The Saba runway, which is also the shortest commercial runway in the world, is only 400 meters long and bounded by the ocean on three sides and a mountain on the other. Except for a few scheduled air services using STOL (short takeoff and landing) aircraft, no aircraft may land on the runway, which is designated with an X.
When you land and take off, you have the impression that you are on an airplane carrier. Here, a WinAir DHC-6 Twin Otter touches down and stops in less than 200 meters before turning off to the ramp. During takeoff, it back-taxied to the extreme brink of the cliff and used the entire runway before lifting off at the very end.
The Twin Otter is a strong Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) commuter. With an endurance of 4-6 hours at survey speeds, the Twin Otter is more than capable of flying over 600+ nautical miles of low altitude survey in a single trip at full fuel loads. These aircraft are quite active all year long, supporting airborne marine animals, hydrological, remote sensing, air chemistry, and emergency response activities.
When using smaller scientific equipment, the cabin can hold up to six passengers and often has two pilots. The Twin Otter is ideal for missions that demand for a slower aircraft to collect data because it is renowned for its steadiness at lower speeds and can survey at speeds between 90 and 140 knots above the ground.
Let’s Watch Twin Otter Take Off And Land On World’s Shortest Runway in the video below:
Source: Plane Hound
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