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Relive one of the world's great aerial adventures!
The famous (or infamous) Kai Tak International Airport, Hong Kong, had one of the most challenging, exciting and hair-raising airplane landings in the world.
Located almost in the center of densely-populated Kowloon in Hong Kong, Kai Tak Airport forced pilots to make a sharp right turn at an altitude of under 700 feet -- just above Kowloon's high-rise apartment blocks.
Passengers would see the steep mountains with which Hong Kong abounds. Then came the sharp right turn and banking of the aircraft. Finally, they would look out the windows and could almost touch the billboards covered with huge Chinese characters as the plane rapidly made its final descent.
The airport was closed on July 5, 1998, but the nostalgic memories remain!
Roller coaster retrospective on Kai Tak Airport
KAI TAK 98
An 8 min rollercoaster ride through Hong Kong's (in)famous Kai Tak Runway 13 approach. Now closed, Kai Tak was the most challenging airport approach of its time. Pilots made a last minute sharp right turn at under 700 feet above the Kowloon high rise apartments to line up with the runway. I landed there once in real life and the apartments were so close I could read the logos on t-shirts hanging out to dry and see what people were watching on telly. Often accidents occurred as Hong Kong's variable weather played a large part. The airport was closed on July 5, 1998 due to the fact it had outgrown it's capacity, safety concerns, noise and pollution. But deep down, the airport was loved by all in the "Fragrant City" and was the beating heart of Hong Kong. Here now it is faithfully recreated in Flight Simulator 2004. Seen are some of the aircraft you might have seen over Kowloon during it's time - Enjoy!
Runtime: 8:13
107126 views
10 Comments:
Why I Loved Kai Tak Airport (1)
-- I Lamont, SimonWorld
China Air 747 Lands with a Bounce at Kai Tak
China Air Boeing 747 Kowloon City Plaza Hong Kong Kai Tak
Taken from the Kowloon City Mall under the approach into Kai Tak. He actually bounced the landing, but it's obscured.
Runtime: 1:18
75425 views
0 Comments:
Why I Loved Kai Tak Airport (2)
Pity that as a pre-teen, I didn't have the foresight to use the family SLR and take some photos for posterity! Likewise on the times my family and I flew in and out of Kai Tak.
-- Jonathan Stanley, SimonWorld
Japan Airlines Crosswind Landing at Kai Tak
Japan Airlines Boeing 747 crosswind landing Hong Kong
Filmed from the checkerboard used for the approach into Kai Tak. Overshoots and then lines it up just to get caught in the wind...again. Unedited. You can hear another enthusiast in the background with a scanner. Airboyd.
Runtime: 1:22
2550254 views
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Why I Loved Kai Tak Airport (3)
You could also meet your friends and colleagues at Kai Tak Airport, then take a taxi and be at a business appointment in a few minutes. Not like now: the new Chek Lap Kok airport seems hours away from downtown Hong Kong.
-- B. D. Wagner, Fabulous Philippines
Boeing 747 - inside/outside split view of Kai Tak landing
Cockpit view landing Hong Kong split with outside footage
Split PIP version of my approach footage with a new background song.
Runtime: 3:01
79953 views
10 Comments:
Photos of Kai Tak Airport - My Top Picks
- SimonWorld - Kai Tak Landing Photos
- This page has absolutely stunning photos by top photographers of landings at Kaitak Airport. The photos take a while to download, but the wait is worth it.
- Landing in Kai Tak
- A series of photos from Eric Coeckelberghs.
"Eric Coeckelberghs is an avid aviation enthusiast who, in 1991, had the chance to fly - jumpseat - into world-renowned Kai Tak airport. Between his own photographs of the landing and his entire trip, and his telling of the adventure, we get a feel for what it was like heading towards the most famous checkerboard in the world..." - Kai Tak Photos
- A bunch of photos, group by themes, from the last two years of Kai Tak's operations. The photographer, Paul Ashford, was an Australian who worked as an air traffic controller at Kai Tak.
- The Final Chapter of of Kai Tak
- Lawrence Chiu is a photographer whose speciality is aviation. In these pages he documents the final days of Kai Tak.
Kai Tak - July 1998 - IGS RWY13 and ILS RWY31 with A330 jumpseat
HongKong Kaitak IGS RWY13 and ILS RWY31 with A330 jumpseat!
Taken in July, 1998, just the transformation week that Kaitak closed and CLK open! IGS RWY13 and ILS RWY31 with A330 jumpseat video... if you didn't see Kaitak personally, HERE IT IS!
Runtime: 3:52
28075 views
10 Comments:
Cockpit View IGS Kai Tak (Old Hong Kong Airport)
"Your first landing is hair-raising... but it's ALWAYS breathtaking!"
