The Lowest Airport in the World – Bar Yehuda Airfield
Bar Yehuda Airfield (MTZ) is the lowest airport in the world, located 378 meters (1,240 feet) below sea level in the Judean Desert, Israel. It is a public concession, mainly used as an alternate airport and for charter and sightseeing flights. The airfield is named after Yisrael Bar-Yehuda, an Israeli politician who served as Minister of Transport and Communications.
Imagine this: your plane dips below the horizon, greeted by the stark beauty of the Judean Desert. As you touch down, the Dead Sea’s turquoise expanse stretches before you, framed by rugged cliffs. This is Bar Yehuda, an aviation anomaly where breathtaking views compete with the thrill of landing at Earth’s lowest point.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Bar Yehuda Airfield |
| ICAO / IATA | LLMZ / MTZ |
| Location | Masada, Israel |
| Elevation | Approx. −380 m (−1,250 ft) MSL |
| Runway | 01/19 |
| Runway Size | 1,200 × 30 m (3,937 × 98 ft) |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Navigation Aid | METZADA VOR/DME (MZD) – 115.00 MHz |
| Opened | 1963 |
| Distinction | Lowest airfield in the world |
The airfield was Opened in 1963, and has been used by the Israeli Air Force, the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority, and the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. It is also used by private pilots and aviation enthusiasts.
The airfield has a single runway that is 1,200 meters (3,937 feet) long. The runway is made of asphalt and is surrounded by sand dunes. Bar Yehuda is a relatively simple airfield without published instrument approaches in the aviation databases reviewed. However, the METZADA VOR/DME (MZD, 115.00 MHz) is located at or immediately adjacent to the airfield.
Operations take place in the distinctive desert environment of the Dead Sea basin, where pilots must account for local terrain, high temperatures and regional wind conditions.
Despite the challenges, the airfield remains an important part of the Israeli aviation industry. The airfield has historically been used for light-aircraft operations, charter and sightseeing flights, and as an alternate airfield for suitable aircraft. The airfield is also a popular destination for aviation enthusiasts, who come to see the lowest airport in the world.
Recommended: Tabletop Runway: Definition and Risks
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Yehuda_Airfield
- https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airports/MTZ
- https://mapcarta.com/27682324
- https://airport-data.com/world-airports/LLMZ-MZD/
- featured image by Yan Kamintzky—Own work, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18029645
- image source: https://flightsim.to/file/20287/llmz-metzada-bar-yehuda-airfield
