CNN's Most Dramatic Airports leaves one big one out.

[Savannahmann]

I'm assuming that Kai Tak in Hong Kong didn't make the list because it's closed. OK, I can grudgingly admit that. However, the question of exactly where you were when you decided to leave off Lukla Airport in Nepal.

You land uphill, the runway is sloped up the side of the mountain. You land going up, and take off going down. One thing, once you start your approach, you are committed to landing. There is no go around, no chance to try again. Either you land, or you crash into the side of the mountain. There aren't many airports that have that condition, one chance, and then dead if you're wrong. Even aircraft carriers have the option of a second chance if something doesn't look right. Not so for Lukla.

The link to the CNN page. http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/10/travel/dramatic-airport-approaches/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

[HERVEPA]

1. I flew out of there.

Pretty darn exciting. They rev up the engines to full speed, take off the the brake, and off you go. You drop a bit after leaving the runway before leveling out.
Guy with a whistle near the runway running things looked like he was a Japanese guy right out iof the movie "Bridge over the River Kwai"