What is the wind limit at Madeira Airport?

Madeira International Airport is the only one in the world whose wind limits are mandatory – 15 knots –, although they were imposed in 1964 and defined based on studies that used a World War II DC3 plane, when the runway was 1,600 meters, currently, it is 2,781 meters.



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What are the limits? Maximum of two minutes mean Wind Speed Values indicated by the Touchdown anemometer: In the sector 300° to 010° MAG (clockwise) – 15KT, with the maximum Wind Gust of 25KT. In the sector 020° to 040° MAG (clockwise) – 20KT, with the maximum Wind Gust of 30KT.

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The airport was once infamous for its short runway of only 1,600 m (5,249 ft), which, surrounded by high mountains and the ocean, made it a difficult and technically demanding landing for even the most experienced pilots.

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This guide will look at some of the most challenging airports in the world to land at.
  1. 1 Lukla Airport (Nepal) ...
  2. 2 Paro Airport (Bhutan) ...
  3. 3 Courchevel Airport (France) ...
  4. 4 Funchal Cristiano Ronaldo Airport (Portugal) ...
  5. 5 Saba Airport (Dutch Caribbean) ...
  6. 6 Narsarsuaq Airport (Greenland)


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The airport's mountainous setting in the Atlantic sees it witness plenty of strong winds and mountain waves. The weather on the day can be unpredictable due to the battling conditions, and pilots are often forced to divert to the Canary Islands if the situation is too risky.

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The north side of the island takes all the punishment. The trade winds travel down the Atlantic and hit the north coast brining with them rain and cool air. The high mountains act as a barrier to the more densely populated, “sunnier” side of the island, the south side.

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Absolutely. Pretty much any airplane can easily fly in 25 mph winds. If that is a direct crosswind that might make landing smaller aircraft more challenging, but airliners, no problems.

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It is nearly 400 km (250 miles) north of the Canaries and 520 km (320 miles) west of Morocco, making it subject to several climate systems. The History Channel's Most Extreme Airports dubbed it the world's ninth most dangerous airport, and the third most dangerous in Europe.

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A smoke alert in the cargo area of Ryanair, during the time that the aircraft was preparing to take off for Lisbon, led to the closure of the Madeira Airport.

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Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in the Madeira Islands. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

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The north side of the island takes all the punishment. The trade winds travel down the Atlantic and hit the north coast brining with them rain and cool air. The high mountains act as a barrier to the more densely populated, “sunnier” side of the island, the south side.

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Madeira is generally windy, with north-easterly trade winds bringing big swells and humidity. Caniçal and Caniço are often the recipients of such weather, while the west coast also receives wind and swells, providing good surf and windsurfing conditions and Jardim do Mar is a popular place for the latter.

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The airport has a single terminal, which opened in 1973. The terminal has 40 check-in desks, 16 boarding gates, and 7 baggage belts.

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Madeira Airport (IATA: FNC) is located 16 kilometers northeast of the capital Funchal, just further the touristic city of Santa Catarina. Built on piles and perched on the high cliffs and mountains of the eastern coast of the island, the airport features only one terminal with 16 boarding gates and 40 check-in desks.

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