The Most Challenging Airport Approaches You Can Try in a Flight Simulator

Modern airliners are designed to operate safely into airports all over the world, but some destinations still present really unique challenges for pilots. Terrain, weather, runway layout, and local procedures can combine to create approaches that require exceptional precision and skill.

Some of these approaches are known as Category C. These are specialized airfields with the highest level of operational complexity, requiring specific, advanced training for pilots and crews due to challenging factors like steep, curved approaches, high surrounding terrain, and short runways.

Operationally, this means that the approaches can only be conducted by the Captain of the aircraft, not the first officer (Think Category C for Captain.) As well as this, training on the ground, in the simulator or even in the air is mandatory to fly to these airports.

Flight simulators provide a safe environment to experience these demanding approaches without risk, allowing guests to attempt landings that airline pilots train for professionally. 

At JetEx, we love to give our customers the opportunity to experience a challenge at the controls of a 60 tonne airliner, and the combination of full-motion and great visuals give these approaches a whole new feeling - which you can try safely from the comfort of our facility in Frome.

Innsbruck - Challenging Flying Through the Austrian Alps

Innsbruck Airport in Austria is well known for its dramatic alpine surroundings and highly procedural approach routes. A popular destination for Ski Tourism, alpine sports, and also featured on EasyJet’s “Inside The Cockpit” TV series, which featured a landing performed in extremely poor visibility.

Innsbruck’s mountain valley approach is one of Europe’s most technically demanding airline arrivals.

Aircraft must follow narrow valleys while maintaining strict altitude and navigation accuracy. Terrain awareness becomes extremely important, and pilots must position the aircraft precisely before descending toward the runway. The mountain peaks around the airport are well above 10,000 feet. To top it off, Innsbruck has a runway length of only around 6,500 feet - a length that doesn’t allow much margin of error for pilots flying large commercial jets.

In the simulator, Innsbruck provides a challenging but visually spectacular flying experience, and definitely one to consider trying when you visit JetEx.

Madeira – Managing Strong Crosswinds

Madeira Airport, otherwise known as Funchal, is famous for its challenging coastal location and strong, unpredictable winds. Built partly on an elevated platform extending into the ocean, the airport is surrounded by mountainous terrain and exposed to the relentless Atlantic weather systems. The combination of the strong winds created by these systems and the steep terrain cause strong windshear, gusts, buffets and heavy turbulence.

Aircraft approaching Madeira must follow unusual, curved and tight visual procedures to align with the runway. Unlike a straightforward instrument approach, pilots often need to manoeuvre the aircraft quickly and visually while managing crosswinds that can change rapidly during the final stages of the approach.

As seen in the photo, half of the runway sits atop stilts. Growing visitor numbers in the 1970s and 1980s, along with aircraft becoming increasingly larger, unfortunately ended in disaster. TAP Flight 425 landed too long on the short runway in inclement weather, slid off the end of the runway and crashed. This forced the Portuguese government to come up with a solution. With no land available to extend, engineers built a 1,020m (3000+ feet) long, 180m wide platform supported by 180 pillars over the sea, some of which are 57m high. The runway is now more than long enough, even for the long-haul, 100+ tonne aircraft you wouldn’t expect landing here.

In a simulator, Madeira offers a highly dynamic flying experience, combining challenging weather, terrain awareness, and visually demanding manoeuvring.

Queenstown - Scenic but Technically Demanding

Queenstown Airport in New Zealand is located within a mountainous region known for rapidly changing weather conditions and complex approach routing. The airport sits in a valley surrounded by high terrain, requiring aircraft to follow tightly defined arrival procedures.

Pilots must carefully manage altitude, speed, and navigation while transitioning through mountainous terrain before descending into the valley for landing. Cloud layers and visibility changes can significantly increase the workload during arrival. The famous RNP Z approach for runway 23 features a steep descent into the valley, culminating in a visually flown, offset approach - forcing you to trust your instincts rather than your instruments.

