In 1970 I was a pan Am stewardess making my first trip to Hong Kong Kai Tak on a 747. When the Captain learned that would be my first Kai Tak landing, he insisted I sit behind him in the cockpit. What a thrill!
This Kaitak Airport leaves so many unforgettable memories to me , I had the experience 6 times to land and take from this airport during 1974, 1975 , 1982, 1996 & 1997 .Landing approach from the Checkerboard Hill was the most amazing landing, the deep bank to the right and you can see the end of the runway at Kowloon Bay was breathtaking.....I thank my parents for the 1974 and 1975 opportunity..............
In 1956-57 I was the M.A.A.G Flight Surgeon on Taiwan. We flew flights twice weekly to Hong Kong in a DC-3. I was always thrilling to approach over the apartment buildings that were about 5 stories then drop to land at the beginning of Kai Tak landing strip. If one went to far, you went into Hong Kong Bay!.Hong Kong was well run by the British and it was much fun and excitement exploring. When a USN ship entered port, it was even more exciting! Vashi the tailor lent me his MBZ and driver when I went there. He got a lot of business from the American officers from M.A.A.G.. and the seventh fleet which was guarding the Taiwan Strait. Gen. Benjamon O. Davis led F-86's from the 13th Air force from Philippines to Taiwan. I was his Flight surgeon also as he brought no support. The Marines had planes there also,, in Taiwan. Exciting times! Some of the AVG, "Flying Tigers" weer flying for CAT, the airline that Gen. Chennault started in China after WWII, but move to Taiwan in 1947. I shared a house with a CAT pilot and met several former Flying Tiger pilots!
Wow! We are getting old, lol. I also did a number of those fun shopping trips hauling the big brass and their wives to Hong Kong landing at Kai Tak Airport, always stayed at the Golden Gate Hotel on Nathan Road in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The hotel people and shopkeepers, tailors, etc. were also very good to me. 1959-72, after the air force, they hired me back thru CAT. 13 years, never a dull moment, so many untold stories of that era. The young people today from Taiwan seem to know nothing of CAT. They don't seem to realize realize that everyone in Taiwan and Mainland China would be speaking Japanese today. If it weren't for the US efforts dealing with the Japan. They don't even have high regards for Chiang. I remember when Madam Chiang went to Washington begging for US help. I guess they have sanitized that part from their history books. When I would be in Taipei, Taiwan I would always stay at the Grand Hotel, next door to the hotel property was the home of Chiang Kai Shek. Did you see "Ike" Eisenhower when he visited with Chiang in Taipei, Taiwan? I think it was in June 1960.
I was born in Hong Kong in 1993. I and my parents visited Japan when I was 3 years old. I was so lucky to fly with the B747 of Cathay. I missed Kai Tak a lot. Great scenery of take off and landing.
Great Video, great memories, I was in the RAF at Kai Tak from 1964 to 1968 and I learnt to fly at the airport with the Hong Kong Flying club that was situated across the runway opposite the control tower. My flight instructor was a Australian Cathay Pacific Pilot and we some times went on Cathay Pacific training Flights acting as passengers for the cabin crew in the middle of the night
I lived in Hong Kong from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1995 to 1999 so I flew in and out of Kai Tak many times. Fantastic memories, including a last minute go around on a full Northwest 747 400 approaching from the east on a foggy night. About 10 months before Kai Tak closed, I sat in the cockpit of a Cathay Pacific 747 400 landing at noon on a sunny afternoon. It was an exhilarating experience. Small airport but so convenient. Loved having a bus gate on a hot humid night when the body was shocked upon leaving the dry plane environment. Long live Kai Tak.
Thanks for sharing, I was stationed at RAF Kai Tak from '76-78, and lived just under the checkerboard. I am going back this weekend (8th Nov) for the fist time in 36 years!
I remember my first trip to HK in 1987. As we swooped down from over the mountains and leveled off, we passed between office buildings and I could actually see ppl at their desks as we flew past them before landing😎 What a unique experience! Since 2003, I’ve had 17 landings at Chep Lak Kok. How I miss that earlier excitement!!
I was a flight attendant with Qantas airways and my first trip was to Hong Kong on a 707 aircraft. It was 1977 and was on the flight deck for landing the most amazing landing in my flying career.
What a lucky are you!!! This airport means that something could seems dangerous (and was a lot) but humans can do it right and no problem just emotion. This was only for BIG PROFESSIONAL PILOTS.
