Pilots struggle to land at 'Europe's most dangerous airport'

A new video has emerged showing pilots struggling to land at Madeira Funchal in Portugal - dubbed 'Europe's most dangerous airport'.

You certainly need nerves of steel to land here, as there's an unusually short runway with rocky hills on one side and a sheer drop to the ocean on the other.

What's more, the airport is exposed to the elements and has to battle strong winds on its approach.

Insane Landings at Portugal Airport Under High Winds

The video shows a number of pilots landing on Sunday, with some facing the runway sideways, and one abandoning his attempt completely.

According to the Independent, the runway used to be even shorter at 5,250ft, but was lengthened a little in 1977 when a TAP Portugal flight slipped off the runway after battling difficult conditions, killing 131 people of the 164 on board.

In 2000, an extra one kilometre was added to the runway, built on concrete pillars in the sea at a height of 120 metres, half below the waterline and half above.

But, holidaymakers rest assured, Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and author of Cockpit Confidential , says the landings simply show great skill, and there's no such thing as a "dangerous commercial airport".

Speaking to MailOnline, he said: "A few of those depicted landings, which presumably are meant to appear frightening, show what most pilots would describe as an excellent crosswind landing.

"Also, remember that all jetliners have maximum crosswind limits. It's not up to the pilot to simply "give it a try." If the crosswind component is beyond a certain value, landing is not allowed.

"There is no such thing as a 'dangerous' commercial airport anywhere in the world, period. If an airport were truly unsafe, no commercial carrier would consider flying there."

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