What planes can land on a 5000-foot runway?
With a 5,000-foot runway, what kind of aircraft can land?
When you say “it depends,” you’re talking about an avalanche of “it depends”s.
Consider the following suggestions.
An aircraft’s landing distance is usually less than its takeoff distance. In order to operate from a certain airport, pilots must make provisions for both.
In order to land or take off, the airport’s “Density Altitude” has an impact on the needed runway length. When operating from sea level or on a chilly day, a 5,000 foot runway may be adequate; but, when operating from high altitudes above sea level, hot weather and/or a 5,000 foot runway may be insufficient for aircraft that are used to operating from 5,000 foot runways on a regular basis.
Affecting runway length requirements is the aircraft weight as well.
A commercial or military aircraft may sometimes make an unintentional landing at a minor airport, and this is something to be expected. It is necessary to dump a significant amount of weight prior to takeoff in order to achieve lift-off. Included in this were cargo, passengers, fuel, and on occasion, even the inside of the aircraft (seats, etc.).
The location is far away and unusual, making it the ideal getaway. However, the more exclusive a location is, the more difficult it might be to travel to that location. Some appealing locales have tiny airports with even short runways, which makes travel difficult.
Others may be tucked away in remote locations surrounded by mountains, water, or cliffs, making it difficult for pilots to get to them by air. In addition to all of this, many of these areas may experience harsh weather conditions, which further complicates matters.
Make certain that the aircraft you want to travel in is capable of landing safely on the runway at your destination before you take off. All of the fractional operators, charter operators, and charter brokers will assist you in identifying the most appropriate aircraft for your task, including ensuring that the aircraft can land where you want it to.
As an example, we recently met with someone who owns a house on Block Island, which is located in the state of Rhode Island. The runway (at KBID) is just 2,502 feet long, making it a short one (763m). He already had a jet card, but the supplier of the card didn’t have any planes that were tiny enough to fly into this airport’s runway. As a result, he needed to collaborate with another source that could deliver turboprops that could go in and out of a runway of this length quickly.
Let’s take a look at some of the most fascinating locales where airport runways and surrounding surroundings are difficult to navigate. Afterwards, we’ll examine the takeoff and landing capabilities of numerous aircraft to get a better picture of the types of aircraft that are capable of navigating some of the world’s most difficult runways.
France’s Courchevel Airport (CVF) is located in the town of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise. Courchevel Airport in the French Alps, which is surrounded by mountains (as you can see in the picture above), is one of the most difficult airports to get into. It features a single, very short runway 4/22, which is just 1,762 feet in length (537 m). In addition, the runway has an 18.6 percent gradient, making it even more difficult for aircraft to land and take off safely on and off the runway.
And, yes, the runway is shown in the picture above by the line in the center of the image, at the bottom of the image. Because of the hilly terrain around the airport, it is necessary to reach the runway on the first attempt and there are no go-around methods authorized. Although a few turboprops try to land and take off at this airport, smaller fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are better suited for landing and taking off from this facility. Pilots who want to utilize this potentially hazardous runway must first get a specific certification.
The Aspen–Pitkin County Airport (ASE) is located three miles from the town of Aspen. It has one asphalt surfaced runway, numbered 15/33, that measures 8,006 by 100 feet and has a length of 100 feet (2,440 x 30 m). The surrounding mountains, as well as the winter weather, may make flying in this area difficult for pilots. Flights above 95 feet (29 meters) in wingspan are prohibited, and aircraft weighing more than 100,000 pounds (45,000 kilograms) are subject to a maximum certificated gross landing weight restriction.
Colorado’s Vail and Beaver Creek resorts
Eagle County Airport (EGE) has a single asphalt-surfaced runway 7/25 with a length of 9,000 feet (2,743 meters). Although it is not the shortest runway we will cover, it may be one of the most difficult to manage owing to its height and steep terrain, the unpredictability of the weather, and the difficulty of the takeoff and landing operations.
Considering that the airport serves many major Colorado ski resorts, including Vail and Beaver Creek, it is most congested during the winter months. Because to its expanded runway, it is now able to accommodate flights from some of the biggest commercial airlines, as well as a considerable number of private planes.
