Thursday, December 01, 2005
"Kai Tak Checkerboard Approach"!
The old "Checkerboard Approach" into Kai Tak Airport was the most unusual and dangerous of any approach conducted by the major airlines. Here is a description by Arturo Weiss of the "Checkerboard Approach" and it's difficulties.
KAI TAK'S CHECKERBOARD APPROACH
by Arturo Weiss
A few years ago, Hong Kong celebrated the opening of a new airport: Chep Lap Kok International. It’s predecessor, Kai Tak was limited in its size and there just wasn’t too much room for expansion. However, one of the biggest reasons for this move was its famous “checkerboard” approach. Now left for the history books, this treacherous approach is a classic and probably the grand-daddy of dangerous air carrier approaches. The checkerboard was actually an Instrument Guidance System (IGS) approach, which as all instrument pilots have learned, is a variation of the typical ILS approach. As you may know, ILS approaches terminate at a runway centerline (plus or minus 30 degrees) and IGS approaches terminate off runway center leaving a pilot to pick up the threshold visually and then maneuver the airplane in for the rest of the landing approach. Boiled down, this approach consisted of an IGS approach that, under the planned conditions, would have the airplane pop out of the clouds and spot this checkerboard patterned box (hence the name “checkerboard approach”) on a hillside. At this point, pilots would then look right and spot the runway about 40 degrees off the nose of the airplane. Then it was time for the famous steep turn. Crank and bank over to line up with a runway about a mile ahead of you. Not easy to do in a heavy Boeing 747. All of this is happening as the flight crew would configure the aircraft for landing. Flaps, gear checked, and speed control was all handled during this last phase of the landing approach. Finally, the airplane touched down on the runway…provided everything worked out to plan. Things didn’t always work out, however, and there have been many an airplane crash into the airport property or into Victoria Harbor’s cold waters.
-------------------- ----------- -----------------
Pretty amazing, I would say. Well, yesterday, Clive Pearce sent me an e-mail consisting of some "Checkerboard Approach" photos, and commentary provided by a pilot who flew into Kai Tak for many, many years. The photos are stunning, and the commentary is quite humorous at times. Here is the e-mail.
To: "otterflogger"
Subject: FLYING INTO OLD HONG KONG
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 23:35:32 -0500
Hi Steve,
My Brother forwarded me these, and you may enjoy these pictures of less than easy landings before they improved the Airport....
Clive
-----------
THE OLD HONG KONG AIRPORT
Hello Folks...
Got these photos from a fellow retired Captain friend, reminding me of the days when we used to fly this approach in Pan Am's Boeing 707's, way back in 1967 thru 1970...when I was based out of San Francisco.
For those of us who've had the "privilege" of landing at the Old Hong Kong Airport..."fond memories" ? Had it's own built in "pucker factor" didn't it ? Even when the weather was good...which was never...!! We were definitely sitting up straight and paying attention...!!
Couldn't resist adding some of my own comments to his...!!!
Normally, at the bottom of an ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach you are looking for a runway...This was long before we could trust the autopilot for an "Auto-Approach" hook up, so you always hand flew it.
This ILS approach guides you right to the top of a hill, not the runway. If you did a good job flying the ILS all the way to "minimums" you got to see that checkerboard panel in photo #3. If you dropped below minimums in bad weather, you got to die right on the tippy top of the mountain...!!
The drill was to fly to minimums, (the Checkerboard on the hilltop) and then crank it over into a hard right turn and dive for the runway. There was usually a cross wind, which explains some of the other pictures. It was pretty easy to drag a wing tip, or an outboard engine. Some of the lucky ones got both outboard engines, the first at impact (photo # 8) and the second trying to recover from the first engine strike (photo #9). And you couldn't cheat by going below glide slope or turning in early because of all the tall buildings downtown.
And if the approach wasn't enough fun, note that the runway is short. More than one went off the end, or the side, and into the bay.
Missed approach? See those hills ? Yep, another hard right turn and "climb, climb, climb" !
The weather was usually not clear. Clouds were the norm, with fog or mist, and sometimes heavy rain. It's tropical there. There was an approach to the other end of that single runway. It wasn't much better. More hills and the "Missed Approach" was a hard left turn to avoid hitting the tall buildings and "The Checkerboard Mountain"...!
Yeah, just another day at the Office.
