DotM June 2026

Airport:  TDPD - Douglas-Charles Airport, Dominica

The site was scouted as early as 1944, but it took almost 14 years for the first shovel to hit the ground. Though it was the only "flat" expanse on the rugged island, the terrain was far from welcoming. Since its official opening in 1961, the airport has earned a reputation for being one of the more "interesting" approaches in the Caribbean—a place where geography and meteorology conspire against the routine.

At just 5,761 feet, the runway is a high-stakes corridor hemmed in by nature.  To the west - the land rises aggressively into steep, unforgiving mountains, making any westward expansion a geological impossibility.  To the east - the runway ends where Londonderry Bay begins. Any extension here would require a massive dredging operation to literally "create" land from the sea.

Typically, the tarmac is a playground for rugged turboprops and nimble "slim" twinjets. However, the airport’s capability was put to the ultimate test when an Avianca A320neo touched down, carrying critical medical supplies from Paramaribo.  It became the largest aircraft ever to navigate the narrow margins of error and unpredictable gusts.