Flying over Greenland by Greenlandair

August 14th, 2001 

A flight over Greenland in beautiful weather, even if it's just a commercial flight and you have a window seat, offers a view onto one of the world's most unusual and spectacular landscape

Flying over east coast, Greenland Flying over east coast, Greenland
Flying over east coast, Greenland


Flying over the Greenland's east cost at 35000 feet of altitude, just north of the Arctic Circle. Few miles inland, the ice becomes so thick that only the tips of the highest mountains can reach the surface. (nunatak). On nice weather, a flight to Greenland is spectacular.This area is represented on the satellite image, near MASIK.
Icecap lakes on a flight to Greenland Icecap lakes on a flight to Greenland
Icecap lakes on a flight to Greenland After about 40 minutes of flying, we begin to descent to Kangerlussuaq International Airport and we start to approach the west coast. During the summer, where the ice is thinner and close to the coast, the temperature rises often over the freezing point. The surface ice melts, creating a lot of powerful streams, and big blue lakes where the water is collected.This area is represented on the satellite image, between PEVAR and GANGI.
Icecap lakes on a flight to Greenland
The lakes are often very blue.
Flight to Greenland Glaciers near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
We are now very close to the west coast... the icecap ends and it is replaced by mountains and rocks.
The Greenlandair's (now Air Greenland) B-757 is about to land on runway 10 of Kangerlussuaq Intl. airport.
Kangerlussuaq airport, Greenland Air Greenland Boeing 757
Air Greenland Dash-7


I am welcomed by a beautiful sunny day with a perfect clear blue sky. The temperature is +13 Celsius.
Flight from Kangerlussuaq to Ilulissat
After less than one hour, I continue my flight northbound, on a Greenlandair's (Air Greenland) Dash-7 four engine airplane. Kangerlussuaq's long runway is soon left behind.
Flight from Kangerlussuaq to Ilulissat Flight from Kangerlussuaq to Ilulissat
The flight continues along the west coast. Far away, the whiteout created by the icecap.
Flight over Ilulissat icefjord
The airplane starts the approach to Ilulissat's airport.
Flight over Ilulissat icefjord Flight over Ilulissat icefjord
Flight over Ilulissat icefjord Flight over Ilulissat icefjord
In local Greenlandic language, Ilulissat means "Icebergs" and looking to the pictures, it is very easy to understand why this name was chosen.
Flight over Ilulissat
A beautiful view of Ilulissat and its dock, a few moment before landing.

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