Hong Kong Airport: A Safe Landing Or Perilous Drop?

Hong Kong's Kai Tak airport has been described as one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Surrounded by high-rise buildings, mountains, and water on three sides, the airport was known for its perilous descent and challenging approach. The airport's lone runway, Runway 13/31, was particularly infamous, with its hair-raising landings and complex approach requiring pilots to undergo special certification and training. Despite the dangers and complexities, accidents were rare, with only one commercial crash during the approach resulting in 23 injuries and no fatalities. The airport closed in July 1998, replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport on Chek Lap Kok Island, built to address the limitations and dangers posed by Kai Tak's location.

The old Hong Kong airport, Kai Tak, was one of the world's most dangerous airports

Hong Kong's old airport, Kai Tak, was known as one of the world's most dangerous airports. It operated from 1925 until July 1998, and during that time, it became renowned for its challenging approach to landing, dramatic location, and hair-raising descents amid mountains and high-rise buildings.

Kai Tak Airport was located on the eastern side of Kowloon Bay in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is surrounded by rugged mountains, with hills reaching an elevation of 2,000 feet (610 meters) less than 4 kilometres to the north and northeast of the former runway. The airport was initially located away from residential areas, but as the city expanded, it became engulfed by high-rise developments. This dramatic setting provided a spectacular backdrop for incoming aircraft, but it also posed significant challenges for pilots.

The approach to landing at Kai Tak was particularly demanding. The airport's single runway, 13/31, was surrounded by water on three sides and had mountains to the northeast. This geography prevented aircraft from simply flying over the mountains and making a straightforward final approach. Instead, they had to navigate a complex manoeuvre, known as the "Chequerboard Approach" or "Checkerboard Approach," to line up with the runway. This involved making a sharp 47-degree right turn at a height of around 650 feet, with less than two nautical miles to fly before landing.

The challenging approach required pilots to undergo special certification and training to land their planes at Kai Tak. Despite the dangers and complexity of the approach, accidents were rare. The only commercial crash during the approach occurred in 1993 when a China Airlines 747 skidded off the runway during a typhoon, resulting in 23 injuries and no fatalities.

In addition to the treacherous approach, Kai Tak Airport also faced issues with capacity and noise pollution. By the 1990s, the airport was operating beyond its designed capacity, handling 29 million passengers in 1996 and ranking as the third busiest airport in the world. The noise pollution in neighbouring areas was severe, with citizens recalling deafening engine sounds that interrupted daily life. These factors, along with the potential risk to life in the event of a crash, led the Hong Kong government to search for a new airport location in the late 1980s. The new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok opened in 1998, providing a safer and less congested alternative to the legendary but dangerous Kai Tak Airport.

Kai Tak was located in a densely populated area, surrounded by high-rises and mountains

Hong Kong's Kai Tak airport, located in the central built-up city area, was known as one of the most dangerous airports in the world. It was surrounded by rugged mountains, water, and high-rise apartment buildings. The airport's lone runway, Runway 13/31, was located in a densely populated area, with buildings rising to six stories just across a major multi-lane arterial road. The low-altitude turning manoeuvre before the shortened final approach was so close to the buildings that passengers could spot television sets in the apartments.

The approach for landing on Runway 13 was the most challenging, known to pilots as the Chequerboard Approach. It began to the southwest of the airport, close to the outlying island of Cheung Chau, and aircraft would intercept the localizer for the runway at this point and turn right towards Kai Tak. Pilots would then fly towards a large orange and white chequerboard located on a hill in Kowloon Tsai Park (Chequerboard Hill), where they would make a 47-degree right turn to line up with the runway, starting at a height of around 650 feet and with less than two nautical miles to fly. The final approach then flew just tens of meters over the apartment buildings surrounding the airport.

The challenging approach demanded a perilous descent among residential buildings, and the airport's increasing traffic and proximity to high-density developments raised concerns about the potential loss of life in the event of a crash. The growth of Hong Kong also strained the airport's capacity, with usage exceeding its designed capacity of 24 million passengers per year. In 1996, Kai Tak handled 29.5 million passengers, plus 1.56 million tonnes of freight, making it the third busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic.

In addition to the safety concerns, the airport also dealt with noise pollution in the surrounding neighbourhoods, recording up to 100 decibels every day. The government implemented noise abatement policies, including a flight curfew from 11:30 pm to 6:30 am. Despite the disturbances, the noises had become a part of life in East Kowloon, with some residents commenting that life became "too quiet" after Kai Tak Airport closed in 1998.