Cockpit View IGS Kai Tak (Old Hong Kong airport )
Cathy 641 IGS approach Landing on old Hong Kong Kat Tak airport 013
Runtime: 2:08
159600 views
10 Comments:
A Bit of Kai Tak History
- History of Kai Tak
- Phil Parker, formerly Air Traffic Controller, Kai Tak, tells the story of Kai Tak over the 70 years of its existence and give lots of inside info and stories that only someone like he would know.
- Kai Tak Airport - facts, figures, trivia
- This Wikipedia article gives a rundown on Kai Tak Airport in the period 1925-1998. Includes an interesting section "Accidents and other miscellaneous bad landings".
747 crazy landing at Kai Tak
747 crazy landing at Kai Tak - Why did it happen?
An extra 2 seconds of video inserted to explain all!
747 crazy landing at Kai Tak - Why did it happen? (Serious Commentary)
Why?
Because destabilised approaches at low altitude on short final are NOT a good idea in any aircraft, and are a leading cause of accidents. In a heavy, wide-bodied jet, like the B744, they are almost certain to result in damage to the aircraft and injury to those on board."
Read more at: Boeing 747 Extreme Landing
Books on Dangerous Places and Adventure Travel
Robert Young Pelton's The World's Most Dangerous Places: 5th Edition (Robert Young Pelton the World's Most Dangerous Places)
Amazon Price: $15.61 (as of 05/17/2008)
The Hard Way: Stories of Danger, Survival, and the Soul of Adventure
Amazon Price: $14.36 (as of 05/17/2008)
Points Unknown: The Greatest Adventure Writing of the Twentieth Century (Outside Books)
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 05/17/2008)
Alitalia nearly crashes at Kai Tak
Alitalia landing
An alitalia Md-11 with a ridiculous landing at the old Kai Tak airport. Airplane gangs guns glock m-16 shooting marines iraq bombs
Runtime: 0:14
6174 views
5 Comments:
Books on Air Disasters
The Killing Zone: How & Why Pilots Die
Amazon Price: $19.47 (as of 05/17/2008)
Air Disaster (Vol. 1)
Amazon Price: (as of 05/17/2008)
Air Disaster (Vol. 2)
Amazon Price: (as of 05/17/2008)
China Airlines crash at Kai Tak - Aug. 22, 1999
Amazingly, almost everyone aboard survived
china airline crash in the Hong Kong airport
informations from "aviation-safety.net" and "Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong" China Airlines flight 642 departed Bangkok for a flight to Taipei via Hong Kong. Weather in the Hong Kong area was very poor with a severe tropical storm ('Sam') 50km NE of the airport and gale force winds and thunderstorms. Extra fuel was carried, because the crew intended to continue to Taipei, depending on weather at Hong Kong on arrival. Before the arrival of flight 642 four flights carried out missed approaches, five planes diverted and 12 planes landed successfully. Weather information obtained by the crew at 18:06 reported a 300deg wind at 35 knots and an RVR of 650m in heavy rain. The flight crew then prepared for a runway 25L ILS approach. Landing reference speed was calculated to be 152 knots and the captain (pilot-in-command) would fly the approach at 170 knots and would continue to land depending on a wind check on finals. At 18:41, while flying the runway 25L ILS approach, weather was reported to the crew being 1600m visibility in the touchdown zone, wind 320deg/25 knots gusting to 33 knots. The aircraft was then cleared to land. At an altitude of 700 feet prior to touchdown a further wind check was passed to the crew: 320deg/28 knots gusting to 36 knots. Maximum crosswind component limit for the aircraft was 24 knots. The pilot-in-command continued with the approach, disconnected the autopilot but left auto throttle engaged. The MD-11, with a weight very close to the maximum landing weight permitted, stabilized slightly low on the glide slope. At 50 feet above the runway, upon power reduction to flight idle, the airspeed decreased from 170 to 152 knots. An attempt was made to flare in a slightly right wing down (less than 4 deg) attitude. The aircraft landed hard on its right main gear and the no. 3 engine touched the runway. The right main gear separated and the right wing separated. The MD-11 then rolled inverted as it skidded off the runway in flames. It came to rest on a grass area next to the runway, 1100m from the runway threshold. The right wing was found on a taxiway 90m from the nose of the plane. The crash sequence in this case bears similarities to a Fedex MD-11 which also flipped upside down on landing at Newark. Full version : http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19990822-0 Report of the Board of Review on the Accident to Boeing MD-11 B-150 at Hong Kong International Airport on 22 August 1999 bu CADHK: http://www.cad.gov.hk/english/n1.html http://www.cad.gov.hk/english/n2.html Wikipedia english ver.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Airlines_Flight_642 Wikipedia chinese ver.: http://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E4%B8%AD%E8%8F%AF%E8%88%AA%E7%A9%BA642%E8%99%9F%E7%8F%AD%E6%A9%9F&variant=zh-hk
Runtime: 0:19
84745 views
10 Comments:
Great shots of planes landing at Kai Tak (one landed in the Harbour)
Hong Kong Landing
Kai Tak airport now closed probably one of the most spectacular places in the world to land
Runtime: 1:29
115749 views
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Airport Press Conference
Kai Tak had a good safety record - but what happens when something goes wrong?
