Does any approach come close to rivaling Hong Kong Kai Tak?

DSS787 · Mon Jul 04, 2016 5:57 am

Just as the title says, I am wondering if there is any approach today that can rival Kai Tak? I am too young to remember Kai Tak, but a lot of research and youtube videos I can tell how special this airport and approach was. Is there anything today that can compare?

What comes to mind is:

TGU (no heavies though)

DCA (River visual)

SAN (coming in over downtown)

MEX (always seems pretty fast and exciting to me)

I don't think any of these come close, but I would appreciate some personal opinions of more seasoned anetters. Thanks

kaitak744 · Mon Jul 04, 2016 6:01 am

BUR runway 33 landings involve a 90+ degree left turn just before final.
Also, LGA and JFK have some sharp turns on certain approach finals.

LAX772LR · Mon Jul 04, 2016 6:12 am

The turn into Funchal!

How could anyone here forget to mention that. lol

afterburner33 · Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:03 am

Paro - A319 only, but still very cool.

CARST · Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:09 am

Innsbruck, the approach through the mountains, sometimes flown with a 360 closely to the mountain tops to burn off speed and height. I guess some people could explain this better than me. At least very interesting as a passenger.

CARST · Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:13 am

This thread here has some interesting ones, despite not at major airports. Read the comments, too, some nice contributions there...

"Seven instrument approaches you have to see to believe":
http://airfactsjournal.com/2013/09/7-in ... o-believe/

inflightVideo · Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:14 am

Carcassonne has a low turn over the city on final approach. You come down the ILS for runway 05 before breaking off on short final, doing a loop around the city at <1,000ft with a low right turn over the cathedral to land the other way. Beautiful approach.

b747400erf · Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:23 am

Quito is a fun approach.

scotron11 · Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:46 am

I am too young to remember Kai Tak,

Crazy approach....quite a few pilots went for a swim landing there!

LamboAston · Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:58 am

Queenstown, NZ. Narrow body only, but with a fearsome approach on RW 23

LamboAston · Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:59 am

Also, youtuber Matt Davies did a simulation series on these on P3D and FSX

BALandorLivery · Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:01 am

JFK - Canarsie approach 13R and to a lesser extent 13L

Arniepie · Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:08 am

Innsbruck , long (usually bumpy) and beautiful approach through the valley, passing the airport on your right side, circle to land ,over the river, touchdown, ...beautiful.

spiplane · Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:25 am

Pulau Tioman, Malaysia. Landings are runway 20, coming in virtually perpendicular to the runway. This is very Kai Tak like for sure.

lapper · Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:16 am

Saw the approach to Paro, Bhutan on "Cities in the Sky", a BBC programme a few weeks ago. Seems quite "interesting" <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXWTqufiu50

Kilopond · Mon Jul 04, 2016 10:18 am

I think Kai Tak had been overrated. Afterall, landing there wasn't all that dramatic, even compared to some NYC aproaches, as others mentioned before.

There are quite a few airports at much more spectacular locations than Kai Tak. Some have already been mentioned above, so I may add Gilgit, Pakistan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQp5UF8lFZU

Pihero · Mon Jul 04, 2016 10:29 am

There is not really a need for exotic places : Just JFK's Canarsie RWY 13 would suffice to give some guys a few shivers... especially at night / rain / some good southerly winds and down to the visibility minimum.
Plenty of youtube actions from the flight deck.
I'd always found that visual transition very sporty on a 743 / 744

MrHMSH · Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:02 am

GIB can be quite fun, certainly compared to normal airports, landing from the West in particular. Due to Spanish airspace restrictions the aircraft has to make a sharp turn very soon before landing. Sitting on the right hand side of the aircraft means glorious views of the Rock, and then once you're on the somewhat short runway you cross the main road into Gibraltar, with the Rock looking straight down on you.

This is the best video I can find, the best bits start 7 minutes in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv5JhGCiE2c

ojjunior · Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:33 am

LamboAston wrote:
Queenstown, NZ. Narrow body only, but with a fearsome approach on RW 23

Thanks for that! I just searched if nobody had mentioned ZQN...
I had the pleasure to live there for a while back in 2005 and no matter the weather those Kiwi and Aussie pilots made some serious approaches.
I also had the pleasure to see some RNZAF C-130 and B757 movements there. Pretty funny!

Draken21fx · Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:33 am

GIB can be quite fun, certainly compared to normal airports, landing from the West in particular. Due to Spanish airspace restrictions the aircraft has to make a sharp turn very soon before landing. Sitting on the right hand side of the aircraft means glorious views of the Rock, and then once you're on the somewhat short runway you cross the main road into Gibraltar, with the Rock looking straight down on you.