The new airport is almost easy. There are still the hills all around the bay, but at least the ILS takes you to pavement. And you don't have to look up at the people in the higher floors. You don't really appreciate flying in the U.S. until you have flown out of it. Washington National is a piece of cake by comparison. Did I mention what braking was like on a rainy day on that short runway? Or the huge puddles that formed because the airport was sinking, and no one would spend any money because they were building the new airport?
Photos # 1 and # 2 were taken from the high-rise balconies . ( I never quite had time to take a look back photo from the cockpit here. ).....Sort of like driving thru midtown Manhattan to Times Square...!!!
No autopilot stuff here...hand fly that sucker, and don't screw up...!!! The prayer : "Lord, if I'm to die...please don't let it be "Pilot Error"!
At ILS "Minimums"...you break out of the clouds at the top of a hill..! ! ! First one to see it calls "Checkerboard in sight"...! !
Now...hard right turn and dive ! ! !...and don't mess around, or you simply won't make it...! ! Is that a short runway or what...! !
Woe to you if you're too high...!!!
Strong cross winds were common...so you had to "crab" all the way to the runway...!!!
Sometimes the cross-winds were stronger than others...
Overshoot, and you're in the drink...kick it out of the crab too soon, and you're blown back off the runway...wait too late and "crunch"...# 4 engine..!!!
Over-react on the crab correction, and "crunch" # 1 engine...!!!
Don't "float" or try to make a smooth landing...just put it on...!!! "Firm" landings help dissipate energy, and help you stop...!!!
Drop too low, and you'll drag your wheels thru the high rises...!!!
Some days you earned your pay more than others!!! Back then I could not imagine doing anything else for a living...for thirty-four years...!!! Viet Nam did help put it all in perspective though...and made this seem easy... At least nobody was shooting at you from these high-rise buildings...! !
Ah...yes, we were all so young then... and fearless..! ! And the older we got the more cautious we became...!!! And where has the time gone..? I remember thinking...
"Wow, ten more years to retirement...and now it's been six years since retirement..."! !
Back then...my goal was to retire without scratching an airplane...!
Today...I'm happy not to scratch my car turning into my own driveway...! !
The older I get, the better I used to be!
Cheers,
Harmon
--------------------------------------------------
Yes, quite an amazing approach to be doing in any aircraft, let alone a 747! Months ago I published a post entitled
Steve's Video Of The Day: Bush-Flying the Boeing 747!!, which is actually a video of an approach into Kai Tak. Click on the post title to watch it again, it is amazing! Till next time,..........."Adios"........!
Thanks for the e-mail, Clive!
KAI TAK'S CHECKERBOARD APPROACH
by Arturo Weiss
A few years ago, Hong Kong celebrated the opening of a new airport: Chep Lap Kok International. It’s predecessor, Kai Tak was limited in its size and there just wasn’t too much room for expansion. However, one of the biggest reasons for this move was its famous “checkerboard” approach. Now left for the history books, this treacherous approach is a classic and probably the grand-daddy of dangerous air carrier approaches. The checkerboard was actually an Instrument Guidance System (IGS) approach, which as all instrument pilots have learned, is a variation of the typical ILS approach. As you may know, ILS approaches terminate at a runway centerline (plus or minus 30 degrees) and IGS approaches terminate off runway center leaving a pilot to pick up the threshold visually and then maneuver the airplane in for the rest of the landing approach. Boiled down, this approach consisted of an IGS approach that, under the planned conditions, would have the airplane pop out of the clouds and spot this checkerboard patterned box (hence the name “checkerboard approach”) on a hillside. At this point, pilots would then look right and spot the runway about 40 degrees off the nose of the airplane. Then it was time for the famous steep turn. Crank and bank over to line up with a runway about a mile ahead of you. Not easy to do in a heavy Boeing 747. All of this is happening as the flight crew would configure the aircraft for landing. Flaps, gear checked, and speed control was all handled during this last phase of the landing approach. Finally, the airplane touched down on the runway…provided everything worked out to plan. Things didn’t always work out, however, and there have been many an airplane crash into the airport property or into Victoria Harbor’s cold waters.
-------------------- ----------- -----------------
Pretty amazing, I would say. Well, yesterday, Clive Pearce sent me an e-mail consisting of some "Checkerboard Approach" photos, and commentary provided by a pilot who flew into Kai Tak for many, many years. The photos are stunning, and the commentary is quite humorous at times. Here is the e-mail.
To: "otterflogger"
Subject: FLYING INTO OLD HONG KONG
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 23:35:32 -0500
Hi Steve,
My Brother forwarded me these, and you may enjoy these pictures of less than easy landings before they improved the Airport....
