Last week, we featured the busiest General Aviation Airport in the United States, Van Nuys Airport. This week, we feature the highest airport in North America. Leadville Airport (AKA Lake County Airport) sits at an elevation of 9,927 feet. As pilots know, an airplane’s performance is affected by altitude and deteriorates the higher you go. Leadville is a perfect place for high altitude flight training and for manufacturers to perform high altitude testing. Leadville has been a base for manufacturers and training programs for some time.

Flying in and out of Leadville can be a challenging endeavor even for experienced pilots. It is not just the adverse effects on the airplane’s performance at such high altitudes, but also navigating mountain passes as Leadville has several peaks over 13,000 feet surrounding the airport.

According to Wikipedia, pilots that land at Leadville receive a certificate commemorating their landing at the highest airport in North America.

Roger Wilco Wear offers both a short sleeve and a long sleeve version of our Leadville Airport t-shirt. The design includes the airports designation as the highest in North America. Check it out in our online store today!

Leadville Airport photo by BillVietti (Flickr)