Madeira Airport (IATA: FNC, ICAO: LPMA)

Portugal / Madeira / Machico /
 international airport  Add category

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxwYwqxG3lc

Madeira Airport (IATA: FNC, ICAO: LPMA), also known as Funchal Airport and Santa Catarina Airport, is an international airport located near Funchal, Madeira. The airport controls national and international air traffic of the island of Madeira.

For the enlargement of the new runway the Funchal Airport has won the Oustanding Structures Award, given by International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE). The is consider to be the Oscar for engineer structures in Portugal.

Funchal is known as the most dangerous airport in the world. Cause, Funchal has a short runway and a position close to the cliff.
In 1980, a Boeing 727 crashed in the end of the current runway to land. As a result, a total of 131 passengers were killed and the runway was extended over the ocean with 150 concrete pillars to support it.
Although no longer a short runway, its position adjacent to the mountains and the sea raises another issue, namely the extreme turbulence and bad weather conditions. Conditions that creates problems for pilots, even the most experienced, during takeoff or landing.

The project for the new airport was made by portuguese Segadães Tavares.

Runway 05/23 2777 x 45 meters (9110 x 148 feet)
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeira_Airport
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   32°41'56"N   16°46'25"W

Comments

  • Airport was featured on the History Channel special "The 10 Most Extreme Airports"...it was #9.