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We crossed the southern tip of Malaysia,
entered the South China Sea, passed well east of the Red Chinese Island of
Hainan and, after 3:24 hours in the air, arrived at Hong Kong.
Since
this was the 6th most dangerous airport in the world, dear reader, I can
personally guarantee the approach was quite interesting...if not downright
challenging.
Hong Kong Kai Tak International operated from 1925 to 1998, and was situated in a densely-populated mountainous basin of the British colony, on the west side of the Kowloon Peninsula, across Victoria Harbor from Hong Kong Island. Its single, land-filled runway was 10,900 feet long running southeast to northwest, and surrounded by Victoria Harbor on three sides, with mountains to the north. As the prevailing wind came from the south, Runway One Three was preferred (130°/310° magnetic, SE/NW).
Hong Kong (香港; "Fragrant
Harbor") possesses an extreme, densely-populated, vertical population;
ergo its single runway was congested and over–worked.
Adding to this problem was the approach to
Runway One Three using an IGS (Instrument Guidance System). This was an offset Localizer and Glide Slope
that guided aircraft to the top of a 390-foot hill, bearing two large, checker
board billboards, in “aviation orange“ and white, painted on Tiger Rock (Lok Fu).
Upon descending to the Decision Height of 660 feet AGL (Above Ground Level)
- pilots were required to crank their aircraft into a wild-ass right turn -
abruptly changing heading 47° - or else they‘d hit “Checker Board Hill!“ Pilots referred to this maneuver as the “Hong
Kong Turn,“ or “Checker Board Turn.“
Passenger’s called it the “Kai Tak Heart Attack!“
Every
time I had an occasion to steal a glimpse of these checker boards, dear reader,
I could almost hear them screaming: “TURN, DUMMY! TURN!“
If a pilot timed everything just right, when
the turn was completed, the aircraft was lined up for Runway One Three at
barely 140 feet AGL; while descending across a forest of congested, high-rise,
slum apartment buildings. Many
passengers swore they could actually see flickering TV screens in the dingy
apartments!
Typical Hong Kong High-Rise Slum.
Oh
yes, dear reader, this was far too low for a 747, with four, screaming fan-jet
engines, to pass over such densely, sardine-packed humanity. Those poor Chinese down there must have been
stone deaf to put up with this, on average, every 15 to 20 minutes during hours of peak operation.
The secret to successfully accomplishing
this challenging approach at Kai Tak was this: Never, NEVER fixate on one item.
Upon approaching the IGS Decision Height
of 660 feet AGL – get off the instruments you’ve been glued to – that were locking
the 747 on the Localizer and Glide Slope.
Get your eyes outside for the visual cues: The giant checker boards on the hill in front
of your nose, and the curving, flashing strobe lights leading to the runway’s
centerline. At Decision Height immediately
roll that big turkey into a right bank – following the strobes – while
continuing the descent and maintaining good speed control. It’s like flying a helicopter approach: EVERYTHING HAPPENS AT ONCE!
And
here, dear reader, is where I noticed an interesting anomaly regarding Chinese Captains,
when shooting approaches during the ensuing five years at Kai Tak. They possessed tunnel vision; coupled with
stubbornly ignoring reality to save face.
When the majority of Chinese Captains
reached Decision Height they’d freeze; it was difficult for them to get off the
instruments and get their eyeballs outside looking for the visual cues. Which caused them to start the turn late and
not continue the descent; ending up too high and not lined up with the
runway. To correct for this the Chinese Captains
would execute a series of violent Dutch rolls; back and forth, back and forth,
back and forth...all the way to the ground.
Eventually touching down way beyond the displaced threshold; leaving minimal
runway to get stopped in!
Kai Tak had a PAPI (Precision Approach
Path Indicator). This is a series of
four red and white lights – in a horizontal string on both sides of the runway
– that indicate the proper Glide Path.
When they are all WHITE – they’re screaming: “Hey, Dummy! You’re way the
hell above the correct Glide Path!“
I attempted to point this out to a Chinese
Captain one time. The conversation went exactly
like this:
Me: “You’re above the Glide Path!“
Capt: “On Glide Path...on Glide Path!“
Me:
“No, Captain. You’re above the
Glide Path!“
Capt:
“On Glide Path...on Glide Path!“
And so it went all the way to touch
down. I made certain to voice my
observation loud and clear – getting it on the cockpit voice recorder for the
investigation after the crash –in case we ended up in Victoria Harbor.
Which
incidentally, dear reader, happened to a China Airlines‘ 747, Flight 605, in
1993. I could have taken the 747 away
from this block head and execute a missed approach – which would have gotten me
fired. His word against mine – allowing
him to remain as captain – putting more lives at risk. I elected to sit tight – brace myself – and
ride it out. If we did end up in the
harbor, at least he’d get fired also – never to command a 747 again.
Upon landing
and stomping on the brakes - using full reverse thrust below 80 knots – miraculously
he barely managed to get stopped short of tumbling into the harbor.
And now we come to my favorite, dear reader: Dragging engines on the runway. Whenever I mention this phenomena at Kai Tak to non-flying individuals, they look at me as if I need a straitjacket. That is until I drag out photographic proof with sparks galore: CAL (China Airlines) 747 dragging engine number four. NCA (Nippon Cargo Airlines) dragging engine number one. This is the result of performing descending Dutch rolls, all the way to touch down, in a vain attempt to line up with the runway.
SIA took delivery of their first Boeing
747-412 on 18th March 1989; causing the local Singaporean Pilot’s Union to
demand that only “locals“ fly the new “400s.“
Expats were barred. SIA
reluctantly complied. However, after
dragging some 16 engines on the runway at Kai Tak, SIA blocked all 747-412
flights to Hong Kong. Restricting 747-212s
and 747-312s (operated by expats) to continue serving Kai Tak exclusively.
I
swear, dear reader, one Chinese Captain even did a “twofer“ – after dragging
engine number one – he then rolled the other way and dragged engine number
four! Keep in mind once an engine is
dragged on a runway it requires an automatic engine change. Costing the company “bazillions“ of Singapore
Dollars.
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