Many of us will be familiar with the feeling of taxiing for several minutes to get from the gate to the runway at some of the world's larger airports. These hubs have runways that are multiple kilometers in length, but what about the other end of the scale? Let's take a look at some landing strips with rather shorter taxi times.
Westray and Papa Westray, Scotland
It is worth noting that sources on runway length don't always match up. In any case, looking at data from the likes of SkyVector, Airport Technology, and samchui.com, we can see that a pair of Scottish airports are often at the top of the pile. The facilities in question are Westray (WRY) and neighboring Papa Westray (PPW).
Data from SkyVector shows that the shortest runway at the former of these airports, with the headings 01/19, is just 291 meters long. Impressively, its neighboring facility at Papa Westray reportedly boasts an even shorter strip, with its runway 07/25 said to measure just 250 meters in length. This is 22 times shorter than the world's longest commercial runway, which can be found at China's Qamdo Bamda Airport.
As well as having some of the shortest runways, Westray and Papa Westray are also the two airports connected by the world's shortest commercial flight. Operated by Loganair, this 2.8 km (1.7 miles) hop is scheduled to last just two minutes.
Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, Saba
Another facility widely revered among aviation enthusiasts for having a short runway is Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport (SAB) on the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba. While its runway 12/30 is somewhat longer than the aforementioned Scottish airports, at 400 meters in length, this is its only official landing strip.
As such, there is a case to say that Saba has the world's shortest commercially-used runway in terms of single-strip airports. In any case, its clifftop location makes for a spectacular sight. Winair is its only scheduled user, although various charter operators also connect Saba with neighboring islands. It saw its first landing in February 1959, a feat reportedly witnessed by almost all of Saba's residents.
Heligoland, Germany
Heligoland Airport (HGL) serves the German archipelago of the same name, and is located on the island of Düne. This facility has three runways, of which the shortest (06/24) is just 258 meters long. However, this is not used as frequently as the main landing strip (15/33), which clocks in at 480 meters in length.
This 480-meter-long runway was previously just 400 meters in length, before being extended in the mid-2000s to comply with regulations. Regional carrier Ostfriesischer-Flug-Dienst serves two destinations from Heligoland today, using Britten Norman Islanders. However, the Hamburger Abendblatt notes that, in March 1974, a Lufthansa Boeing 737 made an audacious missed approach at the airport.
Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.
Lukla, Nepal
Finally, as seen in the photograph at the top of the article, one of the most famous short runways in the world is at Tenzing–Hillary Airport (LUA) in Lukla, Nepal. Measuring 527 meters long, it has a steep incline of 11.7%, and wasn't paved until 2001. It is popular with people climbing Mount Everest, as it is well located as a starting point for those making the journey to the mountain's base camp.
What's the shortest runway you've ever taken off from or landed on? Have you ever flown to or from any of these airports? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!