Guest Contribution by Sebastiaan Menger
Published: 30 June 2024, Updated 07 July 2024
Over the years, legendary airports were constructed, flourished and sometimes also vanished. