Cockpit Landing at Malé (MLE) | Last Days of the Old Runway 36 | Maldives 2022

A coffee ☕️ for Captain Max 👉 https://ko-fi.com/captainmax 🙏 REC 🔴 👉 with https://amzn.to/4q2HAyh I TRAVEL with 💳 American Express Platinum: ►► https://americanexpress.com/de-de/ref... Chapters: 00:00 - Velana International Airport | VRMM | MLE | 00:35 - Downwind Leg along west part of South Malé Atoll 01:03 - turning Base Leg across South Malé Atoll 02:03 - turning Final RWY 36 (OLD) | VRMM | MLE | 02:20 - flying Final Leg along east part of South Malé Atoll 03:40 - Malé the City 04:03 - Velana International Airport | old and new RWY 36 04:40 - short Final Runway 36 05:50 - Taxiing on NEW Runway back to apron 08:30 - entering Malé Apron with new Terminal under Construction 09:26 - Marshaller Guidance 09:58 - Thanks for Watching Captain Max ✈️ Aircraft: Airbus A330 📍 Airport: Velana INTL Airport (MLE) 🛫 Runway: 36 (old) 🎥 View: Cockpit POV ✈️ Historic Cockpit Landing – Final Approach to Runway 36 at Velana International Airport, Maldives (2022) Early October 2022 marked a truly special milestone in my flying career. This was my very first flight to the Maldives, and I had the rare privilege of operating one of the final approaches ever flown to the original Runway 36 at Velana International Airport just days before its permanent closure on October 6th, 2022. Even more unique, this flight captured a transitional moment in aviation history: landing on the old runway while the brand-new Runway 36 was already completed and about to enter service. Only days later, we would be among the first crews to operate from the new runway in regular operations. 🌴 Flight Experience Highlights Join Captain Max (Captain Max) in the cockpit for a breathtaking real-world airline approach over the Maldives. Arriving from the north, we descend toward the stunning island nation of the Maldives, flying along the western edge of the South Malé Atoll. The approach offers incredible views of turquoise lagoons, coral reefs, and scattered tropical islands across the Indian Ocean. We continue southbound before entering a scenic base turn across South Malé Atoll, crossing crystal-clear waters and shallow reefs that make this region world-famous. On final approach, we align with Runway 36 at Velana International Airport, located on Hulhulé Island. To the left, the densely populated capital city of Malé comes into view, while to the right lies the world’s busiest seaplane base serving luxury resorts throughout the archipelago. Nearby, the rapidly expanding island of Hulhumalé showcases ongoing land reclamation and development in the region. 🛬 Historic Landing Moment Straight ahead, both the original Runway 36 and the newly completed parallel runway are visible. For decades, the original runway served as the international gateway to the Maldives. Touchdown marks one of the final landings ever performed on this historic runway. After landing, an unusual and rare operational scenario followed: taxiing back to the terminal using the brand-new runway before its official opening—effectively using the future runway as a taxiway. A unique once-in-a-lifetime aviation moment. Only days later, the new runway officially entered service, and the original runway was permanently converted into a full-length parallel taxiway. This expansion significantly increased airport capacity, improved efficiency, and enabled operations for next-generation aircraft, including the Airbus A380. 🌍 Aviation Milestone This redevelopment transformed Velana International Airport into a modern long-haul hub, with upgraded terminals, expanded aircraft stands, improved fuel infrastructure, and a dramatically increased movement capacity to support the growing tourism industry in the Maldives. 👍 If you enjoyed this cockpit experience: ✔️ Subscribe for more real airline cockpit flights ✔️ Like the video if you enjoy aviation documentaries ✔️ Comment below if you’ve visited the Maldives—or want to fly there one day #Aviation #Landing #CockpitView #PilotPOV #Airbus #FlightDeck #AirplaneLanding #AirportApproach #AviationLovers #CaptainView #FirstOfficerView #JumpseatView #VRMM #MLE #PilotLife #AircraftLanding #AvGeek #Flying #AirlinePilot #Runway #CockpitPOV #AviationVideo #maldives