I flew the approach as a first officer into Kai Tak (VHHH) in DC8/61 and 63s in the early seventies on a few occasions (70-71) and then later in USN P-3 Orions (78-87). The first time for me was a pretty routine night approach overwater to runway 31 on Dec. 26, 1970 it was about 2100 hours (9 PM) and clear. In a stretch 8 the old stonecutter approach NDB hold (a figure 8) then a DME Arc to a Localizer with the required checkerboard visual at the turn point to the localizer final to runway 13 required close attention to detail crew coordination with speeds and descents right on the mark. There was a large building around 8 stories tall right across the road from the airport northwest boundary. The runway was about 9000 feet long then. In a DC-8 if you were taking off on runway 31 and lost an engine after V1 (refusal speed) that was a serious problem. On the 28th Dec. 1970, on a civilian passenger charter, I made my first departure from Kai Tak on runway 31, no takeoff is routine from Kai Tak 31 even when everything is operating as it should. The temperature was around 75 degrees F (30 C or so) clear and calm wind. Very steep climb and then the turn and back out in a climbing left turn. I was told to takeoff because it was very good weather. That was my first time in and out of Hong Kong. At night or in marginal weather we preferred an overwater approach to runway 31 or departure on 13. In a P-3 it wasn't as marginal but still required close attention to details. We always had to be aware of position in or outbound because of the close proximity of the Chinese No fly zone ADIZ when I flew in and out of there, remember Hong Kong's title was British Crown Colony back then. Video brings back memories.
Thank you for sharing. Brings back a lot of fond memories as a kid flying into Kai Tak for holidays on Philippines Airlines from Manila on the DC-10, A300 and B747-200/400.
Thank you for the nice documentary of the Kai Tak airport. I lived in Kowloon Bay and my bedroom's window view was the airport. My bedroom never dark ..hehe. I miss Hong Kong and that airport so much. This video brought back a lot of memories . Thank you again.
I used to visit HongKong in 90’s for my meetings at PepsiCo Office in Wanchai. What an experience it was to land at KaiTak airport !!! Fond memories ❤ Best ! Humayun Khan Frisco-Texas-USA
My Dad went to Hong Kong during the 90’s so he was able to experience landing in Kai Tak. Me, my mom and sister went to hong kong during the 2000 we landed at the Chep Lap Kok.
My wife and I landed at Kai Tak in 1989. Our flight arrived fairly late at night after an 18 hour flight from Seattle so we missed the amazing landing views. After 18 hours in the air all we cared about was getting off that stinking plane.
I remember Kai Tak, so convenient to get to an from. A friend visited, who was a fan of this stuff, took me to the checkerboard. You sit there watch airplanes head straight for you.
I was around 18 years old (1979) then when kai tak was still operational and my 1st time in HK. The descent and approach was exciting... It was amazing. With only one runway unbelievable.
My memory is blur as I’m still a kid at that time. But it do touch the bottom of my heart and remind me the effort of our previous generation who had worked so hard to achieve this. Thank you so much Kai Tak and all HKers.
Henry needham. Lived just by the Chequerboard for a time and well remember the aircraft flying over ,the tv was occasionally drowned out by the jet engine noise.happy days living in HK during the early 60’s.
Interesting, I was on the last BA flight into Kai Tak in early July 1998, returning from boarding school. Kept the stub probably lost now. Such amazing memories brought back by this video, thank you.
Nice shot of a Canadian Airlines 747 at the video's end. I recall my first trip into HKG on CP Air, circa 1976 or '77 when the flight was aborted on that 'touchy' runway. I worked for Philippine Airlines then and often flew HKG/MNL/HKG. Great memories of very good days in aviation. Steve Davis/YYZ
I broke off a China tour to travel from Shanghai to HK by train to be at Kai Tak on its last day. I was surprised at the thousands of people crowding the streets, buildings, car parks and foreshore to witness the last flights and capture as much as they could on film. It was a sad day to such an iconic airport close. Flew out of Chek Lap Kok a few days later and it was chaotic. Most of the airport's video screens were malfunctioning so bits of paper were taped to them announcing departures and arrivals.
I know this was done 10 years ago, but it popped up on my feed and glad it did. My dad was stationed here as an ATC (rudimentary) in1948, many memories, and some brilliant old photos. I flew in only once in 1991, but had a mate who was ATC there and spent some time on the approach console. Scary as shit, and I was in the game in Australia for 20 years! Finally, I wonder how many of the nearly 400k views recognised the music? One of my all time favourite bands, with of course the perfect name for the vid. As they say, an oldie, but a goldie.
Thank You Ron for that brief video.I was lucky to have flown there in 1981 with a 747 in old original Cathay Pacific colours. Stopover was overnight to Gatwick airport England.
This brings back so many fond memories. Last went into this airport in Feb 98. Absolutely fantastic. I remember looking down on the city below and its looked like SimCity :-P
i went to hong kong to visit my family in 1996 and when we're leaving it was an evening flight i could see the city all light up and there was a bloodmoon at that night it was epic....
Thx for the Video, Like you said , for the First Timers the Kai Tak-landing was awesome. Did it four times, and I loved it every time. You knew you gonna scrape those houses.....what a pitty that the Airport was closed.
Thanks for sharing a piece of recorded aviation history. Thanks to United Airlines (Pan Am) was able to visit this iconic historic airport before its closure and Hong Kong's return to China being a former Great Britain territory. I have my photo's of my visit and this airport. The checkerboard approach was awesome to experience as a passenger. Love Hong Kong. My favorite Asian destination being a aviation enthusiasts.