Barra Airport is located in the Scottish Outer Hebrides.
Barra is a Scottish island.
A beach runway is the only runway in the world that can accommodate regular airline flights, and Barra Airport (BRR) on Barra Island in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, is the only such runway in the world (which vary with the tide). The tide covers the three small runways on Barra’s Traigh Mhor’s sandy beach twice daily, preventing access to the runways. Because of the terrible weather conditions, the airport is only operational for a few brief hours every day due to the limited time available.
Barra’s takeoff and landing zones:
London City Airport has a runway length of 2,621 feet (799 meters) on sand, with a runway width of 2,231 feet (680 meters) on sand. The runway length at London City Airport is 2,776 feet (846 meters).
London City Airport is located in the city of London.
London City Airport (LCY), in the English capital of London: The single runway at this airport, despite the fact that it is in close proximity to the City of London, is too tiny to accommodate big aircraft. The landing on runway 09/27, which is just 4,948 feet (1508 meters) long and has a grooved concrete surface, requires a specific qualification for both the pilot and the supporting crew. As you can see in the picture above, the airport was constructed in the former port district of London known as “docklands,” and there are water-filled docks on both sides of the runway to accommodate passengers.
All aircraft utilizing the airport must be of a type that has been authorized and is capable of making an approach at a slope of at least 5.5 degrees (this compares with 3 degrees at most other airports). Single-engine fixed-wing aircraft are not authorized to land at this airport; only multi-engine fixed-wing aircraft are permitted to land. The Falcon 7X, the Bombardier Challenger 605, and the Citation Sovereign are among the private aircraft that have been approved.
Gibraltar
Gibraltar International Airport (GIB), also known as North Front Airport, is distinguished by the fact that it is located directly across the runway from Gibraltar’s main thoroughfare, Winston Churchill Avenue, which must be closed (much like a railroad crossing or a draw bridge) each time a plane takes off or lands. The asphalt runway 9/27 is 5,511 feet (1,680 meters) in length and is long enough to accommodate commercial Airbus A 320 aircraft. Because of its location between a mountain and a town, the airport was able to operate on the only flat terrain suitable for such operations at the time. In addition to the motorway and the massive, steep rock of Gibraltar, the runway runs out into the Mediterranean Sea, which presents a significant challenge.
Saba is a Caribbean island.
The Juancho E. Yrausquin International Airport (SAB) is located on the Caribbean island of Saba. This idyllic island is the stuff of holiday fantasies. However, getting there is a another matter. It is home to the world’s smallest runway, which can be seen in the video above and is just 1,299 feet in length (386 m). It is only accessible by helicopters, turboprops, and tiny piston aircraft since the runway is just slightly longer than an aircraft carrier runway. This runway is very difficult to maneuver since it is surrounded by ocean and mountains, with sheer 60-foot cliffs plummeting into the sea on each end.
St. Maarten is a Caribbean island.
Dutch Caribbean island of St. Maarten is served by Princess Juliana International Airport. On the Dutch side of the island of St. Maarten, there is another another Caribbean Netherlands airport that is worth highlighting. Because aircraft fly perilously near to the coastline and thrill-seeking sunbathers on Maho Beach, the airport itself is a popular tourist destination in and of itself. This runway’s approach and takeoff are both very tight, leaving little room for mistake. Approaching over water while flying under visual flight rules might cause pilots flying in over this small beach to lose their sense of height and get disoriented. A turn is required to avoid mountains on the take-off route, which poses an unusual set of problems. The take-off itself is also an interesting difficulty. The runway 10/28 specifications are as follows: 7,546 feet (2,300 meters) of asphalt/concrete surface with a length of 7,546 feet (2,300 meters).
St. Barts International Airport
Caribbean island of St. Barts
Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy has a single runway, Gustaf III Airport, also known as St. Jean Airport, which presents a number of issues for both arrivals and departures during the summer months. Aircraft arriving at the airport must manage an extremely steep drop over the hilltop traffic circle, while leaving planes take off over sunbathers on a beach next to the runway’s end. As a result, only tiny aircraft, the majority of which carry less than 20 people, may land on this narrow airport. The concrete surface of runway 10/28 is 2,133 feet (650 meters) in length.
