The Lowest Airport in the World

Bar Yehuda Airfield, sometimes known as Masada Airfield is, at 1,240 ft (378 m) below mean sea level, the lowest airport in the world. It lies between the southern reaches of the Dead Sea and the foot of Masada, the fortress that some 960 Jewish rebels, led by Israel Bar-Yehuda, held out against the Romans after the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70. After a long siege Masada fell to the Romans in 73, but according to Josephus, the Jewish Roman historian, when Roman troops entered the fortress, they discovered that its 960 inhabitants had committed a mass suicide. While I had some time at Masada the plane spotting at Bar Yehuda Airfield was confined to photos as the bus drove by. Interestingly, according to Wikipedia the operator is Sun Air Aviation. Even though there was an Aztec on the field I don’t think Dan Power’s Sunair has started services here yet!

Piper PA-32R-300 Cherokee Lance 4X-AQM at Masada on 18 June 2012. Photo : S Lowe

Covered for the heat was Cessna 172 Skyhawk. From here I went swimming in the Dead Sea... Air temperature 44 degrees!. Photo taken at Masada on 18 June 2012. Photo : S Lowe

 Piper PA-23-250 Aztec E 4X-CIO at Masada on 18 June 2012. Photo : S Lowe