Gibraltar - Landing Across an Active Road

Gibraltar Airport presents a unique operational challenge due to its very short runway, unusual airport layout and even government politics. The runway is intersected by a public road, which must be closed whenever an aircraft is landing or departing, and Gibraltar is the ongoing subject of hundreds of years of feuds between the United Kingdom and Spain. Because of this, and international laws, Gibraltar (operated by the RAF and the UK Government) has its own ‘special’ airspace that aircraft can operate in, but visiting aircraft must not infringe too much upon Spanish airspace. 

This causes the famous Gibraltar ‘circle-to-land’ that aircraft must complete if approaching from the west. You will approach the airport initially from the South, over the ocean, then make a steep, low altitude, sharp turn towards the runway, exiting the turn at just half a mile from the runway - it’s got to be done right.

Surrounding terrain and coastal wind conditions can further complicate the approach. Strong crosswinds and mechanical turbulence are common due to airflow around the Rock of Gibraltar, requiring careful aircraft handling and constant weather monitoring to help pilots plan as much as possible.

St. Maarten – Low-Level Coastal Approach

Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten is famous worldwide for its extremely low final approach over Maho Beach. While visually spectacular, the approach requires accurate glidepath control and disciplined approach stability to ensure safe landing performance.

St Maarten’s low coastal approach creates dramatic visuals and strict glidepath control requirements.

Aircraft typically cross the beach perimeter at very low altitude before touching down on a runway measuring approximately 7,500 feet. Although terrain is less restrictive compared to mountain airports, the visual perspective can be deceptive, especially when strong coastal winds are present.

Pilots must maintain precise glide slope control and touchdown positioning to avoid landing long on the runway. Managing descent angle, airspeed stability, and crosswind corrections is essential, particularly in larger aircraft such as the Boeing 737.

In a simulator environment, St. Maarten provides a visually dramatic and highly engaging experience, allowing participants to experience one of aviation’s most recognisable approaches.

Paro – One of the World’s Most Restricted Commercial Airports

There’s a reason Bhutanese pilots say a prayer before they land at Paro Airport. Paro Airport in Bhutan is widely regarded as one of the most difficult commercial airports in the world. Located deep within the Himalayan mountains, Paro sits at an elevation of approximately 7,300 feet above sea level and is surrounded by steep terrain rising above 18,000 feet. At JetEx, this approach is rarely ever flown with customers due to its extreme difficulty. 

Paro requires fully visual mountain flying and is one of the most restricted airline approaches worldwide.

The approach into Paro cannot be flown using a traditional or conventional instrument landing system. Instead, pilots must fly a fully visual approach, manually navigating through tight mountain valleys while making multiple directional changes before lining up with the runway.

The high elevation significantly reduces aircraft performance, affecting engine thrust and aerodynamic lift. Combined with the airport’s relatively short runway length of around 7,400 feet, pilots must carefully manage descent rates and landing energy to ensure safe touchdown within a limited stopping distance.

All of these difficulties tied with only two airlines who fly to the airport, (Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines) mean that only approximately 50 pilots in the entire world are qualified to fly to Paro. Out of the currently approximated 330,000 airline pilots in the world - 0.015% of pilots could fly you to Paro.

Why Flight Simulators Are Perfect for Trying These Approaches

In real aviation, pilots train extensively before attempting challenging airports. A simulator provides a safe and controlled environment to experience these same challenges without pressure.

Simulator flying allows you to:

• Attempt difficult approaches safely

• Repeat landings instantly if they go wrong!

• Experiment with weather and conditions

This flexibility makes simulator flying both exciting and educational.

Can Beginners Attempt some of the Most Challenging Airport Approaches in a Flight Simulator?

Yes. Our simulator sessions are always tailored to the guest.

Beginners can be guided step-by-step through the most challenging airport approaches you can try in a flight simulator, while experienced aviation enthusiasts and repeat customers can attempt more realistic or complex procedures. The simulator environment allows you to explore these airports at your own pace.

Want to Try One Of These Approaches Yourself?

During a simulator session at JetEx, guests can choose from a wide range of airports and scenarios, including some of the most demanding approaches in commercial aviation.

If you would like to experience these challenges yourself, you can book a simulator session or purchase a gift voucher directly through the JetEx website.

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