Coolest airports/approaches
 

Here's some fun airline flying (that some folks put on their 'scary' list) -

TGU 01
LGA Express Visual flown as depicted
DCA 15/33
DCA River Visual
DCA 01 departure
SNA 19
EGE
GUC
JAC
JFK VOR 13L (nothing like seeing TCAS readings of 400-600' from foreign carriers at the MAP :eek:, even VFR)
SXM
ANU
SJU Lagoon Visual 08
SKB
GND
STX
Ponce 12(?)
POP RNAV 08
STT - especially the departure
SEA 16 (nice view)
LHR west ops (nice view)
ZRH departures
SFO (view)
RNO

You gotta fly the LGA Expressway Visual coming in from the northeast, say Boston. They send you direct to the LGA VOR then on a heading of 285 at 2500 flying right over Manhattan. Then a sharp left 180 degree turn back towards DIALS (the tanks). It is pretty cool on a clear night. The passengers love it.

ASE, TEX Unreal!

I miss Kai Tak when the winds were howling from the south with rain.

Coolest approach. ILS 26R ATL.

Because you land, take the victor loop and park (maybe).

Next coolest approach, any one of them to CHS, with a long layover.

Most disappointing approach, any one of them to DAY or FNT, with a long layover.

.


Love that one. Get it from buf or bos!

I've gotten more than one right base entry for a visual for 31 coming in from Boston; I don't think that you have to fly the Expressway.

Although, I have done it the way you described, as well. It is cool.

Did that in the SAAB tons of times! Direct the airport. Depart the LGA VOR on a 270 heading, south along the river, around lower Manhattan to the Tanks and then rest of the approach. Got some cool pictures, too!

SFO 28L/R is always fun when approach sets you up as a good pair and both guys play along.

SAN and BUR aren't terribly challenging, but they're enjoyable and people claim they're scary.

I've enjoyed riding into LIH but I've never seen it from the front seat.

Oh yeah, most Brasilia airports are cool too, but I know that's not "real" airline flying...

I'm sure some of our fellow prop drivers can appreciate the ILS 15R with the circle to 4L in BOS.

Landing SXM is fun, but taking off can be better. We taxied into position in a 757 with a topless lady by the fence. My thought was "You really should cover up!"

Has anyone looked UP at the top of the Pentagon departing 33 at DCA in a BE-99?

It's been awhile but I think it was NBD to 10 @ KCLE in a F-28, snow covered. Former Marine pilot as F/O that I really respected. Older than me, paid me a complement I will never forget.

EWR ILS 11 circle-to-land 22R in an ERJ-145 was pretty fun.

Not ILS 22L circle to 29, that's mundane, I only got to do one 11 to 22R and it was a blast.

I know this probably not what you meant, but I spent a week in Punta Cana at one of those all inclusive topless beaches type places and a vast majority of the time you really just wanted to gouge your eyes out.

Coolest airports/approaches
 

I second ASE. Beautiful view...of both the mountains and the rich cougars getting off the plane :D

Yes, I remember a few layovers in Barbados. But no, this one was, well, what we look for. I felt sorry for the pain she was about to feel.

Guantanamo Bay visual to 10 before the GTMO west airspace made it so easy a cave man could do it.

Canarsie approach 13L or R(steeper bank more cool points for the right side), Ndb 4 circle 30 YOO(Oshawa,Ontario, DC3 days),runway used to be 3417 feet long, on X-windy days at gross with the cg aft and the ceiling at circling mins it was graduate level tailwheel flying.

Bos 15R circle 4L was my favorite approach. You could look into some of the windows of the building during the circle. Approach always loved to give the guys in and out daily this approach, even when the wx was at minns. Pax did hate it though.

Visual rwy 27 @ TLPC (Castries St. Lucia). Airport is on the coast, steep hills on the approach path and surrounding the airport, and a harbor at the far end of the runway with cruise ships frequently passing through it. Coming down on final the GPWS is yelling and you can see into people's houses like Kai Tak. Fun times :)

Yes! Back in the day when the AAA guns would track your turn to final. Good times.

The old "Hong Kong curve" where you followed the path on tops of buildings to a short runway with water off the end.

You know that approach in Teg...galpa Honduras where they slide down the side of the mountain? Yes, it's so overblown.

All the pilots do is hit the...

http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/a...d/temp2-53.png

:D

You get that every time you land in LAX you know.

http://cdn.theatlanticwire.com/img/u...4Oih/large.png

St. Paul Downtown (KSTP) with right traffic for rwy 14....you're descending right into the buildings of downtown. Plus the controllers there are super appreciative even for touch-and-goes.

http://www.airliners.net/photo//0715...30b650aa28e386

Dangerous approaches... hmm....

http://webcomicsguide.com/wp-content...rlohe-pic2.jpg

Ferd would make that approach.

"yo... I'm just coming off a 9 day trip... I can promise you... he can't love you like I can..."

How about MDW ILS 31C circle 22L with strong winds? That can be an enjoyable one for me.

Any STOL landing in DCA. Especially down the Anacostia river to 21.

Any Single Pilot, freight dog approach.

"Requesting the Contact..."

Anything else is almost as good.. ;)

Yet nothing like feeling the hair on the back of your head stand up while making a circle to land at a uncontrolled short-field, down to mins, during a nor'easter, snow drifting/blowing over an iced runway.

Or having de-ice boots unable to keep up (really - don't we all hate those freaggin' boots!), getting loaded up with ice, airplane 'falling out of the sky', forced landing at some "alternate" airport, throwing the gear out 'over the fence', zero flap landing without reducing the throttle in the minimum flare - for fear of driving the gear through the wing. Then have to go back up and do it again...

Apologize for taking away from this Post - 'Coolest Approaches' are those that require true flying skills.

I always liked buzzing the harbor and landing on 33R (it was about 2500') in BOS, and flying down the east river to the Statue to 29 in EWR. Of course, this was pre 9-11, not sure if they even let us do that anymore.

NDB Pago Pago at night:eek:

Ah yes, the glory days of flying for the Feds--the Federal Reserve Bank! Also, sneaking marginal VFR between TEB or EWR to LGA and crossing Central Park to land 13' taxi back to Marine Air Terminal. Is it still there?

GF

The last leg of your trip...doesn't matter where.

Nu

Nothing beats flying the milk run through Southeast Alaska on a VFR day.

MCO 17R. Usually because I am going home when the chocks are in place.

How about the EWR ILS 11 circle to 29 from the right seat of the E145? :D

PWM Harbor Visual
EYW

Yep, that too. Great pancakes though.

Left turn off LAS 1L or R. Nice view of the strip.