Thanks Ron, I was randomly searching Kai Tak landings and stumbled across this video! Wish Kai Tak was still around with all the new 4K video cameras we can capture nowadays. Thoroughly enjoyed your personalised commentary and great video work!
Thanks for your kind comment. Yes, video quality has become much better since then hasn't it. Kai Tak was an important part of my life. I'm looking forward to getting back to HK once Covid restrictions are lifted. Cheers. Ron
Thanks for sharing Ron. An awesome video that brings back so many memories. At one time or another I have flown on almost all of the airlines shown. Indeed I was fortunate to not only land so many, many times at Kai Tak, but on one extremely memorable occasion I was in the jump seat of a DC-10. As a civilian private pilot, I often asked if I could visit the flight deck, and on that particular flight the captain invited me back for the landing. Those were truly wonderful times!
Hi Ian, Many thanks for your comments. I think we share an affection for Kai Tak. Yeah - Similar to yourself, I was able to talk myself into jump-seat landings at many airports, Kai Tak always being the most thrilling of course. Those days of getting any sort of cockpit visit are of course long-gone!
my dad used to sail for Maersk and he flew from this airport many times before coming back to Denmark, but he stayed on land when my big brother was born in 1990
Flying into Kai Tak back in the mid 70s 80s and early 90s was a thrill. Single runway airport the planes coming through the rain clouds flying right over those high rises was something to behold. Surely miss the old iconic airport.
Detached to Kia Tak in 1965 from RAF Seletar Singapore No. 11 Radio Fitting Party to install communications equipment. A great place and the people were fantastic, would have loved to have gone back to visit.
Thanks a lot, well done documentary. The approach from a right side passenger's seat was always exciting, and I remember it very vividly, from the sparsely populated outlying islands making a lazy turn over Lantao, then capturing the localizer and finally starting the final approach, the view was soon full of bustling ships and vessels until overflying Kowloon with the buildings coming closer and closer, and then the hefty right turn towards rwy 13, overflying multi-storey buildings and Kowloon Tsai Stadium until aligned with the rwy. Equally exciting from the narrow streets of Kowloon City or from the small step of the checkerboard (although entering checkerboard was not permitted). Kai Tak was the best airport ever, as was the approach.
Thanks for sharing Ron, brings back lots of memories of my time there in the RAF where I had a room which overlooked the airport so I was able to photograph most movements
What a video, it was fascinating for a person born at 02 to see what Kai take was like. I lived in the city next to HK, Shenzhen, and I'm now studying in the States. I found it very surprising that the last two times I went to HK, I lived in the hotel at discovery bay, one time for my rugby competition and the other for my SAT test.
brings back so many memories...especially the bumpy approach and landing...like a roller coaster....and the red carpets as you go into the terminal! i use to stay nearby in To Gwa Wan, could nearly touch the planes coming into land!
Wonderful. A nostalgic trip invokes unforgettable instantaeous-memories of the eyeballs of apartment denizens in the kitchen doing their washing up gazing across the 200metre space between you both en passant. Had no idea of the history of Cathay Pacific - a Yank and an Aussie you say? Astonishing individuals. Thank you so much for this post.
I recall landing at Kai Tak for the changeover in 97. I was sitting on the window forward of the right wing. I couldn't believe we were flying between buildings. I can still picture eyeballing one lady who was doing her washing up in the kitchen staring back at me. Our faces were about 100 yards apart! It was thrilling. I remember thinking; 'I hope this closeness is part of the script, otherwise we might end up in that kitchen sink!'
Great documentary Ron. As Mr. Iain Maciver said, "turn at Mrs. Lu's clothesline....." reminds me of a first hand story about something similar to that. I flew as a cabin crew with Air India from 1963 t0 1999 and was based in HKG in the 1970s for a period of 3 months to fly to TYO and back at least twice a week. The two Captains that manned the 707 were world class fliers with loads of experience and I almost always flew with the same set crew for the duration of the posting. I would always sit in the cockpit for a landing at Kai Tak and as we approached the checkered board the F/O would look out of his side window and tell the Capt. " Captain, here's our bus stop under us, now's the time to turn right." And there we would be perfectly aligned with the runway's center line for a smooth landing. I flew to Kai Tak till it shut down in 1998 and then flew in and out for a year to Chek Lap Kok from Mumbai, India. Though a great new airport but no patch over Kai Tak. Great memories of HKG. Oh how I miss that place! Percy Unwalla. Now retired since June of 1999
A must for all aviation enthusiasts! Had the chance to land there many times in the 90's and photographed/filmed its take-off & landings from all angles including at checkerboard. Unique site, what a pity it closed...
What a fantastic video of Kai Tak airport. It's brings back memories of my younger days living in Hong Kong and the my interest of aviation started from here. This video has it all, the history of the airport, the the scenery of Hong Kong harbour and the city, and the approach into runway 13. The final part has an excellent display of all the different airlines from around the world making it very interesting to watch again and again. Well done Ron.
