Kai Tak - Checkerboard Approach

marlowe
Mon, 09/22/2014 - 23:42
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Kai Tak - Checkerboard Approach

The Approach to Kai Tak,

fly directly to this radio marker (MM), ie aim at the Checkerboard.

At this point, turn 47 degrees right, the runway will be right in front of you.

(from the landing approach charts to Kai Tak)

"........the right turn must be made at the MM,...... as any early or late turn will result in a loss of terrain clearance," 

ie if you turn at the wrong time, you will fly into a mountain.

Date picture taken
1990s
Gallery
1990s Hong Kong
Shows place(s)
Checkerboard Hill [????- ]
Kowloon Tsai Park [1964- ]
Lion Rock [????- ]

Comments

The checker board was a ground reference for the approach to runway 13 of Kai Tak. There were different types of approach to this runway, all come over Kowloon Peninsula with a right turn to line up on final. The old approach begins with flying over radio beacons (NDB) over Cheung Chau and Stonecutters, on a right turn towards the the checkerboard and line up on final. A more precisioned guided approach was estblished in the 70s? which gave laterial guidance and vertical guidance on a eastly heading towards this checkerboard, the antenna for laterial guidance (LLZ) was on the ground next to the track of Kowloon Tsai Park, and the vertical guidance (GP) was located on top of this checker board. The Middle Marker (MM) is anohter beacon further off this checkerboard, it is the turning point according to the procedure. A third type of procedure requires a clear day when the pilot is visual with Green Island, and will descend and fly towards the Kowloon Peninsula in a visual right turn towards the runway. It had been known to have pilot screw up this approach and in later days of Kai Tak only CX and KA (those local airlines are allowed to fly this procedure)... On a good clear days you will find those CX and KA planes will deviate towards Lung Cheung Road (towards the North) to give extra room into the final line up ...

Hi there,

Thanks for posting and a mystery resolved.  I had been scratching my head for years, wondering why mostly the Cathy inbounds had been veering a bit more towards to the hills than the other flights.  Anyway, the banking right while decending approach would put many people on edge.

Best Regards,

T