This is the best video I can find, the best bits start 7 minutes in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv5JhGCiE2c

Add also the turbulence and the low cloud cover/fog because of the Rock and it can be quite fun

UAL777UK · Mon Jul 04, 2016 12:33 pm

LamboAston wrote:
Queenstown, NZ. Narrow body only, but with a fearsome approach on RW 23

Flown in here a few times and agree 100%, great coming in with the mountains either side and then a sharp turn on finals.

DSS787 · Mon Jul 04, 2016 5:40 pm

BALandorLivery wrote:
JFK - Canarsie approach 13R and to a lesser extent 13L

Oh yea, I had to look up what this was. I used to work at JFK and most afternoons driving to work they would be running this. I was always in awe as they made the turn and landed. Was breathtaking to watch. I think that's the thing I miss most about working at JFK!!! It was even better driving inside the fence on the interior roadways!

william · Mon Jul 04, 2016 5:50 pm

Carnasie Approach to JFK............YouTube it.

Viscount724 · Mon Jul 04, 2016 6:24 pm

scotron11 wrote:
I am too young to remember Kai Tak,

Crazy approach....quite a few pilots went for a swim landing there!

I believe "very few" is more accurate.

Redwood839 · Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:42 pm

The CIRRUS approach into rwy 25 at SJO can be quite interesting. Not as extreme, but when you see the Iberia A346 doing it, that's something.

kaitak · Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:08 pm

I've seen some pretty amazing short approach shots from the Sugar Loaf in Rio of aircraft on approach to SDU. That's one approach I'd love to fly!

PW100 · Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:14 pm

LamboAston wrote:
Queenstown, NZ. Narrow body only, but with a fearsome approach on RW 23

Classic, but absolutely gold . . . ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mxmFCw-Dig

LAX772LR · Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:19 pm

scotron11 wrote:
Crazy approach....quite a few pilots went for a swim landing there!

That couldn't possibly be more FALSE.

In fact, overruns at Kai Tak were very rare, you can still count them on your hands, despite 70yrs+ of operation.

klkla · Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:34 pm

CGH (Sao Paulo Brasil)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z-kwcc2ofg

TUGMASTER · Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:15 pm

Can't believe no one has mentioned AJA .. Ajaccio....
Once flew in there on a Corsair 744... Winding through the hills ...
What a rush.!!

alfa164 · Tue Jul 05, 2016 4:18 am

The old airport in Sucre, Bolivia! Somehow, the runway originally lined-up perfectly with a mountain crest...so the chopped off the top of the mountain and then cut a further notch in the middle, creating a mini-valley (at over 10,000 feet; the runway was about 9,400 feel elevation) for the pilot to aim through.

And I am sure his confidence wasn't helped by the visible airplane wreckage on another nearby mountain...

LamboAston · Tue Jul 05, 2016 4:56 am

PW100 wrote:
LamboAston wrote:
Queenstown, NZ. Narrow body only, but with a fearsome approach on RW 23

Classic, but absolutely gold . . . ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mxmFCw-Dig

That was on 05, the "easy and boring runway". 23 is much more technical, and involves a low altitude circle

b747400erf · Tue Jul 05, 2016 5:00 am

Kilopond wrote:
I think Kai Tak had been overrated. Afterall, landing there wasn't all that dramatic, even compared to some NYC aproaches, as others mentioned before.

There are quite a few airports at much more spectacular locations than Kai Tak. Some have already been mentioned above, so I may add Gilgit, Pakistan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQp5UF8lFZU

Overrated? According to... you? Uh.. no.

DocGATTACA · Tue Jul 05, 2016 5:30 am

spiplane wrote:
Pulau Tioman, Malaysia. Landings are runway 20, coming in virtually perpendicular to the runway. This is very Kai Tak like for sure.

Tioman is definitely a lot of fun, especially on the old Dash-7s. Unfortunately Berjaya no longer flies there. As far as I'm aware there no more scheduled flights. My last few trips up there have been on the ferry.

Buyantukhaa · Tue Jul 05, 2016 8:16 am

And then there is always Courchevel of course:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55SswKIn18A

E2 · Tue Jul 05, 2016 11:46 am

klkla wrote:
CGH (Sao Paulo Brasil)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z-kwcc2ofg

I'm on the ponte aérea a couple of times a week and it's not really that spectacular, apart from coming in over the city. OTOH approaching 02 in Rio (SDU) is very impressive

TTFN

RRTrent · Tue Jul 05, 2016 12:33 pm

The expressway visual onto 31 at LGA tops it for me.

Honorary mention to Canarsie, Toncontin and LCY (I'm surprised the latter two havn't got a mention yet)

ZBBYLW · Tue Jul 05, 2016 1:06 pm

The CYRUS visual onto 25 in SJO is fun to fly. So is the expressway visual in LGA.