Airplane! Press Conference (transcript of above video clip)
Chicago Flight Control head, Steve McCroskey (played by Lloyd Bridges) calls a press conference during an airplane crisis
Johnny: NO THANKS!
Towergy: Chief, these reporters won't leave without a statement.
Reporter: How much longer can those passengers hold out?
MCrosky: Ah, half an hour or less.
Reporter: Who's flying the plane?
MCrosky: One of the passengers. But, he's an experienced Air Force pilot who flew during the war, so there's no cause for alarm. . . [To Johnny] Here, take over.
Reporter: What kind of plane is it?
Johnny: Oh its a big pretty white plane with red stripes,curtains in the window and wheels. It looks like a big tylenol.
Reporter: Okay boys, lets get some pictures. (Take photos off of wall . . .)
( Various reports from around the world are shown )
Airline! (Parody of Disaster Movie)
Airplane! (Don't Call Me Shirley! Edition)
The persons and events in this film are fictitious - fortunately! A masterpiece of off-the-wall comedy, Airplane! features Robert Hays as an ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning; Julie Hagerty as his girlfriend/stewardess/co-pilot; and a cast of all-stars including Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Leslie Nielsen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar... and more. Their hilarious high jinks spoof airplane disaster flicks, religious zealots, television commercials, romantic love... the list whirls by in rapid succession. And the story races from one moment of zany fun to the next.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 05/17/2008)
More Aerial Thrills and Spills!
Stunt pilots, balloonists, skydivers: Some people can't get enough!
- Stunt pilots out for a spin
- Amazing aerial acrobatics! They make it look so easy. Are they true flying aces... or haven't they just heard about the law of gravity?
- Early aeronautics heroes
- Early balloonists and parachutists risked life and limb every time they went up. Here are some of their true stories (with lots of pictures).
Have something to say about this lens or about Kai Tak Airport?
Do it here!
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SavvySenseGuy
Hong Kong is beautiful and so is the Kai Tak airport. For the business savvy, some of their employees may be stationed in Hong Kong, and it would be a lot more convenient to set up a conference call bridge to set up calls. It's a cost efficient way to hold meetings with employees wherever they may be in the US or around the world, including Hong Kong. Nice lens! Posted March 10, 2008 |
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gwkell
Thanks for the great lens. I'd like more information about Adventure Travel Posted February 28, 2008 |
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maxy
Useful lens, great work! Hope you check out my phone card lens! Posted February 26, 2008 |
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thomasz
Nice lens. Great info. Posted February 13, 2008 |
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James_ORear
Fantastic, a spotter's dream that sadly only comes to life in simulators anymore. Thanks for sowing us what it was really like!!! Posted February 01, 2008 |
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driewe
Wonderful lens Posted December 18, 2007 |
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SpicySun
Hi! Great lens! Lots of cool info. Please visit our delicious lens Spicy Sun Dips and Rubs! You'll be glad you did.....your friend, Spicy! Posted November 12, 2007 |
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SatelliteGuy
Interested topic - a true 5 stars lens for sure! Do check out my website about Dish Network as well! Posted November 09, 2007 |
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sexmythsexposed
Hi,interesting reading in your lenses, Blast from the Past...thanks for your comments on our lens sexmythsexposed Posted October 29, 2007 |
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Christopher_Scott
I like your youtube videos. Very cool. Posted October 27, 2007 |
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irishlass
wow! great lens Posted October 27, 2007 |
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kathysart
~~*~~ Posted October 01, 2007 |
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ebizsalez
wow! thats awesome! i guess :) i always wanted to go to Hong kong but now iam thinking twice about it. Maybe i will take a boat from China :) Posted September 28, 2007 |
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dc_zhen
Hi Blast from the Past, Posted September 23, 2007 |
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ilovemusic
I remember Kai Tak too. I was lucky enough to live the adventure of landing there about ten times, although I don't how the locals put up with the bone-shaking environment. Posted September 12, 2007 |
