Kai tak airport history books

Kai tak airport, which served as the international airport for hong kong from 1925 until 1998, was perhaps most famous for its insanely close aircraft approaches and hairraising takeoffs and landings. The kai tak airport, located at kowloon city district, was the first civil airport in hong kong. The kowloon walled city was a singular hong kong phenomenon. From the wikipedia page on kai tak the new airport officially opened on 6 july 1998. Entitled memories of kai tak 19251998, the piece comprises a display of more than 30 photos and other materials related to the former kai tak airport. Hong kong airport, a citys symbol of pride, is now its hub. Help us make this site better and send us your feedback or share your images, information. Kai tak redevelopment master plan by tejido group studio. There had only been a few cases of plane crashes, typically overshooting the runway and fell into the water. It was designed by cliff dunnaway, author of two books. The fact is, ho kai died in 1914 and au tak in 1920, and they had nothing to do with the construction of the airport.

It was officially known as hong kong international airport from 1954 to 6 july 1998, when it was closed and replaced by the new hong kong international airport at chek lap kok, 30 kilometres 19 mi to the west. How would kai tak airport in kowloon, hong kong be today if. The year 1924 was a critical point of aviation history of hong kong, when the story of kai. Vhhx was the international airport of hong kong from 1925.

The single runway of kai tak airport was extremely close to the skyscrapers and mountains of hong kong. Pilot and photographer daryl chapman remembers the glory days and shares a few of the scariest moments. As scary or difficult or dangerous as kai tak airport was, i believe there had been no plane crash into the residential buildings along the flight path over the years thank goodness. Legend under the sky from kai tak to chek lap kok box set. Its fascinating history has been documented through photography ever since from its rapid expansion as a crown colony to its handover to china in 1997 and its present status as one of the worlds leading international financial centres. It was designed by cliff dunnaway, author of two books about hong kongs aviation history.

We shared the airspace with 707s convair 880s and 990s super dc8s and caravelles all of which were operated into and out of. Once the third busiest airport of the world, the kai tak international airport was the international airport of hong kong from 1925 until jul. Officially known as hong kong international airport from 1954 to 6 july 1998, it is often referred to as hong kong international airport, kai tak, or simply kai tak and kai tak international airport, to distinguish it from its successor, which is often referred to as chek lap kok. Japanese extension of kai tak aerodrome, baag reports, 1942. In the summer of 20, the tejido group from the university of arizona capla assembled a group of volunteer students from both schools of architecture and landscape architecture to develop an urban redevelopment master plan for the former international airport of hong kong kai tak in east kowloon harbor. Au tak, who were involved in a company formed to reclaim land in kowloon bay in 1912 for a residential housing scheme. When it closed on july 6, 1998, after seven turbulent decades, kai tak airport was a civic treasure and icon of hong kong. All essential airport supplies and vehicles that were left in the old airport for operation some of the nonessential ones had already been transported to the new airport were transported to chek lap kok in one early morning with a single massive move. Kai tak airport served as hong kongs international airport from 1925 until 1998. The airport, which stretches across chek lap kok island, opened in 1998 to replace kai tak airport, which had been the citys main entry for international flights since 1925. Historical images of kai tak airport wikimedia commons. Dr hokai and mr au tak started an illfated building scheme. A history of aviation in hong kong peter pigott on. Help us make this site better and send us your feedback or share your images, information or contribute to stories about your favorite airport.

It is among the last remnants of hong kongs old airport kai tak, which closed on july 6, 1998. The airport was known for its spectacular location with the. Kai tak airport world cities view map airplane view hong kong street view history city pictures 1950s raf kai tak,kowloon,hong kong. Heralded as the sixth most dangerous in the world, kai tak served as hong kongs airport from 1925 until 1998. A cathay pacific flight comes into land in hong kongs kai tak airport, june, 27, 1998. See more ideas about kai tak airport, hong kong, hong kong international airport. The author of five chineselanguage books on hong kong aviation, he is the former airports unofficial chronicler, an unimpeachable source of. Klm built a special maintenance hangar, hangar 11, for the maintenance of boeing 747s and dc10s. The airport was in operation from 1920s to 6 july 1998.

Initially a simple grassstrip airfield, a concrete slipway was added in 1928. We shared the airspace with 707s convair 880s and 990s super dc8s and caravelles all of which were operated into and out of hong kong at that time. It is a jewel, said nicholas brooke, chairman of hong kongbased professional property services. The harrowing runway of hong kongs old kai tak airport.

In 1954, a master plan for development of the kai tak airport, which included land reclamation, construction of a new runway and a passenger terminal, was approved by the government. The plan calls for a multipurpose sports complex, a metro park, the kai tak cruise terminal, a hotel, a housing estate, and commercial and entertainment construction project. The aviation began on this unique piece of land with a flying school and a british military flying unit. Hong kong kai tak airport 1925 1998 bbc video hong. Its been nearly 20 years since hong kongs kai tak international airport. Apr 25, 2017 the harrowing runway of hong kongs old kai tak airport. The defunct kai tak airport sits right in hong kongs victoria harbour and is estimated to be worth up to 40 billion dollars the equivalent, experts say, of around 30 of the worlds tallest skyscrapers. Vhhx was the international airport of hong kong from 1925 until 1998. Kai tak alone cannot handle the ever increasing traffic flow, it was at its limits in the 1990s an. The kai tak development, abbreviated as ktd and formerly called south east kowloon development, refers to the redevelopment of the former kai tak airport site in kai tak, kowloon, hong kong. Remembering hairraising landings at hong kongs kai tak airport. Jul 21, 2017 a cathay pacific flight comes into land in hong kongs kai tak airport, june, 27, 1998. Vhhh was the international airport of hong kong from 1925 until 1998. Kai tak, hong kongs old airport, reopens as a cruise ship.

