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LTG

(216 posts)

13. Kai Tak Heart Attack

Reply to demmiblue (Original post)

Mon Jan 28, 2019, 11:04 PM

Jan 2019

Landings at the old Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong were known as a Kai Tak Heart Attack.

The airport sat in a bowl, studded with apartment buildings, surrounded by water and mountains. At the end of the approach was a low altitude 47 degree turn at 200 mph only 2 nautical miles from the airport. Beneath the plane, apartment buildings and lots of people.

It was especially exciting during high winds, crosswinds and typhoon season. Pilots had to fly this landing stick and rudder style. The exact opposite of the new airport on Lantau Island.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/kai-tak-hong-kong-airport-scary-landing

(Sorry, no clue how to post articles or videos)

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31 replies

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Highlight:

What it looks like landing at the Nuuk Greenland Airport [View all] demmiblue Jan 2019 OP

Landing a 737 in Dutch Harbor Alaska is about the same jpak Jan 2019 #1

Flying into Dutch Harbor also requires making a left hand turn.. EarnestPutz Jan 2019 #14

Old Man, Prospect, Coldfoot, Deitrich then back to Fairbanks. akraven Jan 2019 #2

SO cool! volstork Jan 2019 #3

Smooth landing keithbvadu2 Jan 2019 #4

Damn, that's scary lillypaddle Jan 2019 #5

You know what I'm nostalgic for already? hunter Jan 2019 #6

The new lights also contribute more to light pollution and are making it harder for astronomers. rwsanders Jan 2019 #25

So the runway is a half block long? rsdsharp Jan 2019 #7

Wouldn't want to overshoot it! True Dough Jan 2019 #15

Only a real estate agent could have named it "Greenland." 3Hotdogs Jan 2019 #8

Yikes, that is almost a carrier deck landing! Gumboot Jan 2019 #9

The runways the airlines use at Midway are about 6500' Major Nikon Jan 2019 #12

Is that a Dash-7 ? pangaia Jan 2019 #28

Could be Major Nikon Jan 2019 #29

If so it is a STOL, right? Should make departure a might easier. pangaia Jan 2019 #30

Turboprops typically do better than turbojets with short runways Major Nikon Jan 2019 #31

Landed In Thule Several Times--Much Less Harrowing At AFB DoctorJoJo Jan 2019 #10

The harrowing part is the runway is painted white Major Nikon Jan 2019 #11

Kai Tak Heart Attack LTG Jan 2019 #13

I knew a Pan-Am co-pilot who flew that route Mopar151 Jan 2019 #16

IIRC LTG Jan 2019 #18

I landed there --as a passenger. rsdsharp Jan 2019 #17

I flew in there twice as a passenger dem in texas Jan 2019 #21

Great video of the 747 coming in to Kai Tak GeoWilliam750 Jan 2019 #20

Ah the old checkerboard.. pangaia Jan 2019 #26

Wow. SunSeeker Jan 2019 #19

No bad, seen worse! burrowowl Jan 2019 #22

Lukla pangaia Jan 2019 #27

I want a flight simulator just like that one for my birthday. Hint, hint, hint. marble falls Jan 2019 #23

Didn't the Three Stooges film there? Bob Loblaw Jan 2019 #24