A plane lands. (Photo by Thares2020 / Adobe Stock)
The airport on the Portuguese island of Madeira is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Its only runway features one of the most complex and spectacular approaches.
At Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport, every plane landing is a challenge for pilots and travelers. The airport welcomes millions of passengers every year, but is also known for being home to some of the most spectacular arrivals in the world.
In Madeira the weather of the day is often unpredictable
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago in the North Atlantic. Located almost 400 km north of the Canary Islands and 520 km west of Morocco, it is subject to several extreme climatic phenomena, including wind.
The only runway at Madeira Airport is therefore constantly confronted with strong cross winds. Pilots flying to the island must complete additional training in order to land there.
Madeira is located in a mountainous area, very close to the ocean, and the daily weather is often unpredictable. Airlines serving the island are sometimes forced to divert their flights to other airports in the region, including the Canary Islands, if the situation proves very risky.
Spectacular landing of an Airbus A320 on the runway of Madeira Airport
Every day, the YouTube channel Madeira Airport LPMA, specialized in spotting, publishes videos of landings, each more spectacular than the last. This is the case with the landing of this Airbus A320 of the Portuguese national airline.
The station’s planespotters continually strive to improve their recordings, particularly through careful choice of viewing angles. By positioning yourself on a hill overlooking the airport’s only runway, you get a breathtaking view of the maneuvers of aircraft arriving on the island.
On September 22nd, an Airbus A320-214 from TAP Air Portugal landed on Madeira from the capital Lisbon. Because the plane’s pilot knew exactly what to expect, he prepared well for the landing. The same undoubtedly applies to the passengers on board.
As it touched down, the plane bounced and even derailed from its flight path
After the final turn that allowed him to line up with the runway centerline, the captain immediately began the descent by significantly increasing the vertical speed.
Contrary to what we are used to in Madeira, the wind was not strong enough, but the approach was still slightly destabilized. With his wealth of experience, the pilot was able to control his aircraft until the touchdown phase.
When landing on the runway, we can see that the plane hit the ground violently. Result of the race: The plane bounced and even derailed from its flight path. But fortunately, the pilot quickly corrected the plane’s trajectory and continued the safe landing.
The images are spectacular to say the least, as this netizen, an aviation enthusiast, pointed out in the comments. “They captured well the details of the landing and the aircraft’s response to flight control movements,” he wrote.