Kai Tak Airport

Kai Tak Airport

Immovable Culture Heritage

Kai Tak Airport was Hong Kong's international airport from 1925 to 1998. It was surrounded by apartment complexes, mountains, and water such that only the most experienced pilots were allowed to land there (Villamizar, 2023). Upon approach, the pilot had to spot Checkboard Hill, before making a sharp 47-degree right turn above the Kowloon City district and touching down at the first section of the runway to avoid Victoria Harbour. This approach was one of the world’s last landing spots in which automated aircraft instruments could not fly and instead, relied on the pilot’s visual judgement. Online archives of photographs depicting the approach along with documentaries on its history preserve the legacy of Kai Tak. Enthusiasts can also recreate the landing in flight simulator programs (i.e. Microsoft Flight Simulator, 2020) at home. Although the airport is no longer operational, the redevelopment of its former site into a mixed-use district promotes compact, integrated, and resilient urban living - thus addressing Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

is51102024

1925

wanm

Site

955

19/04/2024

04/19/2024 04:19:19 pm

Villamizar, H. (2023, March). Approaching Kai Tak on a Boeing 747: A Pilot’s Perspective. Airways. https://airwaysmag.com/kai-tak-approach-747-a-pilot/

cm x cm x cm

current,22.314098807783264,114.20509099960329;

Kai Tak Airport

TEXT

Building

1971

1998

ymw1@st-andrews.ac.uk