Landing on One of the World’s Most Challenging Airport Runways in Funchal, Madeira

Travel vlogger Sam Chiu took a flight from Lisbon, Portugal to the autonomous region of Madeira where the Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in Funchal sits on a foreland that juts out into the ocean and is known for its extremely short runway, which is surrounded by both high mountains and the sea. This particular environment causes extreme gusts that literally blow planes off the runway. The airport also requires a 150° turn before landing. Pilots need to have special training in order to be able to land at this airport. Luckily, the pilots of the TAP Air Portugal flight that Chiu was on were able to land perfectly.

The pilot explained why Funchal, Madeira is a difficult airport to land. The variable wind on the final approach and the mountain draft has created tough conditions for planes to land.

There are a number of videos dedicated to watching planes try to land at this very challenging airport. One such channel is Madeira Airport Spotting who keeps a regular eye on the incoming flights.