<strong>Saba: </strong>The Dutch Caribbean island of Saba is just a teensy five square miles in area.
Saba: The Dutch Caribbean island of Saba is just a teensy five square miles in area.
Albert Nieboer/picture-alliance/dpa/AP
<strong>Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport: </strong>With a strip of asphalt just 1,300 feet long, Saba's airport runway is not much longer than an aircraft carrier.
Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport: With a strip of asphalt just 1,300 feet long, Saba's airport runway is not much longer than an aircraft carrier.
Nicola Chilton
<strong>Challenging:</strong> It takes an elite group of specially trained pilots to fly into the island, with Sint Maarten-based Winair the only airline operating scheduled flights in and out.
Challenging: It takes an elite group of specially trained pilots to fly into the island, with Sint Maarten-based Winair the only airline operating scheduled flights in and out.
Nicola Chilton
<strong>On board: </strong>The 15-minute flights from Sint Maarten are on 19-seater de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, STOL (short takeoff and landing) utility aircraft.
On board: The 15-minute flights from Sint Maarten are on 19-seater de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, STOL (short takeoff and landing) utility aircraft.
Nicola Chilton
<strong>Best seat in the house: </strong>Aviation fans looking for a pilot's eye view should squeeze in first to nab the hot seat -- 1B -- right at the front in the middle.
Best seat in the house: Aviation fans looking for a pilot's eye view should squeeze in first to nab the hot seat -- 1B -- right at the front in the middle.
Nicola Chilton
<strong>Keep calm: </strong>"Flying into Saba gets kind of hairy sometimes, but by knowing what to do, we make it look simple and calm," says Captain Robert Hodge.
Keep calm: "Flying into Saba gets kind of hairy sometimes, but by knowing what to do, we make it look simple and calm," says Captain Robert Hodge.
Nicola Chilton
<strong>Local pride: </strong>The runway appears on one of Saba's postage stamps, and the souvenir shop in the village of Windwardside sells T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan, "I survived the Saba landing!".
Local pride: The runway appears on one of Saba's postage stamps, and the souvenir shop in the village of Windwardside sells T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan, "I survived the Saba landing!".
Nicola Chilton
<strong>Veteran aviator:</strong> "As a pilot I just love going into Saba because that's when you put your experience to work," says Hodge.
Veteran aviator: "As a pilot I just love going into Saba because that's when you put your experience to work," says Hodge.
Nicola Chilton
<strong>Adrenaline:</strong> "There's always adrenaline that kicks in because you're being watched by passengers and people on the ground, but you've just got to fly that machine," says Hodge.
Adrenaline: "There's always adrenaline that kicks in because you're being watched by passengers and people on the ground, but you've just got to fly that machine," says Hodge.
Nicola Chilton