London City: the steep approach
London City's 5.5-degree glide slope, set by its city-centre site and short runway, and why aircraft need approval to fly it.
Published 14 October 2026 · Last reviewed 14 October 2026 · 3 min read
London City has the steepest approach of any international airport, according to Guinness World Records: its published instrument landing system (ILS) glide slope is 5.5 degrees.[1]
Why it is steep
The record gives two reasons: the airport's city-centre location, surrounded by tall structures, and its relatively short 1,508 m (4,948 ft) runway. For comparison, the FAA's training handbook gives a typical stabilised approach as a constant 3 degrees to the touchdown zone.[1][2]
The runway, 09/27, is concrete and 4,948 ft long, at a field elevation of 19 ft.[3]
Steep-approach approval
In April 2017, AIN reported that EASA certification had allowed Swiss to fly the Bombardier CS100 into London City once the type gained steep-approach approvals.[4]
Sources
- Steepest glide slope for an international airport. Guinness World Records. Fetched 14 October 2026.
- Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 9: Approaches and Landings. Federal Aviation Administration. Fetched 13 October 2026.
- OurAirports open data (runways and elevation). OurAirports. Fetched 29 September 2026.
- Bombardier CS100 Gains Steep-Approach Approvals. AIN. Fetched 14 October 2026.