Faridoun Hemani/TheIsmaili.org – I looked out from the cockpit of the ATR-42 twin turboprop as we cruised to the point where the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalaya mountain ranges meet. The sight was breathtaking — white snow blanketing the highest peaks, a clear blue sky and the hot sun watching over.
Captain Aurangzeb challenged us to find the runway of Gilgit Airport, as he piloted the plane towards the foot of a mountain. When we couldn’t, he joked that the mountain would open up to reveal it.
He was almost right. You have to fly straight towards the mountain and bank sharply to the left to land. I would not want to be a pilot flying this route in bad weather.
More: The Ismaili: Through the camera lens: Life after the floods (Part 1).
Photographs: http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1250/Gallery-Life-after-the-floods
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