Hong Kong, Kai Tak Airport |
Description & Facts: Kai Tak was located on the north side of Kowloon Bay in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The vicinity is surrounded by rugged mountains. Less than 10 km to the north and northeast is a range of hills reaching an altitude of 2,000 ft (610 m). To the east of the runway, the hills are less than 5 km away. Immediately to the south of the airport is the Victoria Harbour, and further south is Hong Kong Island with hills up to 2,100 ft (640 m). When Kai Tak closed there was only one runway in use, numbered 13/31 oriented southeast/northwest (134/314 degrees true, 136/316 degrees magnetic). The runway was made by reclaiming land from the harbour and had been extended several times since its initial construction. The runway was 3,390 m long when the airport closed. At the northern end of the runway, buildings up to 6 stories rose just across the road. The other three sides of the runway were surrounded by the Victoria Harbour. The low altitude manoeuvre was so spectacular that some passengers have claimed to have witnessed the flickering of televisions through apartment windows as their aircraft approached the airport's landing strip.