Difficult Airports

[FCPhotography]

I like the busy airports because of the scenery. ATL, BOS, ORD, LGA, EWR, JFK,PHL. Getting paid the little we do to watch a 747 go around at 50 feet is pretty cool.

ORD gate hold for 2 hours in the middle of a trip never bothered me.

 

[Fred Rogers]

good stuff

These are very interesting. I almost completely forgot about the mess that is L.A. A gazillion little airplanes going this way and that, mixed in with tons of rich folks (and all you "lucky" people who fly them) in and out of VanNuys and every other airport down there.

As to the previous post, FC- I agree that I don't mind the delays in the middle of the trip.. but doesn't it always seem to run smooth in the middle, and then on your friday... big constipation? Maybe it's just cause you're excited to get home and everything feels like it takes twice as long.

 

[minitour]

With very limited experience, I would have to say...

IFR: CLE
VFR: BKL

Why is it CLE can issue me a taxi clearance to 24L or 6R for departure after I get my clearance...then half way there, I'm at a dead stop while they switch me to 6L or 24R depending on where the winds are at? And why is it that they don't get how in a 172 I can be ready at 24L at L right NOW (since I did just tell ground "N123 can be ready now for the intersection departure") for IMMEDIATE takeoff (and yes...I see the SWA 737 on 5 mile final...I'll beat him out....let me goooooo! Please!) or how I can take 6R from N and be ready right NOW rather than have me taxi behind a CAL 757 alllllllllll the way to the end, then have me wait the 3-4 minutes after he goes when I coulda beat him out in the first place? I know first come first serve....but how about we use some common sense too.

As for BKL...if I want to leave VFR to the East...why do they put me on a hdg/alt restriction that puts me right through CGF's class D. (then CLE app doesn't want me in the Bravo and doesn't want me to talk to CGF tower either...wtf?) I only needed to do that once (after another pilot warned me ) to never go in/out of there VFR again.

...but I've heard TEB is bad too.

-mini

 

[chperplt]

I've seen a lot of LGA mentioned, but I haven't seen one mention of the reason LGA sucks. The airport is fine when the Jamaican lady isn't anywhere near the airport. She shows up and ends up with aircraft pointed nose to nose on A and B.

 

[Cat Driver]

Difficult in bad weather? BGBW

Expensive? BGBW

 

[Guitar rocker]

Someone might have mentioned it, but I dont know the identifier anymore, but never really cared landing in Guantanamo Bay.....fine landing on 28 but didnt care much for 10, at least not in the lead sled.

 

[MissKittyKat]

TGU? Teguigalpa? (sp)

 

[Lead Sled]

From a "technical" point of view the toughest domestic US airports would probably be ASE, followed closely by EGE. When it comes to the rest, and I've been to all of the ones mentioned, if you've been to one you've more or less been to them all. (After all, just how tough is getting vectored to final?) The fun doesn't really begin until after you've landed.

'Sled

 

[AlabamaMan!!]

Sled knows what I'm talkin about. If I didnt have to worry about paying the bills, I'd give the boss "four thumbs down" to ASE and EGE.

 

[Say Again Over]

Intl airports; The old FUNCHAL, Madeira Island before the lengthened the runway was fun. (LPMA)

 

[FLYnMONKEYS]

TEX isn't bad. Wide open departing to the west. You can get a bit of a bumpy ride in and out though.

X

Try it in a plane with a 40 degree wing sweep!

 

[Captain4242]

ASE and EGE are tough; definetly know what you're doing before venturing in there. I've seen them both about 10 times, and I still get a litttle uptight.
TEB and PHL get my votes for most annoying, though.

 

[Fred Rogers]

I've seen a lot of LGA mentioned, but I haven't seen one mention of the reason LGA sucks. The airport is fine when the Jamaican lady isn't anywhere near the airport. She shows up and ends up with aircraft pointed nose to nose on A and B.

The Gate holds some days are pretty random.. not a cloud in the sky and we are held at the gate for an hour.. by the time we get there.. no one around. Ground can be frustrating sometimes, ESPECIALLY when the aformentioned controller is at the helm. I've heard SEVERAL "everybody be quiet" calls from her. Then someone else takes over and everything is better within 5 min. Crazy. I think it's just a whole bunch of airplanes crammed into a small space.

 

[groundpointsix]

As for BKL...if I want to leave VFR to the East...why do they put me on a hdg/alt restriction that puts me right through CGF's class D. (then CLE app doesn't want me in the Bravo and doesn't want me to talk to CGF tower either...wtf?) I only needed to do that once (after another pilot warned me ) to never go in/out of there VFR again.

-mini

Yeah, but if you go out of there IFR your initial heading is 360 and they send you 5 miles out over the lake at 1500agl, even in a 172. Pick your poison I guess.

 

[PHX767]

Yep, ASE is one of the most gawd awful places to put an airport I have seen. On arrival, it's possible to hear,"TERRAIN,TERRAIN", "TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC", and "OH JEEZ THAT WAS CLOSE" in the same 10 second time span. And on departure you jink right while climbing so as to miss the arriving traffic buzzing by under the left wing.

LGA does suck. I have been number 62 for takeoff on a cold rainy night.

Surprised nobody has mentioned BOS. Some pretty long delays there.

I find lately there is a new trend in annoying ATC controllers at some not really busy airports. The "monitor tower" phrase - then when you forget after about 10 minutes and say, "xxxx holding short, ready" they ask if you know what monitor the tower means. Sigh. Well, I guess not.