Hong kong kai tak in the 1960s a visual history of. Both shapes depict walls of the kowloon walled city. Kai tak was one of the last major airports in the world where you really. Kai tak airport 1925 to 1945, a brief history october 15, 2017 hugh farmer articles, transport hugh farmer. Au tak 18401920 was the proprietor of a furniture shop named chiu loong tai, situated on chiu loong street in the central district. It opened as raf kai tak in 1927 and a concrete slipway was added in 1928.

Kai taks first runway was a grass strip and the first tarmac, an eastwest runway, was 457 metres long in 1939. I believe the first site of the kai tak airport is the northeastern part of the 1998 kai tak airport, i. The extension also introduced the concept of nosein parking at schiphol airport. The station includes an artwork within the adit leading to exit a. The adjacent land was given to the hk government which built and named the airport after them. In 1996, the kai tak airport reached an important milestone when it handled 29.

A personal documentary about the history and closing of kai tak airport hong kong. Closure of kai tak airport and the transfer to chek lap kok. Sulphur channel from the new volume 3 of gwulos books. Although kai tak airport has been closed for almost ten years, the area is. Aug, 2019 the airport, which stretches across chek lap kok island, opened in 1998 to replace kai tak airport, which had been the citys main entry for international flights since 1925. Dec 03, 2014 the airport was designed to handle 24 million passengers per year but, by 1996, kai tak was handling 29. Six hours after the pearl harbor attack, at kai tak airport, hong kong, december 8, 1941. Mar 24, 20 it is among the last remnants of hong kongs old airport kai tak, which closed on july 6, 1998. There are not many 1950s photos around showing the landing and takeoff of aircraft prior to the reclaimed runway at kai tak. With a runway that started at the edge of kowloon city and extended out to sea, planes literally flew between highrise buildings at an altitude. By the 90s, booming hong kong was outgrowing kai taks limited capacity.

Oct 01, 2016 hong kong was first captured on camera when the british arrived to lay claim to its fragrant harbour in 1841. As hong kong expanded really quickly in the postwar years, so too did the airport. The opportunity to experience the live spectacle of kai tak ended forever in 1998 when the runway lights were extinguished and the airport was relegated to the history books forever. I believe the first site of the kai tak airport is the northeastern part of the 1998 kai tak airport. The history channel program most extreme airports ranked it as the 6th most dangerous. All that remains of kai tak airport 20 years later are vivid memories, thrilling anecdotes and. The airport was designed to handle 24 million passengers per year but, by 1996, kai tak was handling 29. Kai tak started as a rural airstrip, then became more like a real airport during the japanese occupation of wwii. Kai tak was named after two businessmen, sir kai ho kai and his soninlaw mr. Dr ho kai and mr au tak started an illfated building scheme. History a brief visual history of hong kongs old airport, kai tak 52.

Immediately south of the walled city there was a densely populated street kowloon street that led to a pier lung chun pier. Finally heres the section from the book the life and times of sir kai ho kai see pg. Its been 20 years since hong kongs kai tak airport closed. Seaplanes began using victoria harbour in mar 1911. Security controls on the carriage of liquids, aerosols and gels lags in hand baggage by departing passengers are now in force at hong kong international airport. Civil aviation department kai tak airport 19251998.

Sep 17, 2010 a personal documentary about the history and closing of kai tak airport hong kong. There are not many 1950s photos around showing the landing and takeoff of aircraft prior to. Hong kong it was perhaps the most spectacular flight approach in the world. What was it like to land a plane at kai tak airport. Jul 27, 2017 kai tak airport, which served as the international airport for hong kong from 1925 until 1998, was perhaps most famous for its insanely close aircraft approaches and hairraising takeoffs and landings. The worlds second most difficult airport for pilots to land at. Ill assume you mean kai tak were to be kept in use after 1997, and were not to be shut down. Media in category historical images of kai tak airport the following 35 files are in this category, out of 35 total. Jul 01, 2018 the author of five chineselanguage books on hong kong aviation, he is the former airports unofficial chronicler, an unimpeachable source of kai tak facts and figures, and not surprisingly. Hong kong was first captured on camera when the british arrived to lay claim to its fragrant harbour in 1841.

The 1960s meets the 1970s in this classic early jet age image, taken in 1971. I only flew light aircraft into and out of kai tak in the late sixties. Jun 12, 20 hong kong it was perhaps the most spectacular flight approach in the world. Japanese extension of kai tak aerodrome, baag reports, 19421944 september 15, 2015 er articles, transport er has sent the following baag reports and sketches about japanese plans to expand kai tak airport during their occupation of hong kong, world war two. Kai tak airport was hong kongs official international airport from 1925 to 1998, well known for its proximity to the city and dramatic landings. After the airport relocated to chek lap kok in 1998, the hong kong government planned for urban development on the old airport site. Heralded as the sixth most dangerous in the world, kai tak served as. Please refer to hong kong international airport airport security guidelines for details. Many regionalhistory and anecdote books tell that kai tak airport was so named to commemorate ho kai and au tak, the alleged founders of the airport.