The first time I went to Hong Kong I was on the road with a band in 1997. I didn’t know anything about the airport or approach. As we were descending I was saying prayers because I thought something was wrong with the plane and we were going down into the city. I later learned that this was completely fine and normal. Lol.
Nice work Ron - my home also for 5 years in the late 70's and early 80's - loved landing at Kai Tak and spotting landings when I got the chance. My last landing was in 1997 - just before the handover. Thanks for sharing this amazing footage and expert commentary.
I flew into Kai Tak at night in a DC-10 from Honolulu. First and only time. That turn was wild but so was seeing the high-rises so close. It was very exciting. Too bad smart phones and their cameras were invented too late! Thanks for uploading this footage.
I first flew in on Christmas Day 1960, can recall the close-to apartments,. However, it was a departure I most remember - in a BOAC Comet 4. Once airborne, the plane's nose went up to about a 30 degree climb, and stayed there for 20 minutes. Those Comets flew very high, and the darker stratosphere was visible above.
Great vid! I flew into Kai Tak aboard a Handley Page Hermes in 1958 and again in '91, '92 and '93 on Cathay Pacific 747s. Would have liked to have seen some archive footage of the piston-engine airliners of the 50s.
One of the reasons that Kai Tak ended its historic duty was because Hong Kong needs to build tall rising apartments, those buildings around the airport before 1998 has limit of height! After its gone, such a restriction will be gone and the entire area can be redeveloping! It was really scary when you are sitting in your seat and watching below when the pilots made tight turn to manuver the plane in the air before landing. And the airstrip was constructed over the harbour like landing over an aircraft carrier. Both China and Taiwan airliner pilots made mishap and ditched their airliners at sea!
I Miss that Airport I Still remember PAL And Cathay Pacific and Qantas and SIA and NWA landing there with different kinds of planes like the 747,757,DC-10,MD-11 And Many more
My mum told me that when she first came to hong kong from pakistan!Her plane landed in that airport!She told me that she feared the landing cuz the plane was close to the building!
In 1970 I was a pan Am stewardess making my first trip to Hong Kong Kai Tak on a 747. When the Captain learned that would be my first Kai Tak landing, he insisted I sit behind him in the cockpit. What a thrill!
How was it? :)
I bet! Lol 😅
then later on top of the pilot.....
Very cool!
@@888ssss dumbass
This Kaitak Airport leaves so many unforgettable memories to me , I had the experience 6 times to land and take from this airport during 1974, 1975 , 1982, 1996 & 1997 .Landing approach from the Checkerboard Hill was the most amazing landing, the deep bank to the right and you can see the end of the runway at Kowloon Bay was breathtaking.....I thank my parents for the 1974 and 1975 opportunity..............
Kai Tak was right in the heart of the city, and the city could feel it too.
In 1956-57 I was the M.A.A.G Flight Surgeon on Taiwan. We flew flights twice weekly to Hong Kong in a DC-3. I was always thrilling to approach over the apartment buildings that were about 5 stories then drop to land at the beginning of Kai Tak landing strip. If one went to far, you went into Hong Kong Bay!.Hong Kong was well run by the British and it was much fun and excitement exploring. When a USN ship entered port, it was even more exciting! Vashi the tailor lent me his MBZ and driver when I went there. He got a lot of business from the American officers from M.A.A.G.. and the seventh fleet which was guarding the Taiwan Strait. Gen. Benjamon O. Davis led F-86's from the 13th Air force from Philippines to Taiwan. I was his Flight surgeon also as he brought no support. The Marines had planes there also,, in Taiwan. Exciting times! Some of the AVG, "Flying Tigers" weer flying for CAT, the airline that Gen. Chennault started in China after WWII, but move to Taiwan in 1947. I shared a house with a CAT pilot and met several former Flying Tiger pilots!
o
wow, want to hear more
Wow! We are getting old, lol.
I also did a number of those fun shopping trips hauling the big brass and their wives to Hong Kong landing at Kai Tak Airport, always stayed at the Golden Gate Hotel on Nathan Road in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The hotel people and shopkeepers, tailors, etc. were also very good to me.
1959-72, after the air force, they hired me back thru CAT.
13 years, never a dull moment, so many untold stories of that era.
The young people today from Taiwan seem to know nothing of CAT.
They don't seem to realize realize that everyone in Taiwan and Mainland China would be speaking Japanese today. If it weren't for the US efforts dealing with the Japan. They don't even have high regards for Chiang.
I remember when Madam Chiang went to Washington begging for US help.
I guess they have sanitized that part from their history books.
When I would be in Taipei, Taiwan I would always stay at the Grand Hotel, next door to the hotel property was the home of Chiang Kai Shek.
Did you see "Ike" Eisenhower when he visited with Chiang in Taipei, Taiwan?
I think it was in June 1960.