Clive
-----------
THE OLD HONG KONG AIRPORT
Hello Folks...
Got these photos from a fellow retired Captain friend, reminding me of the days when we used to fly this approach in Pan Am's Boeing 707's, way back in 1967 thru 1970...when I was based out of San Francisco.
For those of us who've had the "privilege" of landing at the Old Hong Kong Airport..."fond memories" ? Had it's own built in "pucker factor" didn't it ? Even when the weather was good...which was never...!! We were definitely sitting up straight and paying attention...!!
Couldn't resist adding some of my own comments to his...!!!
Normally, at the bottom of an ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach you are looking for a runway...This was long before we could trust the autopilot for an "Auto-Approach" hook up, so you always hand flew it.
This ILS approach guides you right to the top of a hill, not the runway. If you did a good job flying the ILS all the way to "minimums" you got to see that checkerboard panel in photo #3. If you dropped below minimums in bad weather, you got to die right on the tippy top of the mountain...!!
The drill was to fly to minimums, (the Checkerboard on the hilltop) and then crank it over into a hard right turn and dive for the runway. There was usually a cross wind, which explains some of the other pictures. It was pretty easy to drag a wing tip, or an outboard engine. Some of the lucky ones got both outboard engines, the first at impact (photo # 8) and the second trying to recover from the first engine strike (photo #9). And you couldn't cheat by going below glide slope or turning in early because of all the tall buildings downtown.
And if the approach wasn't enough fun, note that the runway is short. More than one went off the end, or the side, and into the bay.
Missed approach? See those hills ? Yep, another hard right turn and "climb, climb, climb" !
The weather was usually not clear. Clouds were the norm, with fog or mist, and sometimes heavy rain. It's tropical there. There was an approach to the other end of that single runway. It wasn't much better. More hills and the "Missed Approach" was a hard left turn to avoid hitting the tall buildings and "The Checkerboard Mountain"...!
Yeah, just another day at the Office.
The new airport is almost easy. There are still the hills all around the bay, but at least the ILS takes you to pavement. And you don't have to look up at the people in the higher floors. You don't really appreciate flying in the U.S. until you have flown out of it. Washington National is a piece of cake by comparison. Did I mention what braking was like on a rainy day on that short runway? Or the huge puddles that formed because the airport was sinking, and no one would spend any money because they were building the new airport?
Photos # 1 and # 2 were taken from the high-rise balconies . ( I never quite had time to take a look back photo from the cockpit here. ).....Sort of like driving thru midtown Manhattan to Times Square...!!!
No autopilot stuff here...hand fly that sucker, and don't screw up...!!! The prayer : "Lord, if I'm to die...please don't let it be "Pilot Error"!
At ILS "Minimums"...you break out of the clouds at the top of a hill..! ! ! First one to see it calls "Checkerboard in sight"...! !
Now...hard right turn and dive ! ! !...and don't mess around, or you simply won't make it...! ! Is that a short runway or what...! !
Woe to you if you're too high...!!!
Strong cross winds were common...so you had to "crab" all the way to the runway...!!!
Sometimes the cross-winds were stronger than others...
Overshoot, and you're in the drink...kick it out of the crab too soon, and you're blown back off the runway...wait too late and "crunch"...# 4 engine..!!!
Over-react on the crab correction, and "crunch" # 1 engine...!!!
Don't "float" or try to make a smooth landing...just put it on...!!! "Firm" landings help dissipate energy, and help you stop...!!!
Drop too low, and you'll drag your wheels thru the high rises...!!!
Some days you earned your pay more than others!!! Back then I could not imagine doing anything else for a living...for thirty-four years...!!! Viet Nam did help put it all in perspective though...and made this seem easy... At least nobody was shooting at you from these high-rise buildings...! !
Ah...yes, we were all so young then... and fearless..! ! And the older we got the more cautious we became...!!! And where has the time gone..? I remember thinking...
"Wow, ten more years to retirement...and now it's been six years since retirement..."! !
Back then...my goal was to retire without scratching an airplane...!
Today...I'm happy not to scratch my car turning into my own driveway...! !
The older I get, the better I used to be!
Cheers,
Harmon
--------------------------------------------------
Yes, quite an amazing approach to be doing in any aircraft, let alone a 747! Months ago I published a post entitled
Steve's Video Of The Day: Bush-Flying the Boeing 747!!, which is actually a video of an approach into Kai Tak. Click on the post title to watch it again, it is amazing! Till next time,..........."Adios"........!
Thanks for the e-mail, Clive!
