In doing research for my favorite article series to write about (Challenging Airports for PC Pilot magazine), I sometimes find myself falling down the rabbit hole of interesting places in the world. As I was doing some research for one airport that interested me (Daocheng Yading Airport - Tibet/China) I was lead to a PDF document that showcased another unusual airfield. Linzhi Airport (ZUNZ) features a LOC to ILS approach to get aircraft down through the terrain…definitely a unique configuration. I believe it also now has an RNP approach, but finding useful data on Chinese airports is very difficult…
I am finding some references to the RNP, but not a full resolution approach chart…I guess it is somewhat closely held.
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So… Track a LLZ to intercept the ILS, even if there’s a VOR you could track instead…?
I mean, why the LLZ? You could just track a radial…? Is it so hilly that you need the precision of a LLZ, that far out?
And here I thought I was familiar with non standard approaches… 
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I think the narrower course guidance on the LOC provides the required (whatever that is in China) lateral clearance for the stepdowns until you reach the point where you start the precision approach. The VOR course width perhaps is too wide…
I can’t see any other reason…
I don’t know…but I love the fact that the initial approach fix is at 22,638’…
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That airport doesn’t feature in my Jepp subscription, which is kind of odd. Looks like a fun approach though.
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From what I understand (or have read) is that when you go to one of these interior airports in China, you are assigned a handler of sorts, almost like a harbor pilot that provides you with charts and oversees the flight. And (not sure if I believe this or not) at the conclusion of your travels, they take back all the charts and documents. Which may explain why finding any online is quite difficult…
Wow…getting that harbor pilot guy onboard the aircraft must be exciting…
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That may be the airport I read about in Aviation Week maybe 20 years ago that became the highest altitude airport in the world to have scheduled service (using a 757). It is Tibet though so the whole story behind it is probably a sad one.
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The only story I know about Tibet…
…which probably has nothing to do with the airport.