Robert Helton - Always a joy to read stories like this. Thank you for sharing.
@@curtisgregory517 Thank you for the cool stories of that time of Hong Kong. Please feel free to post more. :-)
I was 14 when I last had a chance to fly to and from Kai Tak. I will cherish that memory for as long as I live.
I was born in Hong Kong in 1993. I and my parents visited Japan when I was 3 years old. I was so lucky to fly with the B747 of Cathay. I missed Kai Tak a lot.
Great scenery of take off and landing.
Great Video, great memories, I was in the RAF at Kai Tak from 1964 to 1968 and I learnt to fly at the airport with the Hong Kong Flying club that was situated across the runway opposite the control tower. My flight instructor was a Australian Cathay Pacific Pilot and we some times went on Cathay Pacific training Flights acting as passengers for the cabin crew in the middle of the night
So happy you liked my video. You have some great memories of Kai Tak.
This Airport was awesome.. Visited once and on 5th of July-1998 just 12 hours before the closing of this majestic airport
I lived in Hong Kong from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1995 to 1999 so I flew in and out of Kai Tak many times. Fantastic memories, including a last minute go around on a full Northwest 747 400 approaching from the east on a foggy night. About 10 months before Kai Tak closed, I sat in the cockpit of a Cathay Pacific 747 400 landing at noon on a sunny afternoon. It was an exhilarating experience. Small airport but so convenient. Loved having a bus gate on a hot humid night when the body was shocked upon leaving the dry plane environment. Long live Kai Tak.
Thanks for sharing, I was stationed at RAF Kai Tak from '76-78, and lived just under the checkerboard. I am going back this weekend (8th Nov) for the fist time in 36 years!
How was your trip back to Hong Kong? Was it still the Hong Kong you remembered, or had so much changed that it was unrecognizable?
@西門吹雪 I hope he is, I'd love to hear his stories.
I remember my first trip to HK in 1987. As we swooped down from over the mountains and leveled off, we passed between office buildings and I could actually see ppl at their desks as we flew past them before landing😎
What a unique experience!
Since 2003, I’ve had 17 landings at Chep Lak Kok. How I miss that earlier excitement!!
I lived in Paris when I did it, and it was just like the overhead metro lol.
I miss this airport. It was exciting even as a passenger. Flew in and out of it almost every year in the 90s and it never got old.
I was a flight attendant with Qantas airways and my first trip was to Hong Kong on a 707 aircraft.
It was 1977 and was on the flight deck for landing the most amazing landing in my flying career.
very cool!
What a lucky are you!!! This airport means that something could seems dangerous (and was a lot) but humans can do it right and no problem just emotion. This was only for BIG PROFESSIONAL PILOTS.
I was just a little boy in 1987, first time in Kai Tak but could not appreciate the thrill of the landing. How incredible Kai Tak.
I flew the approach as a first officer into Kai Tak (VHHH) in DC8/61 and 63s in the early seventies on a few occasions (70-71) and then later in USN P-3 Orions (78-87). The first time for me was a pretty routine night approach overwater to runway 31 on Dec. 26, 1970 it was about 2100 hours (9 PM) and clear. In a stretch 8 the old stonecutter approach NDB hold (a figure 8) then a DME Arc to a Localizer with the required checkerboard visual at the turn point to the localizer final to runway 13 required close attention to detail crew coordination with speeds and descents right on the mark. There was a large building around 8 stories tall right across the road from the airport northwest boundary. The runway was about 9000 feet long then. In a DC-8 if you were taking off on runway 31 and lost an engine after V1 (refusal speed) that was a serious problem. On the 28th Dec. 1970, on a civilian passenger charter, I made my first departure from Kai Tak on runway 31, no takeoff is routine from Kai Tak 31 even when everything is operating as it should. The temperature was around 75 degrees F (30 C or so) clear and calm wind. Very steep climb and then the turn and back out in a climbing left turn. I was told to takeoff because it was very good weather. That was my first time in and out of Hong Kong. At night or in marginal weather we preferred an overwater approach to runway 31 or departure on 13. In a P-3 it wasn't as marginal but still required close attention to details. We always had to be aware of position in or outbound because of the close proximity of the Chinese No fly zone ADIZ when I flew in and out of there, remember Hong Kong's title was British Crown Colony back then. Video brings back memories.
Thank you for sharing. Brings back a lot of fond memories as a kid flying into Kai Tak for holidays on Philippines Airlines from Manila on the DC-10, A300 and B747-200/400.
Thank you for the nice documentary of the Kai Tak airport. I lived in Kowloon Bay and my bedroom's window view was the airport. My bedroom never dark ..hehe. I miss Hong Kong and that airport so much. This video brought back a lot of memories . Thank you again.
I'm so happy you liked my video
Truly iconic jets, and a beautiful landing. Thank you for making this video and forever preserving these precious memories.
I used to visit HongKong in 90’s for my meetings at PepsiCo Office in Wanchai.
What an experience it was to land at KaiTak airport !!!