Nantucket, Massachusetts is a small island off the coast of Massachusetts.
New England’s island refuge of Nantucket, with its beautiful beaches and early 19th century New England maritime charm, is served by three shorter runways: Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK), Nantucket International Airport (ACK), and Nantucket International Airport (ACK).
The airport is busiest during the summer months, when guests come through commercial airlines, local air taxis, and private planes, among other modes of transportation. During the months of July and August, approximately 600 takeoffs and landings are possible on any one day. It has a main runway that is over 6,300 feet long and can handle the majority of private planes. The main runway on Nantucket is 800 feet longer than the one on nearby Martha’s Vineyard, providing greater space for bigger private aircraft to land on the island.
Runway 6/24 is 6,303 feet (1,921 meters) in length and has an asphalt surface.
Runway 12/30 is 2,696 feet (822 meters) in length and has an asphalt surface.
Runway 15/33 is 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) long and has an asphalt surface at the samedan airport.
St. Moritz, Switzerland is a ski resort.
Samedan Airport, sometimes known as Engadin Airport, is located near St. Mortiz in Switzerland. The Engadin airport, which is seen above, is located at a height of 5,600 feet (1,707 meters) above mean sea level. As a result of the thin air at this height, the difficult geography, and the severe winds, it is considered to be one of the world’s most problematic airports. Its single asphalt runway 03/21 is 5,905 feet (1,800 meters) in length and has a length of 1,800 meters. The airport does not have an instrument landing system and does not have scheduled passenger flights; instead, it is used mostly for general aviation traffic, which includes smaller jets and propeller planes. Prior to flying into Engadin, pilots must pass an online exam created by the airport.
Capabilities for taking off and landing aircraft
Clearly, many of the airports mentioned above are only accessible by smaller aircraft, and this is an undeniable fact. For some of the airports listed above, even a small jet would take up too much runway, necessitating the use of a piston engine or turboprop aircraft.
The distances between the takeoff and landing points of many private aircraft are shown in the table below. Because many private aircraft have shorter takeoff and landing capabilities, they are able to take advantage of some of these very coveted airport sites.
Aerial Vehicle Type Distance between the takeoff field and the landing zone
Islander from the Britten-Norman Islands Piston The height is 1,218ft (371 m) and the width is 980ft (299 m)
Twin Otter DHC-6 Turboprop Transport 1,200ft (366 m) 1,050ft (330 m) (320 m)
Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft has a range of 2,600 feet (793 m) a height of 2,170 feet (661 m)
The King Air 350 turboprop aircraft 3,300 feet in altitude (1,006 m) a height of 2,692 feet (821 m)
Aircraft: Citation Mustang Private Jet 3,110 feet in altitude (948 m) a height of 2,380 feet (725 m)
Phenom 300 Light Jet 3,138ft in length (956 m) a height of 2,621 feet (799 m)
Challenger 300 Mid-Size Jet 4,835 feet in length (1,474 m) a height of 2,710 feet (826 m)
Gulfstream 450 is a business jet that can transport up to 450 passengers.
Large Jet 5,600ft in length (1,707 m) 3,260 feet in length (994 m)
Falcon 7X Large Jet 5,710 feet in length (1,740 m) a height of 2,070 feet (631 m)
The take-off and landing distances for the Britten-Norman Islander, the Twin Otter, and the Pilatus PC-12 are the distances necessary to clear 50 feet of water (15 m). When compared to other aircraft, the Britten-Norman Islander needs just 621 feet (189 meters) for ground roll on takeoff and 459 feet (140 meters) for ground roll on landing, which is much less than other aircraft.
The actual takeoff and landing distances for all of these aircraft may vary depending on the weather and the weight of the plane when it is fully loaded. As a result, aircraft that are fully laden and heavier will need to take off from a greater distance. That is one of the reasons why your operator will inquire as to how many individuals will be traveling with you and how much baggage they will be carrying. This assists in determining the most appropriate aircraft for the operation, as well as which aircraft are capable of landing at the airports you want to visit.