One of the world’s most dangerous runways is located at Courchevel Altiport, which is part of a ski resort in the French Alps. The airfield has a very short runway that measures only 1,736-feet in length, with a gradient of 18.6%. There is no go-around procedure for landings at Courchevel, due to the surrounding mountainous terrain. De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters and DHC-7 Dash 7 turboprops served the airport in the past; however, the airfield primarily sees smaller fixed-wing aircraft such as Cessnas as well as helicopters at present. Continue reading for two more videos and information.
The runway has no instrument approach procedure or lighting aids, thus making landing in fog and low clouds unsafe and almost impossible. The airport is considered dangerous, as it features a difficult approach, an upslope runway and ski runs in the adjacent area. The History Channel program Most Extreme Airports ranks it as the seventh most dangerous airport in the world.
