My first landing in Paro.
Discover the airport in Bhutan where only 50 pilots are authorized to land
With challenging conditions, landing is necessary on a short runway between two mountains, each 5,500 meters high.
This is just another typical workday at Paro International Airport (PBH) in Bhutan, widely considered one of the most technically challenging landings in the world. Maneuvering on a short runway between two 5,500-meter mountains requires both technical expertise and composure.
The airport and its challenging conditions only add to the mystery surrounding travel to Bhutan, a Himalayan kingdom with approximately 800,000 inhabitants.
The unique flying conditions in Paro mean that landing jumbo jets is out of the question. But, for aviation enthusiasts, this is part of the appeal of visiting the Land of the Thunder Dragon.
First of all: Paro is "difficult, but not dangerous," says Captain Chimi Dorji, who has worked for Bhutan's national airline, Druk Air (also known as Royal Bhutan Airlines), for 25 years.
"It's challenging for a pilot's skill, but it's not dangerous, because if it were, I wouldn't be flying."
"At higher altitudes, the air is thinner, so the aircraft needs to fly faster through the air," explains Dorji, who, in addition to flying, now trains pilots and crew at Druk Air. "The true speed of the plane will be the same, but the speed relative to the ground is much higher."
Anyone who has flown to Paro—from New Delhi, Bangkok, Kathmandu, or, from October 2024, Hanoi—probably had to wake up very early for the flight. This is because the authorities prefer that planes land before noon to ensure greater safety due to the strong winds.
“We avoid operations after midday because the thermal winds become more intense, temperatures rise, and often it hasn’t rained yet,” says Dorji. “The ground is dry, and you have these updrafts and downdrafts in the valley in the afternoon. Mornings are much calmer.”
This is less problematic for takeoffs, so travelers can count on a better night’s sleep on their last night in Bhutan, as return flights usually depart in the afternoon.
However, there are no night flights in Paro, regardless of the season, due to the lack of radar.
During the monsoon season, which typically runs from June to August, special measures are taken. At this time, storms are not uncommon, often accompanied by hail the size of golf balls.
“The monsoons come from the Bay of Bengal,” explains Dorji. “You have these northwest and northeast winds coming from China. And there are periods when it rains for days.”
Ultimately, part of a pilot's training isn't just knowing how to fly—it's knowing when not to fly, and being able to decide when it's unsafe to take off.
The final factor that makes Paro challenging is what Dorji calls "obstacles"—namely, the mountainous terrain surrounding the airport.
Paro's runway is only 2,265 meters long and is surrounded by two high mountains. As a result, pilots can only see the runway from the air when they are about to land on it.
Aviation in Bhutan
Things are changing in Bhutan, and aviation is part of those changes. Gelephu, in the south of the country, near the border with India, has been chosen as the location for a new "city of mindfulness."
Although it already has a small airport, Gelephu's new status will bring significant expansion. The main difference compared to Paro is the terrain—Gelephu is much flatter, and there is enough space to build longer runways that will facilitate landings for non-specialized pilots and accommodate jumbo jets.
In a few years, it may be possible to have direct flights to Bhutan from North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
The aviation industry in Bhutan is still relatively young. Druk Air was founded in 1981—compared to 1919 for KLM, 1920 for Qantas, and 1928 for Delta Air Lines.
Although Bhutan has only a few dozen licensed pilots, there is a national interest in hiring and training more local pilots, rather than simply recruiting from abroad.
Aspiring pilots need to demonstrate the ability to fly in all of Bhutan's varied seasons. As the national flag carrier, Druk Air has assumed much of the responsibility for pilot training.