Its single runway was extended into Victoria Harbour

Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport, which operated from 1925 until July 1998, was once considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world. The airport was located in a densely built-up city area, surrounded by high-rise developments and mountains. Its single runway, Runway 13/31, extended into Victoria Harbour, with water on three sides of the runway.

The approach to Runway 13/31 was particularly challenging for pilots, as they had to navigate a series of sharp turns and descents while avoiding tall buildings and mountainous terrain. The low-altitude turning manoeuvre before the shortened final approach was so close to the nearby apartments that passengers could spot television sets in the homes. This approach became known as the "Kai Tak Heart Attack" due to the skill required of pilots and the lack of room for error. The runway was also infamously known as the "Chequerboard Approach" or "Checkerboard Turn" because pilots had to make a 47-degree right turn towards a large orange and white chequerboard on a hill in Kowloon Tsai Park.

The dangers of Kai Tak Airport were exacerbated by the increasing air traffic and the growth of high-density residential developments around the airport. By 1996, the airport was handling 29.5 million passengers and 1.56 million tonnes of freight per year, exceeding its designed capacity. The noise pollution in the surrounding neighbourhoods was also severe, with citizens recalling that the engine sounds were so loud that schoolteachers had to pause their classes until a plane passed.

Due to safety concerns and capacity limitations, the Hong Kong Government began searching for alternative locations for a new airport in the late 1980s. The new Hong Kong International Airport was built on the island of Chek Lap Kok, located 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Kai Tak. The new airport is farther away from Hong Kong's main residential areas, minimising the dangers of a major crash and reducing noise pollution issues.

Pilots needed special certification and training to land at Kai Tak

Kai Tak Airport, or Hong Kong International Airport, was located on the eastern side of Kowloon Bay in Hong Kong. The airport was surrounded by rugged mountains, with Victoria Harbour to the south and Hong Kong Island farther south. The airport's runway was surrounded by water on three sides, with Kowloon City's residential apartment complexes to the northwest.

Due to the geography of the area, planes could not fly over the mountains and quickly drop in for a final approach. Instead, they had to fly above Victoria Harbour and Kowloon City, making a challenging approach to land. The approach for landing on runway 13 was the most difficult, known to pilots as the Chequerboard Approach. This approach began to the southwest of the airport, where aircraft would intercept the localizer for the runway and turn right towards Kai Tak. They would then fly towards a large orange and white chequerboard located on a hill in Kowloon Tsai Park, where they would make a 47-degree right turn to line up with the runway. This turn was made at a low height of around 650 feet, with less than two nautical miles to fly.

The challenging approach to Kai Tak Airport meant that pilots needed special certification and training to land there. The airport was known for its spectacular location, with skyscrapers and mountains to the north and its runway jutting out into Victoria Harbour. The approach over the densely developed city and the surrounding hills was dramatic and required special skills.

Kai Tak Airport was ranked as one of the most dangerous airports in the world due to its perilous descent among residential buildings. The airport's increasing traffic and the growth of high-density developments around it raised concerns about the potential loss of life in the event of a crash. Runway 13/31 was considered the most dangerous runway in history, as the routes for takeoff and landing were so close that they were practically the same runway. The challenging approach to Kai Tak Airport demanded a high level of skill and precision from pilots, making it a memorable and unique aviation experience.

The new Hong Kong International Airport is located on Chek Lap Kok island

Hong Kong's previous airport, Kai Tak Airport, was known as one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Located in the central built-up city area, it was surrounded by high-rise residential buildings and mountains, which made it impossible to use autoland. The approach for landing on runway 13 was particularly challenging, known to pilots as the Chequerboard Approach.

Chek Lap Kok was chosen as the site for the new airport because it is far from the congested city centre, and flight paths can be routed over the South China Sea rather than crowded urban areas. This enables the efficient round-the-clock operation of multiple runways. The new airport is also located away from Hong Kong's main residential areas, reducing the dangers of a major crash and minimising noise pollution.

The airport is one of the world's busiest in terms of passenger and cargo throughput. It is the primary hub for Cathay Pacific, Greater Bay Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, HK Express, and Air Hong Kong. The airport is operated by Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), a statutory body of the Hong Kong government.

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