Tabletop runway

A tabletop runway is a runway that is located on the top of a plateau or hill with one or both ends adjacent to a steep precipice which drops into a deep gorge.[1][2] This type of runway creates an optical illusion of being at the same level as the plains below, which requires a very precise visual approach by the pilot when instrument landing is not used or not available.[3][4]

Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in Saba, an example of a tabletop runway.
An Air India Express landing on Kozhikode International Airport in India.
Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in Madeira.

List of tabletop runways edit

CountryLocationAirportAirport Codes
(IATA/ICAO)
Ref.
 BrazilSao PauloCongonhas AirportCGH/SBSP
 ColombiaBucaramangaPalonegro International AirportBGA/SKBG
PastoAntonio Nariño AirportPSO/SKPS
PereiraMatecaña International AirportPEI/SKPE
 Faroe IslandsSørvágurVágar AirportFAE/EKVG
 FranceCourchevelCourchevel AirportCVF/LFLJ
 IndiaHimachal PradeshShimla AirportSLV/VISM[5]
KeralaCalicut International AirportCCJ/VOCL[6]
KeralaKannur International AirportCNN/VOKN
KarnatakaMangalore International AirportIXE/VOML[7][8]
MizoramLengpui AirportAJL/VELP[8]
SikkimPakyong AirportPYG/VEPY[9]
 ItalyLampedusaLampedusa AirportLMP/LICD[10]
   NepalDolpaDolpa AirportDOP/VNDP[11]
KhotangManmaya Rai Airport?/VKND[11]
OkhaldhungaRumjatar AirportRUM/VNRT[11]
MuguTalcha Airport?/VNRR[12]
SolukhumbuTenzing–Hillary AirportLUA/VNLK[13]
KathmanduTribhuvan International AirportKTM/VNKT[14][11]
SankhuwasabhaTumlingtar AirportTMI/VNTR[11]
 NetherlandsSabaJuancho E. Yrausquin AirportSAB/TNCS[13]
 PhilippinesBaguioLoakan AirportBAG/RPUB
 PortugalSanta CruzCristiano Ronaldo International AirportFNC/LPMA[15]
 Saint HelenaLongwoodSaint Helena AirportHLE/FHSH
 SpainPlaya SantiagoLa Gomera AirportGMZ/GCGM
Montferrer i CastellbòAndorra-La Seu d'Urgell AirportLEU/LESU
 United StatesCaliforniaCatalina AirportAVX/KAVX
Monterey AirportMRY/KMRY
McClellan Palomar AirportCLD/KCRQ
San Nicolas Island NOLF?/KNSI
ArizonaSedona AirportSDX/KSEZ
West VirginiaYeager AirportCRW/KCRW
ColoradoTelluride AirportTEX/KTEX

Selected accidents and incidents edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Beauty belies tricky runway". The Telegraph. 2010-05-22. Archived from the original on 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  2. ^ "What is a table-top airport?". NDTV. 2010-05-23. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  3. ^ "Tabletop runways create an optical illusion". The Hindu. 2010-05-22. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  4. ^ "Why the Tabletop runways considered risky?".
  5. ^ Service, Tribune News. "Shimla's table-top airport 'riskiest', is 300 metres short of required length". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  6. ^ "Quixplained graphic: What are tabletop runways?". The Indian Express. 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  7. ^ "Tabletop Runways". GKToday. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  8. ^ a b "Calicut is one of the three tabletop airports in India, runways hinder rescue operations". Moneycontrol.web|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/the-dangers-posed-by-tabletop-runways-1.4961521%7Ctitle=The dangers posed by tabletop runways|website=Mathrubhumi}}
  9. ^ "Pakyong in Sikkim another risky airport with tabletop runway". The India Times. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  10. ^ "Tabletop Runway: Definition and Risks". aviationfiles. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Kathmandu Airport also sits on a 'table-top', like Kozhikode". AviationNepal.com | Aviation Nepal News Network. 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  12. ^ Daily, Republica (Jan 16, 2017). "Talcha Airport: Precarious yet astonishing to look at". Archived from the original on 2021-12-15.
  13. ^ a b "16 Most Dangerous Airports of The World - 2020 List". www.holidify.com. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  14. ^ "Factbox: What is a 'table-top runway', the site of deadly Air India plane crash?". Reuters. 2020-08-08. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  15. ^ "Madeira Airport". MapnAll. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  16. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 N224MD Sedona Airport, AZ (SDX)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
  17. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Let L-410UVP-E20 9N-AKY Lukla-Tenzing-Hillary Airport (LUA)". www.aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  18. ^ "Air India plane overshoots Karipur's table top runway, drops into valley; 19 dead". Hindustan Times. 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-08-07.