It was not my leg but landing on the 01s in SFO does not leave much area to maneuver either.

airbazar · Tue Jul 05, 2016 2:07 pm

Kilopond wrote:
I think Kai Tak had been overrated. Afterall, landing there wasn't all that dramatic, even compared to some NYC aproaches, as others mentioned before.

Not a chance. No NYC approach has to deal with terrain or any significant obstacle. Crosswinds are also not much of an issue at JFK, unlike Kai Tak or many other single runway airports with mountains nearby. Now, the airports themselves once you get on the ground, that's a different story :lol:

DSS787 · Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:35 pm

RRTrent wrote:
The expressway visual onto 31 at LGA tops it for me.

Honorary mention to Canarsie, Toncontin and LCY (I'm surprised the latter two havn't got a mention yet)

I mentioned Toncontin (TGU) in the original post, however, for some reason, hovering over the airport code or airline IATA code does not show the airport name/city or airline like it did on the old page. Or am I missing something?

PatrickZ80 · Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:43 pm

DSS787 wrote:
RRTrent wrote:
The expressway visual onto 31 at LGA tops it for me.

Honorary mention to Canarsie, Toncontin and LCY (I'm surprised the latter two havn't got a mention yet)

I mentioned Toncontin (TGU) in the original post, however, for some reason, hovering over the airport code or airline IATA code does not show the airport name/city or airline like it did on the old page. Or am I missing something?

You're not missing something, since the new site was introduced they're not being hotlinked anymore. Confusing since I don't know all these codes. The old site had flaws in it's database, but the new site has no database at all which is even worse.

Anyway, Calvi has a pretty spectacular approach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsO3KgvdogA

Not quite like Kai Tak but can you make such a turn in a mountain surrounded area and end up straight in front of the runway?

PacificBeach88 · Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:50 pm

When I was positioned in Singapore there were plenty of Indonesia airports in BFE that still make my skin crawl. I'm not a nervous flyer usually at all, but thank god Xanax was invented for many of my flights there.

MaxxFlyer · Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:52 pm

PW100 wrote:
LamboAston wrote:
Queenstown, NZ. Narrow body only, but with a fearsome approach on RW 23

Classic, but absolutely gold . . . ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mxmFCw-Dig

I cam watch this over and over and still be amazed.

LamboAston · Wed Jul 06, 2016 1:29 am

Book your flights then and experience it of real.

nikeherc · Wed Jul 06, 2016 3:21 am

There are other approaches that may be scarier or more dramatic, but Kai Tak was the standard by which all others would be judged. It was a very busy airport, with flights to the ends of the earth. Millions of people experienced the wild ride into Kai Tak and unless they were unconscious or terribly jaded found it amazing. The thing I remember is the proximity to dirt on both sides and underneath the plane at some distance from the runway. Looking out the window and seeing how close the hillsides approached is something I won't forget, even though it was many years ago.

I think that pilots that flew that approach regularly for years were the elite of their profession.

AMIKI · Wed Jul 06, 2016 6:25 am

Lugano (LSZA)
Landing rwy 01 for all acft with qualification for an IGS App with steep Glideslope of 6.65°

RRTrent · Wed Jul 06, 2016 6:53 am

DSS787 wrote:
I mentioned Toncontin (TGU) in the original post

Ahh yes, you are right. Thanks for the correction.

True about the new site not hotlinking the airport codes... its a pain in the a......

southsidesilver · Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:32 am

Paro airport does have a nice little turn at the very end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zooI38Vl24c

washingtonflyer · Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:42 am

Even though I grew up in SAN and love almost everything about the area, from my perspective, the approach into SAN is nothing to crow about - even with the displaced threshold and the buildings a mile away. The standard 27 approach has you lining up for the runway from at least 10 or 15 miles away. No crazy turns, no dangerous gyrations. Just be sure to clear the hill at Laurel Street and you're golden.

The River Visual to DCA RWY 19 is much more interesting.

avianca707359b · Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:30 pm

I posted this about 10 years ago regarding EOH (Olaya Herrera) in Medellin, Colombia. The memories are still fresh in my mind:

An approach into EOH in a 707 was almost as exciting as landing at Kai-Tak in Hong Kong. First you decended into the Medellin area (boxed in on the east and west by the Andean mountain ranges) in a counter-clockwise spiral. Nearly the entire approach consisted of steeply banked left turns, and as you can imagine passengers in the "A" seats had a thrilling view. On final approach, you suddenly "flattened out" while zipping by a large hill in the center of the valley (Cerro Nutibara) while flying over densly populated residential areas! As a teenager, I remember full braking and reverse thrust being applied and it was always a dramatic end to a flight from JFK. A missed approach was quite tricky because beyond the runway was an upward-sloping area called "Campos de Paz" - Fields of Peace - yes a cemetery. The running joke on many a flight 059 from New York was that if the brakes failed upon landing in EOH you would get an immediate burial courtesy of Avianca!

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