Approach with a kick!

The PANTHER protects airports with the most beautiful and spectacular landing approaches worldwide.

LOC DME East Approach with circle-to-land on Runway 08 - this approach to Innsbruck Airport promises a spectacle for the senses. Coming from the east, one dives into the Tyrolean Inn Valley, flies about 400 m above the valley floor (1,000 m above sea level) along the southern mountain flank, makes a 180° turn over Axams-Kematen-Unterperfuss, and then touches down on the runway coming from the west.

Like a film, an Alpine panorama passes by the windows that could not be more impressive: On the left, the Tyrolean low mountain range with its picturesque mountain villages; on the right, the mighty walls of the Nordkette mountain range; below, the green Inn River meandering through the narrow valley. At the height of Innsbruck, the view widens to the two local mountains Hafelekar (2,334 m) in the north and Patscherkofel in the south (2,246 m). Above the Axamer Lizum, you fly so low that you think you can pet the cows in the pasture.

Spectacular, but not without danger

The turning maneuver in the final approach is not without its difficulties; the high mountains around the airport do not leave much room for it. If the pilot drifts too far to the north, the 600 m steep Martinswand comes closer to the aircraft than passengers would like. If there is a foehn wind, as is often the case in the Inn valley, the landing promises to be an additional thrill. Due to the rather strong gusts of wind, the pilot has to correct the flight attitude again and again and usually "put the plane into the wind", i.e. turn it around the vertical axis, before he or she points it back toward the runway for touchdown in order to land safely.

Topography and foehn winds make Innsbruck Airport a challenge for flight captains. Passengers can rest assured, however, that everyone landing at Innsbruck has completed their own training for approach and departure procedures. Should an incident nevertheless occur during landing, passengers can rest assured that the airport fire department is also specially trained and will rush to the rescue with the best possible equipment: the Rosenbauer PANTHER.

Rocks, coasts, skylines

Airports with spectacular approaches can be found all around the globe. In Gibraltar, you fly directly toward the rock - and are surprised that the island's main road runs over the runway. If you're flying to Cape Town, you'll be happy to have an extra holding pattern before landing, because it usually goes over Table Mountain. Those flying into Queenstown, New Zealand, enjoy a fantastic view of the Southern Alps, Lake Wapitu lined with rolling hills, and the silhouette of the city in the background. The approach to Nepal's capital Kathmandu also offers a stunning mountain panorama in good weather conditions. Here, with a little luck, you can even catch a glimpse of Mount Everest.

According to a survey, the most picturesque landing approach in Europe is the one at Donegal Airport in eastern Northern Ireland. The runway is located on a narrow spit of land in front of the Atlantic coast and a turquoise-blue inlet; the view falls on Carrickfinn Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Similarly spectacular is the landing at Vágar Airport (Faroe Islands) in the North Atlantic, which is approached from both sides over water, either over Sørvágur Fjord or Lake Leitisvatn. The approach to Nice is also beautiful, flying along the azure coastline with the white-covered peaks of the Alps on the horizon.

Approaches to urban skylines are also always impressive. Approaching Miami, Florida, for example, you can see Everglade National Park and South Beach on one side, while the skyscrapers of downtown Miami rise into the sky on the other. Approaching London City Airport, located in a harbor basin near the city center, offers a fantastic view of the city architecture and parks, as well as iconic landmarks such as Big Ben, Tower Bridge or the Millennium Wheel London Eye.

Mountains, beaches, skylines, even if the panorama that opens up on approach could not be more different, all these airports have one thing in common: the PANTHER as the airport fire truck.