Fond memories ❤
Best !
Humayun Khan
Frisco-Texas-USA
My Dad went to Hong Kong during the 90’s so he was able to experience landing in Kai Tak. Me, my mom and sister went to hong kong during the 2000 we landed at the Chep Lap Kok.
My wife and I landed at Kai Tak in 1989. Our flight arrived fairly late at night after an 18 hour flight from Seattle so we missed the amazing landing views. After 18 hours in the air all we cared about was getting off that stinking plane.
Hat's off to the pilots and crew's who made this supremely difficult series of maneuvers look as easy as a leisurely stroll through the park.
I remember Kai Tak, so convenient to get to an from. A friend visited, who was a fan of this stuff, took me to the checkerboard. You sit there watch airplanes head straight for you.
I can see my home from this video, really amazing to see that I lived so close to this iconic airport.
Did you liv there while kai tak was open?! That would have been so cool! I'd never have to watch the TV for entertainment.
I was around 18 years old (1979) then when kai tak was still operational and my 1st time in HK. The descent and approach was exciting... It was amazing. With only one runway unbelievable.
My memory is blur as I’m still a kid at that time. But it do touch the bottom of my heart and remind me the effort of our previous generation who had worked so hard to achieve this.
Thank you so much Kai Tak and all HKers.
Henry needham. Lived just by the Chequerboard for a time and well remember the aircraft flying over ,the tv was occasionally drowned out by the jet engine noise.happy days living in HK during the early 60’s.
Ahhh Kai Tak... what an airport! Thanks for this vid and trip down memory lane... lol. The old joke “turn at Mrs Lu’s clothesline... ”
I would have trown up 😬 by the landing 💺✈
Thank you for putting it on RUclips 🙏🙋♂️🇪🇺🇩🇪🇨🇭
Interesting, I was on the last BA flight into Kai Tak in early July 1998, returning from boarding school. Kept the stub probably lost now. Such amazing memories brought back by this video, thank you.
Glad you liked it. I'm hoping to get back to HK early in the New Year
This is very interesting and informative about Kai Tak airport
Wow such memories, i do miss Kai Tak and aircraft flying low over Kowloon
Nice shot of a Canadian Airlines 747 at the video's end. I recall my first trip into HKG on CP Air, circa 1976 or '77 when the flight was aborted on that 'touchy' runway. I worked for Philippine Airlines then and often flew HKG/MNL/HKG. Great memories of very good days in aviation.
Steve Davis/YYZ
I missed Canadian airline.
@@timtim6619 it merged with air Canada
I broke off a China tour to travel from Shanghai to HK by train to be at Kai Tak on its last day. I was surprised at the thousands of people crowding the streets, buildings, car parks and foreshore to witness the last flights and capture as much as they could on film. It was a sad day to such an iconic airport close. Flew out of Chek Lap Kok a few days later and it was chaotic. Most of the airport's video screens were malfunctioning so bits of paper were taped to them announcing departures and arrivals.
Steve Chek Lap Kok was rushed to completion (reclamation and all) so I guess it’s expected.
@@euphony5552 Wasn't Kai Tak reopened for a short while while Chep got its act together?
A night landing at Kai Tak is breathtaking.
I know this was done 10 years ago, but it popped up on my feed and glad it did. My dad was stationed here as an ATC (rudimentary) in1948, many memories, and some brilliant old photos. I flew in only once in 1991, but had a mate who was ATC there and spent some time on the approach console. Scary as shit, and I was in the game in Australia for 20 years! Finally, I wonder how many of the nearly 400k views recognised the music? One of my all time favourite bands, with of course the perfect name for the vid. As they say, an oldie, but a goldie.
Thank You Ron for that brief video.I was lucky to have flown there in 1981 with a 747 in old
original Cathay Pacific colours. Stopover was overnight to Gatwick airport England.
This brings back so many fond memories. Last went into this airport in Feb 98. Absolutely fantastic. I remember looking down on the city below and its looked like SimCity :-P
I wished I had a chance to visit Kai Tak before it closed down.
me too :(
same :(
And also me,
Same here. It was so iconic. I even remember watching enter the dragon and the clip of the planes flying low really stuck with me.
i went to hong kong to visit my family in 1996
and when we're leaving it was an evening flight i could see the city all light up and there was a bloodmoon at that night
it was epic....
Thx for the Video, Like you said , for the First Timers the Kai Tak-landing was awesome. Did it four times, and I loved it every time. You knew you gonna scrape those houses.....what a pitty that the Airport was closed.
Thanks for sharing a piece of recorded aviation history. Thanks to United Airlines (Pan Am) was able to visit this iconic historic airport before its closure and Hong Kong's return to China being a former Great Britain territory. I have my photo's of my visit and this airport. The checkerboard approach was awesome to experience as a passenger. Love Hong Kong. My favorite Asian destination being a aviation enthusiasts.
