Tenzing–Hillary Airport

Tenzing–Hillary Airport
तेन्जिङ हिलारी विमानस्थल
Summary
Airport type Public
Serves Lukla, Nepal
Elevation AMSL 9,334 ft / 2,845 m
Coordinates 27°41′16″N 086°43′53″E / 27.68778°N 86.73139°E / 27.68778; 86.73139Coordinates: 27°41′16″N 086°43′53″E / 27.68778°N 86.73139°E / 27.68778; 86.73139
Map
LUA

Location of airport in Nepal

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
06/24 527 1,729 Asphalt
Source:[1][2]

Tenzing–Hillary Airport (IATA: LUA, ICAO: VNLK), also known as Lukla Airport, is a small airport in the town of Lukla,[2] in Khumbu, Solukhumbu District, Province No. 1, eastern Nepal. A program titled Most Extreme Airports, broadcast on The History Channel in 2010, rated the airport as the most dangerous airport in the world for over 20 years.[3]

In January 2008 the airport was renamed in honor of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary, the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest and also to mark their efforts in the construction of this airport.[4]

The airport is popular because Lukla is the place where most people start the climb to Mount Everest Base Camp. There are daily flights between Lukla and Kathmandu during daylight hours in good weather. Although the flying distance is short, rain commonly occurs in Lukla while the sun is shining brightly in Kathmandu. High winds, cloud cover, and changing visibility often mean flights can be delayed or the airport closed. The airport is contained within a chain link fence and patrolled by the Nepali armed police or civil police around the clock.[3]

Facilities

The airport's paved asphalt runway is accessible only to helicopters and small, fixed-wing, short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft such as the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, Dornier Do 228, L-410 Turbolet and Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter. The runway is 527 m (1,729 ft) × 30 m (98 ft) with a 11.7% gradient.[1] The airport's elevation is 9,334 ft (2,845 m).[1] The airport is not only used for passenger flights, but also for transporting most of the building material and cargo to the town, as most of the roofs on the houses at Lukla have to be transported by aircraft.

Arriving and departing aircraft must use a single runway. There is low prospect of a successful go-around on short final due to the terrain. There is high terrain immediately beyond the northern end of the runway and a steeply angled drop at the southern end of the runway into the valley below.

Airlines and destinations

Tara Air Do 228 at Tenzing–Hillary Airport
AirlinesDestinations
Goma Air Kathmandu
Nepal Airlines Kathmandu, Phaplu, Rumjatar[5]
Simrik Airlines Kathmandu[6]
Tara Air Kathmandu[7]
Sita Air Kathmandu

Accidents and incidents

A panoramic photograph of Lukla Airport and its surroundings.
Twin Otter approaching the airport 
Twin Otter on the runway 
Twin Otters on the airfield 
The runway in 1999 before paving 

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "NATIONAL AIRPORTS PLAN Current Situation and Diagnostic" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 Airport information for Lukla, Nepal – Tenzing–Hillary Airport (VNLK / LUA) at Great Circle Mapper.
  3. 1 2 "Most Extreme Airports". History Specials. Season 1. Episode 104. The History Channel. 26 August 2010.
  4. "Nepal to name Everest airport after Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay". International Herald Tribune. 15 January 2008. Archived from the original on 12 February 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  5. "Nepal Airlines". Nepal Airlines. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  6. .
  7. Scheduled Flights. Taraair.com. Retrieved 9 February 2012
  8. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 18 November 2006.
  9. "ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 9N-ABA Lukla Airport (LUA)". Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  10. "ASN Aircraft accident Harbin Yunshuji Y-12-II 9N-ACI Lukla Airport (LUA)". Aviation-safety.net. 26 September 1992. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  11. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 18 November 2006.
  12. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 19 November 2006.
  13. Airline Industry Information, 30 June 2005.
  14. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 18 November 2006.
  15. BBC News. Retrieved 8 October 2008.
  16. Air Crash Observer . Retrieved 15 December 2010
  17. "Chopper crashes in Lukla, minor injuries". Nepalnews.com. 26 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  18. "Accident: Summit L410 at Lukla on May 27th 2017, contacted trees and impacted ground before runway". The Aviation Herald. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  19. "Lukla air crash toll reaches 2 as co-pilot dies for want of treatment". The Himalayan Times. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  20. "Kiwi 'heroes' in dramatic Mt Everest rescue after cargo plane slams into mountain". New Zealand Herald. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
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