A standard approach at the old Kai Tak airport was like so...
1) Approach over the bay heading 270 (west) until you reach the Sha Lo Wan NDB.
2) Come right to 088 (east) and fly over the city until you reach the red and white checkerboard positioned on a hill 2.5 miles from the runway
3) When the DME reads 2.2 miles, come hard right to 135 and line up on the runway.
4) Roll out of the turn and flare simultaniously to execute a proper landing.
I've seen countless photos of engine strikes, runway over-runs, go-arounds, and approaches at Kai Tak. Search
http://www.airliners.net for Kai Tak and you'll see a ton of photos. If you've ever seen the shot of a 747 flying down a street, that's not a doctored image. It's real!
Here it is Just after reaching the checkerboard you're only at 500 feet, and by the time you roll out you're at half that altitude. There isn't enough time to come in with a normal approach. You've got a hill on your left, the city under you, and a bay to your right. It's either dive like mad or miss the approach. Some might ask "why not reverse the approach?" No can do, unless you want to land heading towards an 1,800 foot hill with only a quarter mile between the end of the runway and the hill. Korean Air was notorious for balking landings, totaling aircraft, and fragging engines when trying to land there. JAL and ANA, along with BA and AlItalia, made some of the best touchdowns ever there.
They closed Kai Tak down several years ago so they could build a new airport similar to Kansai International, which is an island. The new one is outside Hong Kong Bay, made from two existing islands. Again, you can find shots of it at
http://www.airliners.net-----------------------
Flakbait [Delta6]