Thank you so very much, brings back many happy memories 😍
Thanks Ron, I was randomly searching Kai Tak landings and stumbled across this video! Wish Kai Tak was still around with all the new 4K video cameras we can capture nowadays. Thoroughly enjoyed your personalised commentary and great video work!
Thanks for your kind comment. Yes, video quality has become much better since then hasn't it. Kai Tak was an important part of my life. I'm looking forward to getting back to HK once Covid restrictions are lifted. Cheers. Ron
Revisiting KT airport by watching this video in 2019, its just amazing
Thanks for sharing Ron. An awesome video that brings back so many memories. At one time or another I have flown on almost all of the airlines shown. Indeed I was fortunate to not only land so many, many times at Kai Tak, but on one extremely memorable occasion I was in the jump seat of a DC-10. As a civilian private pilot, I often asked if I could visit the flight deck, and on that particular flight the captain invited me back for the landing. Those were truly wonderful times!
Hi Ian, Many thanks for your comments. I think we share an affection for Kai Tak. Yeah - Similar to yourself, I was able to talk myself into jump-seat landings at many airports, Kai Tak always being the most thrilling of course. Those days of getting any sort of cockpit visit are of course long-gone!
my dad used to sail for Maersk and he flew from this airport many times before coming back to Denmark, but he stayed on land when my big brother was born in 1990
Thank you so much for sharing.. Amazing footage and truly an aviation landmark
Flying into Kai Tak back in the mid 70s 80s and early 90s was a thrill. Single runway airport the planes coming through the rain clouds flying right over those high rises was something to behold. Surely miss the old iconic airport.
Detached to Kia Tak in 1965 from RAF Seletar Singapore No. 11 Radio Fitting Party to install communications equipment. A great place and the people were fantastic, would have loved to have gone back to visit.
Left Hong Kong in 1998 via Kai Tak Airport, close to my work place at San Po Kong, Kowloon.
Thank you soo much Ron-bring a tear to my eye. Such fond memories of Kai Rak airport👍
I flew for Cathay Pacific from stewardess to Chief Purser-those were the most wonderful time of my life, Kai Tak -what a memory
So many 747's from different airlines and nation's. Love it...
Lovely Video, very much rejuvenating. Thanks for the Upload, Mate!
Great video, thanks, and great sound track too. Sadly, I've only flown in and out of the new airport. But very impressive, none the less.
Left my heart in Hong Kong in...1990? Am coming back in spring, won't be the same without Kai Tak though. So exited.
Thanks a lot, well done documentary. The approach from a right side passenger's seat was always exciting, and I remember it very vividly, from the sparsely populated outlying islands making a lazy turn over Lantao, then capturing the localizer and finally starting the final approach, the view was soon full of bustling ships and vessels until overflying Kowloon with the buildings coming closer and closer, and then the hefty right turn towards rwy 13, overflying multi-storey buildings and Kowloon Tsai Stadium until aligned with the rwy. Equally exciting from the narrow streets of Kowloon City or from the small step of the checkerboard (although entering checkerboard was not permitted). Kai Tak was the best airport ever, as was the approach.
Wonderful experience and fond memories
Thanks for sharing Ron, brings back lots of memories of my time there in the RAF where I had a room which overlooked the airport so I was able to photograph most movements
My God those pilots are good! Excellent video, thank you so much.
Worked there with the RAF Airport Unit. It was fun.
Great video friend... Enjoy every minute of it. Thanks for sharing it...
Awesome memories... Thank you for posting...
Splendid and excellent video indeed, this brings back lots of good old memories....thank you!!!!
What a video, it was fascinating for a person born at 02 to see what Kai take was like. I lived in the city next to HK, Shenzhen, and I'm now studying in the States. I found it very surprising that the last two times I went to HK, I lived in the hotel at discovery bay, one time for my rugby competition and the other for my SAT test.
Glad you like it
Most exciting experience in "old" HK!
Great approach! Great video.
brings back so many memories...especially the bumpy approach and landing...like a roller coaster....and the red carpets as you go into the terminal!
i use to stay nearby in To Gwa Wan, could nearly touch the planes coming into land!
Hi Marcus - Yes , fond memories of that too. best regards. Ron
Wonderful. A nostalgic trip invokes unforgettable instantaeous-memories of the eyeballs of apartment denizens in the kitchen doing their washing up gazing across the 200metre space between you both en passant. Had no idea of the history of Cathay Pacific - a Yank and an Aussie you say? Astonishing individuals. Thank you so much for this post.
I always thought Kai Tak was the World's Most Awesome Airport. Thank you so much for sharing 👍
I recall landing at Kai Tak for the changeover in 97. I was sitting on the window forward of the right wing. I couldn't believe we were flying between buildings. I can still picture eyeballing one lady who was doing her washing up in the kitchen staring back at me. Our faces were about 100 yards apart! It was thrilling. I remember thinking; 'I hope this closeness is part of the script, otherwise we might end up in that kitchen sink!'
This was the place I said good bye to all my wonderful friends and ex-girl friend in 1972 !
