![]() In 1942, the Japanese army expanded Kai Tak, using many Allied prisoner-of-war (POW) labourers, building two concrete runways, 13/31 and 07/25. Hong Kong fell into the hands of the Japanese on December 12, 1941, during World War II. In 1936, the first domestic airline in Hong Kong was established. The first control tower and hangar at Kai Tak were built in 1935. In 1928, a concrete slipway was built for seaplanes that used the adjoining Kowloon Bay. Soon, it became a small grass strip runway airport used by the RAF, and by several flying clubs which, over time grew to include the Hong Kong Flying Club, the Far East Flying Training School, and the Aero Club of Hong Kong these exist today as an amalgamation known as the Hong Kong Aviation Club. ![]() In 1924, Harry Abbott opened the Abbott School of Aviation on that piece of land. The land was acquired by the government for use as an airfield after the business plan failed. The story of Kai Tak started in 1912 when two businessmen, Ho Kai and Au Tak, formed the Kai Tak Investment Company to reclaim land in Kowloon for development. the people watching television in the nearby apartments seemed an unsettling arm's length away. ![]() The low-altitude turning manoeuvre before the shortened final approach was so close to these buildings that passengers could spot television sets in the apartments: ".as the plane banked sharply to the right for landing. The other three sides of the runway were surrounded by Victoria Harbour. These two runways were 1,450 by 70 m (4,756 by 231 ft) and 1,652 by 61 m (5,420 by 201 ft).Īt the northern end of the runway at closure, buildings rose up to six stories just across a major multi-lane arterial road. During the period between 19, the airport used a different 13/31 alongside a crossing 07/25. The runway was 2,529 m (8,297 ft) when it was opened in 1958 and 3,390 m (11,120 ft) long when the airport closed in 1998. The runway was made by reclaiming land from the harbour and was extended several times after its initial construction. When Kai Tak closed, there was only one runway in use, numbered 13/31 and oriented southeast–northwest (134/314 degrees true, 136/316 degrees magnetic). The airport was also home to the former RAF Kai Tak and the Hong Kong Aviation Club. The airport was home to Hong Kong's international carrier Cathay Pacific, as well as regional carrier Dragonair (since 2016 known as Cathay Dragon), freight airline Air Hong Kong and Hong Kong Airways. The History Channel programme Most Extreme Airports ranked it as the sixth-most dangerous airport in the world. For pilots, this airport was technically demanding, as the approach could not be flown by aircraft instruments, but had to be flown visually because of the right-hand turn required. Once the pattern was sighted and identified, aircraft made a low-altitude (sub-600 ft 180 m) 47-degree right-hand turn, ending with a short final approach and touchdown. After passing Bishop Hill, pilots would see Checkerboard Hill with a large orange and white checkerboard pattern. Instead, aircraft had to fly above Victoria Harbour and Kowloon City, passing north of Mong Kok's Bishop Hill. Officially, Kai Tak Airport held the ICAO code of VHHH, but for logistical reasons during the transition to the new airport, it also temporarily used the ICAO code of VHHX, which is also the code used by the flight simulation community to virtually represent the airport.īecause of the geography of the area, by which water was on three sides of the runway, with Kowloon City's residential apartment complexes to the north-west and 2,000-plus ft (610 m-plus) mountains to the north-east of the airport, aircraft could not fly over the mountains and quickly drop in for a final approach. Officially known as Hong Kong International Airport from 1954 to 6 July 1998, it is often referred to as Hong Kong International Airport, Kai Tak, or simply Kai Tak and Kai Tak International Airport, to distinguish it from its successor, Chek Lap Kok International Airport, built on reclaimed and levelled land around the islands of Chek Lap Kok and Lam Chau, 30 kilometres (19 mi) to the west. Kai Tak Airport (IATA: HKG, ICAO: VHHH, VHHX) was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 until 1998. Auto Credit Based on LM0418's Airport challenge ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |