passengers are advised to arrive well ahead of the listed departure time — at least two hours. The airlines can usually find others eager to fill seats of late arrivers. Before entering the pre-boarding area, checked luggage is inspected by hand. The next line is for checking carry-on baggage and a brief body pat-down search. All lighters, matches and loose batteries are confiscated during this baggage check. If carrying a headlamp, passengers are advised to keep the battery inside and pack any spares in checked luggage.

During political armed conflict of communists rebels, a dusk-to-dawn curfew was sometimes in effect:

Keep headlamps pointed at the ground while outside tents or lodges. The army/police are very wary of moving lights.
Do not leave the campsite or you will likely be challenged by the army or police.

1 Airlines and Destinations
2 Incidents and accidents
3 Miscellany
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Airlines and Destinations

Nepal Airlines flying de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter to Kathmandu
Yeti Airlines flying de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter to Kathmandu
Sita Air flying Dornier Do 228 to Kathmandu
Gorkha Airlines flying Dornier Do 228 to Kathmandu
Agni Air flying Dornier Do 228 to Kathmandu

[edit] Incidents and accidents

15 October 1973 - Royal Nepal Airlines De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 (9N-ABG) was damaged beyond repair at Lukla Airport. The three crew and three passengers were unhurt. ^[3]
9 June 1991 - Royal Nepal Airlines De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 (9N-ABA), after a flight from Kathmandu, crashed on landing at Lukla Airport following an unstabilized approach in bad weather. All three crew and 14 passengers were killed. ^[4]
25 May 2004 - A Yeti Airlines De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300 (9N-AFD), on a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, crashed in heavy cloud into Lamjura hill while on approach to Lukla Airport. The Nepalese accident investigation committee concluded that the captain provided inaccurate information to the Area Control Centre on his position. All three crew members were killed. There were no passengers on board. ^[5]
1 October 2004 - Sita Air Dornier 228 suffered a nose gear collapse on landing and slid, coming to rest blocking the single runway at Lukla Airport. As a result the airport was closed for two days. ^[6]
30 June 2005 - A Dornier Do 228 aircraft of Gorkha Airlines was attempting to land at Lukla Airport when it skidded off the runway. There were only minor injuries to the nine passengers and three crew members. The aircraft was reportedly withdrawn from use and written off after the accident. ^[7] ^[8]

[edit] Miscellany

Although admittedly high by most standards, Lukla Airport's 9,380 ft (2,860 m) altitude is significantly below the world's highest. El Alto International Airport in Bolivia is 13,325 ft (4,061 m) high, and Chamdo Bangda Airport in Tibet is a "breathtaking" 14,219 ft (4,334 m) above sea level.