Mountain Top Landings

Pia Bergqvist

Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 05:10 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Hilltop runways, like Catalina Airport, present significant visual illusions and challenges for pilots due to their elevation, sloped surfaces, and sharp drop-offs.
Safe approaches require meticulous altimeter monitoring, strict adherence to established pattern altitudes and procedures (power, flaps, speed), and a conservative touchdown strategy.
Pilots should avoid targeting the very beginning of the runway due to potential downdrafts and are advised to stay slightly above the targeted approach path, always being prepared to execute a go-around.

See a mistake? Contact us.

There are many visual illusions that can present themselves during flight. One scenario that can mess with the normal cues during the approach and landing phases is a runway that is located on a hilltop.

I recently flew into Catalina airport on Catalina Island to enjoy one of their fantastic buffalo burgers. While the airport is a fantastic place to visit, it does present special challenges and many local flight schools require a special checkout in order to land their rental airplanes at Avalon.