What airports have great views when taking off/landing?

[Gooberlx2]

Sometimes I wish I had a job that required travel. I'd like to see more places.

My Dad's job flew him all over the world many many times in a year...Asia, South America, Europe, (not so much the Middle East or Africa), Australia, etc... Granted, his position was rather high up in a big corp. I just get Cabin Fever.

 

[foghorn67]

Philly isn't bad. A bunch of ships, and mothballed ships. And the kayakers on the river. I enjoyed landing there.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: foghorn67
Philly isn't bad. A bunch of ships, and mothballed ships. And the kayakers on the river. I enjoyed landing there.

Flown in there almost 20 times. Just saw the fort on the left of the runaway about 500 yds from threshold. Really cool 1700/1800 fort.

 

[PELarson]

Originally posted by: Amol
I was looking at some pictures that I took a few years ago when I was landing at LAX from Hong Kong. It was at night and it was a gorgeous view of the city and surrounding suburbs, especially since I remember that plane having to circle for a while to get in for landing.

Washington DC Reagan National has an amazing takeoff, too. Quite a view of the city if you're on the right side:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=22310926&size=l

I also like JFK's landing around mid-to-late afternoon. Fantastic views of Lower Manhattan and of Jamaica Bay & Long Island.


What airports have you guys flown out of that have amazing views?

You must be a terrorist. Don't you know it is now illegal and immoral to look out a planes window while taking off or landing. What are you un<country of origin>?:disgust:

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: gsellis
Forgot... OGG, Kahalui Maui HI from the mainland is wow. Fly next to Haleakula (10000ft) on the left, turn over Kehei/Maalaea with all the reefs below. Now Haleakula is on the right (right side got the reef view) and left side gets a great view of Lanai and the West Maui mtns (tropical at 5000).

I'll be there in about six weeks. I love that flight. It'll be my seventh trip there in the last 3 years. I can't wait.

Somebody mentioned Juneau. Add Ketchikan to the list as well. And Anchorage is nice.

The scariest airport anywhere is Dutch Harbor. It's an old WWII air strip... very short. When they take off they hang the ass-end of the plane off the back of the runway, lock the brakes and crank the engines up to full. Then they let go. The plane lifts off right at the other edge of the runway. You're taking off directly into a mountain. You are pinned into your seat the whole time.

It's about as close as any of us will get to launching off the deck of an aircraft carrier. :Q

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Hawaii is great for obvious reasons. And I think SanFran has you landing over the water too.

The landing over the bay is not as impressive, but maybe it's because I live there, and I go through it all too often.

Denver is overrated. It's flat ground once you're up there. You see the mountains in the distant, but so what?

I personally think HK is cool when you have to turn and land. Even I can't pull that off in MS Flight Sim.

Originally posted by: DnetMHZ

Originally posted by: Abel007

Originally posted by: Aflac
Vegas at night. It's awesome to see the city of Vegas, hanging out in the middle of a desert.

:thumbsup:

LoL, I did an autopilot flight in MS Flight Sim from San Jose to Las Vegas and I planned to take over for the descent, but I came back a little late so we were halfway into the descent, and as you know there are high mountains before u hit Vegas coming from CA, and the autopilot had me crashing straight into one, but I pulled up just in time...

Definitely a beautiful view at night... I love flying in a Cessena in Flight Sim, and just flying low over the strip =)

 

[TXHokie]

Originally posted by: EngenZerO

Originally posted by: Amol
I was looking at some pictures that I took a few years ago when I was landing at LAX from Hong Kong. It was at night and it was a gorgeous view of the city and surrounding suburbs, especially since I remember that plane having to circle for a while to get in for landing.

Washington DC Reagan National has an amazing takeoff, too. Quite a view of the city if you're on the right side:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=22310926&size=l

I also like JFK's landing around mid-to-late afternoon. Fantastic views of Lower Manhattan and of Jamaica Bay & Long Island.


What airports have you guys flown out of that have amazing views?

agreed... i fly out of regan way too much now... so its lack luster...

the last one i have been wowed by is vegas mccarran international airport... the strip at night... very cool...

edit also portland internation airport... nice view of the mountains when you fly in...

I usually enjoy the landing maneuver when landing at Reagan National approaching from the north going down the Potomac. Pilots used to come in low following the river and bank hard near Rosslyn by the highrise and then couple banks last minute correction to line up with the runway. Once you touchdown it's a hard braking job due to the short runway. Must have some skills if there's a hard crosswind. It's great if you have it combined with the view toward the Mall.

 

[amol]

Originally posted by: PELarson

Originally posted by: Amol
I was looking at some pictures that I took a few years ago when I was landing at LAX from Hong Kong. It was at night and it was a gorgeous view of the city and surrounding suburbs, especially since I remember that plane having to circle for a while to get in for landing.

Washington DC Reagan National has an amazing takeoff, too. Quite a view of the city if you're on the right side:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=22310926&size=l

I also like JFK's landing around mid-to-late afternoon. Fantastic views of Lower Manhattan and of Jamaica Bay & Long Island.


What airports have you guys flown out of that have amazing views?

You must be a terrorist. Don't you know it is now illegal and immoral to look out a planes window while taking off or landing. What are you un<country of origin>?:disgust:

Well ... I AM brown ...

Originally posted by: TXHokie

Originally posted by: EngenZerO

Originally posted by: Amol
I was looking at some pictures that I took a few years ago when I was landing at LAX from Hong Kong. It was at night and it was a gorgeous view of the city and surrounding suburbs, especially since I remember that plane having to circle for a while to get in for landing.

Washington DC Reagan National has an amazing takeoff, too. Quite a view of the city if you're on the right side:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=22310926&size=l

I also like JFK's landing around mid-to-late afternoon. Fantastic views of Lower Manhattan and of Jamaica Bay & Long Island.


What airports have you guys flown out of that have amazing views?

agreed... i fly out of regan way too much now... so its lack luster...

the last one i have been wowed by is vegas mccarran international airport... the strip at night... very cool...

edit also portland internation airport... nice view of the mountains when you fly in...

I usually enjoy the landing maneuver when landing at Reagan National approaching from the north going down the Potomac. Pilots used to come in low following the river and bank hard near Rosslyn by the highrise and then couple banks last minute correction to line up with the runway. Once you touchdown it's a hard braking job due to the short runway. Must have some skills if there's a hard crosswind. It's great if you have it combined with the view toward the Mall.

Ahh yes, IIRC, if you're on the left side, you can see Georgetown University and the Kennedy Center, both of them gorgeous at night.

 

[WENEEDLIGHT]

What would you define as "great view?" I personally didn't like HK. It was too dull and predictable. But I do like SF (buildings, suburbs, freeway, greenland), Phoenix (desert, citiylife, sandstorm) ...uhhhhhm that's all I remember.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Originally posted by: TheSiege
SLC in winter or summer during the day, spectactular mountains and of course the lake, but the lake isnt that pretty

Flew in early Spring as in April 2nd, absolutely gorgeous!

 

[RayH]

Tiaman Island in Malaysia has a small airport at the base of the mountains with no direct approach so landings are done flying toward the side of the mountain head on with a hard 90 degree bank just before the runway.

Some pics I found but they're out the side passenger window.