I flew out of Lukla in early 1979. Grass strip, fewer than ten buildings. Same gut-wrenching take-off. I weighed 125 pounds, next to nothing for me. essentially starving. My backpack frame hit my pelvic bones hard, as my ass cushion was gone. I'd spent a month on the Everest trek, walking in from Lamsangu on the traditional route. I made side trips to Chialsa and spent time with Tibetans, among the nicest people you could imagine. Unfortunately I was there during their New Year celebrations, and they ignored me in favor of partying. It was tough getting any thing to eat! At Namche Bazaar I had my first shower in more than two weeks. It cost me a dollar, about half what a "hotel" room' did. I was happy to pay, as hot water was a sheer luxury. Namche's at about 12,000 feet. It took two-three days to get to the toe of the Khumbu Glacier, at about 15,000 ft. Even with all the time I'd spent acclimatizing, you had to take it slow and easy to deal with the altitude. There were NO trekkers at Base Camp, only a few Nepalese advance-team arrivals from a Yugoslav expedition that was also taking on Ama Dablam. I was advised not to go there, as even all you could really see was a pile of garbage left behind by previous expeditions. After walking about 4 miles along the edge of the Khumbu glacier, I spent an afternoon with one American and one local guide at Kala Pattar, at about 18,500 feet, in perfect weather. At that point, having reached my goal and losing more than a pound a day, I set out for Namche, reaching it in one day, and down to Lukla, the next. I was done!! When our Lukla plane started descending into the clouds as it approached the Kathmandu valley, I took one last look at the mountains seemingly levitating above them, and came close to tears as they disappeared into the mist. I knew even then, that I had just ended an adventure of a life-time.
Nice to see a new video, and with so much detail of this great airport with views not seen before (by me anyway). Nice to see so many Dornier 228 getting in and out, as well as a few Twin Otters. Thanks for sharing.
Great footage, Bryce! Thanks for the fresh HD videos; and you have really taken some efforts to capture those marvelous angles we so far only desired to see... Thanks.
Amazing skill of the pilots, I have landed here a few times. On take off V1 is almost the second you start to roll,you are committed, and V2 is very close to the end of the strip,very scary, and exciting. Landing is total commitment, no second chance, the end of the strip is a wall, and rock face.
John Doyle It's a well known fact that landing is a total commitment, but have you seen the recent video of a go-around well after crossing the runway threshold? The pilot banked hard and low to the left to avoid the mountains and I think diverted back to Kathmandu. Scared the shit out of me just looking at the video Will post the link here if I have time Cheers
It's a pretty good video although i see the pilot started the go around just before crossing the threshold and made the left turn. A few seconds late and it'd be a different story
Bryce, you have really done a super fine job on this footage! The area where you are along the RWY was great choice. As an old veteran of that field your's are some of the best that I have seen. Can you tell us what device or camera you used for the this film? Thanks again!
I just feel the need of taking off and landing here. I wonder if you lose both engines after lift off, would you glide to the bottom and find a suitable terrain?
Dr. Peck, I hope this video will enlighten you for a trip that you did not make. This will make you feel like that you have made the trip and the trill that you deserve to experience. I am wishing you all the best.. Your friend forever, Hratch Azadian
I bought the Lukla X - Mount Everest addon for FSX. I also have Active Sky for the weather and I bought the PMDG Jetstream 41 turboprop plane. That is as close to real as I can get. The trick is to have everything done ahead of touchdown. If you're fucking around with lights or the radio or anything else other than flying, you will smear yourself all over the mountain side. And the time of day really makes a difference. I have mine set to the real world conditions and the early evening is the best time. No sun in your face and the winds are calmer. I would never fly there in real life though. Too chicken shit.
The runway may be short, but it looks like the pilots have mastered it so to me at least it doesn't look particularly dangerous or dramatic. Nice scenery though.
Honestly, I really don’t find this funny, I mean what else would you expect for a helicopter to do? Scratch it’s whatever the little tubes are called through the runway and put its noes 10° on the air? well that would make it stalk to the ground and kill a lot of people, what what? Okay you know what I’m waisting time here, you know, I’m sorry for that speech, but it was okay, I just wanna clear stuff out of it make sense.
I know, right?! Loved playing around with different aircraft in/out of Lukla on FSX. I think my favorites were A-10 and E-6, but the heavies were fun, too. Taking off with those were pretty much driving over the side of the cliff/end of the runway and then just "falling" down a valley glidepath until you actually got enough airspeed to really "fly." Good times!
Dados indicam que tem 527 m por 20 m de largura (link no fim deste comentário), com 12% de inclinação, quase sem nenhum apoio de solo, a não ser um radio operador na estação de passageiros. Grandes países poderiam se unir e doar ao Nepal um mínimo de instrumentos de apoio e bancar o custo da manutenção, treinar operadores, de forma a manter um mínimo de segurança nos pousos e decolagens em Lukla. www.caanepal.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/TENZING-HILLARY-AIRPORT.pdf
I think that the countries with a big economy, should donate financial and professional support, to Nepal get a more secure and operational airport at Lukla, and install there a minimum of good electronics support to landing and takeoff with more security.
+Anton Westrick I don't think it's about the flare, to me it looked like it did actually flare. Looked not too hard though. But at this airport, you wanna touch down as soon as possible once over the threshold. Soft landings from a position like that in the video usually require more runway, as far as I know ... which can be tolerated if you're landing on a 4000m-runway with no concrete wall on the end. Here ... well.
I would not be flying in a single engined aircraft out of this airport. A PC-12 can glide a long way, but I can't see anything suitable for a forced landing within a plausible gliding distance.
+Donovan Moore No they are not modified at all, they were designed solely for short field takeoffs and landings and are used worldwide, hope this helps.
Its called air density (or lack of it). When you are at altitude, your stall speed increases significantly, therefore you have to maintain a higher than normal airspeed approach in order to land. Everything about this airport works against the pilot, high altitiude, high stall speed and short runway, not for the feint of heart. You have to be on your best game everyday with this one.
Even though the twin otters may handle better, it still does not alter the basic physics of having to land faster than normal with a full load at altitude.
God promise bros! I have never been on any aeroplane during my entire life time due to financial crisis but me always dreaming & thinking to ride once in my lifetime on any aeroplane once after getting blessings from my viewers help and support on youtube by learning by doing! God knows when this great dream will come true! I am ashamed of myself & so sorry to say this..............sorry!!!
