Bhutan’s Paro Airport: A Thrilling Landing
In Bhutan’s Paro Airport, pilots face a unique challenge. They must land their planes on a short runway surrounded by towering mountains. It’s considered one of the most difficult airport landings in the world.
Passengers often feel nervous during the approach, but they’re usually relieved and clap when the plane lands safely. This thrilling experience adds to the excitement of visiting Bhutan, a beautiful Himalayan country.
A Pilot’s Perspective on Paro Airport
Paro Airport is known for its challenging conditions, but it’s still safe to fly to. Jumbo jets can’t land here, which makes it even more special for aviation enthusiasts.
Captain Chimi Dorji, a pilot with Druk Air, has been flying to and from Paro for 25 years. He says that landing here requires skill, but it’s not dangerous. He wouldn’t fly the route if he didn’t think it was safe.
What makes Paro unique
Paro’s unique location makes it a beautiful place, but it also makes flying there difficult. The airport is in a mountainous area, so pilots need special training. They must land manually without radar and know the local landscape well.
Bhutan is mostly mountains, and its capital, Thimpu, is very high. Paro is a little lower, but it’s still high.
At high altitudes, the air is thinner, so planes have to fly faster. This means they seem to move faster than they actually are. Pilots need to be aware of this to land safely.
Weather makes it more unique
Anyone who has flown into Paro – from New Delhi, Bangkok, Kathmandu, or, as of October 2024, Hanoi – most likely had to wake up very early for their flight. That’s because airport officials prefer all planes to land before noon for optimal safety due to strong wind conditions.
“We try to avoid operations beyond noon because then you get a lot of thermal (winds), the temperatures rising, the rains haven’t come in yet,” says Dorji. “So land is parched and you get all these up drops and get all these anabatic/katabatic winds in the valley in the afternoon. Mornings are much calmer.”
That is less of an issue with takeoffs, though, so travelers can count on a better night’s sleep their last evening in Bhutan thanks to an afternoon departure time.
However, there are no nighttime flights at Paro, regardless of the season, due to the lack of radar.
Different accommodations have to be made during monsoon season, which is usually between June and August.
It’s not uncommon to have thunderstorms that time of year, complete with hail that can reach the size of golf balls.
“The monsoon is across the Bay of Bengal,” Dorji says. “You have these northwesterly, northeasterly winds that come in from across in China. And you have these periods where you have rain for days.”
Ultimately, he says, part of a pilot’s training isn’t just knowing how to fly – it’s knowing when not to fly, and being able to make the call when it isn’t a safe time to take off.
The last factor in Paro’s level of difficulty is what Dorji calls “obstacles” – namely, the mountainous terrain that surrounds the airport.
Paro’s runway is just 7,431 feet long, and it’s flanked by two tall mountains. As a result, pilots can only see the runway from the air when they’re just about to land on it.
Bhutan’s aviation industry
Things are changing in Bhutan, and the aviation industry is one of them.
Gelephu, in southern Bhutan near the Indian border, has been chosen as the site for a new purpose-built “mindfulness city.”
While it’s already home to a small airport, Gelephu’s new status brings a significant expansion. The most notable difference between Gelephu and Paro is terrain – Gelephu is much flatter and there is enough room to build longer runways that are easier for non-specialized pilots and can accommodate jumbo jets.
Related videoPilot explains what it’s like to fly into the world’s ‘most dangerous’ airport
Within a few years, it’s possible there will be direct flights to Bhutan from North America, Europe and the Middle East.
The industry is still relatively young here. Druk Air was founded in 1981 – compare that with 1919 for KLM, 1920 for Qantas and 1928 for Delta Air Lines.
And while Bhutan only has a few dozen licensed pilots, there is a stated national interest in hiring and training more young pilots locally, not just recruiting from overseas.
Aspiring pilots must show their ability to fly in all of Bhutan’s varied seasons. As the national flag carrier, Druk Air has taken much of the responsibility for pilot training on itself.
“I consider myself … the bridge between the old generation and the new one,” says Dorji, who is 43. He believes there are 50 licensed pilots in Bhutan, but that number could easily double in the next few years.
Either way, he says, “I’m looking forward to it.”
