Saba Airport - Balls of STEAL flying...

[Guest OzChris]

 

The Island of Saba is located about 28 miles south of St. Maarten. The island is a dormant volcano that emerges vertically out of the Caribbean Sea on all shores to a peak of 3000 feet.

 

 

There are not any beach areas on the entire island since the entire shoreline is made up of cliffs that drop straight down into the ocean

 

 

This is said to be the shortest commercial airport runway in the world. It is 400 meters (1300 feet) in total length. The span of runway between the white lines demarking the "usable" runway length measures just under 1000 feet. There are not any overrun areas on either end of the paved runway where shear cliffs immediately drop off over 200 feet into the sea. Officially, the runway is permanently closed to all air traffic as is designated by the "X" on each end. However, aircraft are permitted to operate on Saba by obtaining waivers from the Netherlands Antilles' Civil Aviation Authority.

 

 

 

Only the Twin Otter and two other aircraft types are currently waivered to fly in/out of the Saba airport.

 

 

At maximum takeoff weight the Twin Otter is flown straight off the end of the runway similar to an aircraft carrier takeoff. Likewise, at maximum takeoff weight, the roll out on landing requires most all of the runway length.

 

Source:

 

http://www.georgiajets.org

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Hmmm might have to fire up Flight Sim

 

Some videos on YouTube

 

[youtube:yi8ljcnf]

 

[/youtube:yi8ljcnf][youtube:yi8ljcnf]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JP-yvfs-U0[/youtube:yi8ljcnf]

 

 

[Guest David C]

That looks like Heathrow to us Bantam pilots . :lol: ... I reckon we could put the Bantam down about 6 times in that length hey Darren !! The jabiru ?? .. that's another story though ..

 

Dave C

 

 

[Guest Mrt]

fantasic runway to bad it dose not look good in flight sim 2004