It's full of good memories !
awesome stuff, Kai Tak and HK are magical places. Thanks for the upload.
Great documentary Ron. As Mr. Iain Maciver said, "turn at Mrs. Lu's clothesline....." reminds me of a first hand story about something similar to that. I flew as a cabin crew with Air India from 1963 t0 1999 and was based in HKG in the 1970s for a period of 3 months to fly to TYO and back at least twice a week. The two Captains that manned the 707 were world class fliers with loads of experience and I almost always flew with the same set crew for the duration of the posting. I would always sit in the cockpit for a landing at Kai Tak and as we approached the checkered board the F/O would look out of his side window and tell the Capt. " Captain, here's our bus stop under us, now's the time to turn right." And there we would be perfectly aligned with the runway's center line for a smooth landing. I flew to Kai Tak till it shut down in 1998 and then flew in and out for a year to Chek Lap Kok from Mumbai, India.
Though a great new airport but no patch over Kai Tak. Great memories of HKG. Oh how I miss that place!
Percy Unwalla.
Now retired since June of 1999
Great reminiscence Percy! Thanks for your comments
Fascinating video, thank you for sharing! Good old days! :)
Nice video It felt like I was on that Singapore flight AMAZING!
Dude, your video rocks!
A must for all aviation enthusiasts! Had the chance to land there many times in the 90's and photographed/filmed its take-off & landings from all angles including at checkerboard. Unique site, what a pity it closed...
Great documentary! Thank you so much!
I landed there once, it was amazing.
What a fantastic video of Kai Tak airport. It's brings back memories of my younger days living in Hong Kong and the my interest of aviation started from here. This video has it all, the history of the airport, the the scenery of Hong Kong harbour and the city, and the approach into runway 13. The final part has an excellent display of all the different airlines from around the world making it very interesting to watch again and again. Well done Ron.
Many thanks Ronil. I'm so glad you enjoyed the Video.
amazing Hong Kong history!
Flew this approach many times !!
Brilliant i used to stay in the Old Airport Regal Hotel and see these huge Aerobatic manoeuvres on approach from the roof top restaurant
The first time I went to Hong Kong I was on the road with a band in 1997. I didn’t know anything about the airport or approach. As we were descending I was saying prayers because I thought something was wrong with the plane and we were going down into the city. I later learned that this was completely fine and normal. Lol.
Great job, sir. Personal memoirs are most valuable than a kind of official films. Thank you very much.
I remember the experience well, unforgetable.
I flew out of KaiTak in 1992 at age 8, fly back in Chep Lok Kok in 1999.
EuroRocket didn't it close in 1998 ?
Kai Tak closed on 1998
@@JCChainz Chek Lap Kok is the new airport which replaced Kai Tak
Nice work Ron - my home also for 5 years in the late 70's and early 80's - loved landing at Kai Tak and spotting landings when I got the chance. My last landing was in 1997 - just before the handover. Thanks for sharing this amazing footage and expert commentary.
Glad you enjoyed it
I flew into Kai Tak at night in a DC-10 from Honolulu. First and only time. That turn was wild but so was seeing the high-rises so close. It was very exciting. Too bad smart phones and their cameras were invented too late! Thanks for uploading this footage.
I first flew in on Christmas Day 1960, can recall the close-to apartments,. However, it was a departure I most remember - in a BOAC Comet 4. Once airborne, the plane's nose went up to about a 30 degree climb, and stayed there for 20 minutes. Those Comets flew very high, and the darker stratosphere was visible above.
Thanks for the reminder Ron, I managed to spot our former apartment following the chequerboard turn!
I used to live under the east-bound flight path, we learned to pause conversations every few minutes as a 'plane few over. ;)
Great vid! I flew into Kai Tak aboard a Handley Page Hermes in 1958 and again in '91, '92 and '93 on Cathay Pacific 747s. Would have liked to have seen some archive footage of the piston-engine airliners of the 50s.
Sadly,I wasn't able to make it to Hong Kong while this airport was active. I love that city!!!!
One of the reasons that Kai Tak ended its historic duty was because Hong Kong needs to build tall rising apartments, those buildings around the airport before 1998 has limit of height! After its gone, such a restriction will be gone and the entire area can be redeveloping!
It was really scary when you are sitting in your seat and watching below when the pilots made tight turn to manuver the plane in the air before landing. And the airstrip was constructed over the harbour like landing over an aircraft carrier. Both China and Taiwan airliner pilots made mishap and ditched their airliners at sea!
I Miss that Airport
I Still remember PAL And Cathay Pacific and Qantas and SIA and NWA landing there with different kinds of planes like the 747,757,DC-10,MD-11 And Many more
Many thanks for this high quality video; remember me a lot of souvenirs...
My mum told me that when she first came to hong kong from pakistan!Her plane landed in that airport!She told me that she feared the landing cuz the plane was close to the building!
Thank you for such a well documented video !
5:23 "where I used to live" i definitely won't forget this