Madeira Airport is a geographically unusual airport, as it is perched on a foreland jutting out to sea. At the end of runway 05, there lie hills and cliffs which make a direct ILS approach and landing unavailable. Instead, aircraft hav… See more

Madeira Airport was officially opened on 7 July 1964, with a single 1,600 m (5,200 ft) runway (06/24). The first flight to land there was a TAP Air Portugal Lockheed Constellation with 80 passengers on board.
In 1972, th… See more

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 experience… See more

• On 5 March 1973, an Aviaco Sud Caravelle 10R (registration EC-BID) crashed into the sea during the landing approach, resulting in the loss of the aircraft and three crew.
• On 19 November 1977, TAP Air Portugal Flight 425… See more

Media related to Madeira Airport at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website
• Accident history for FNC at Aviation Safety Network See more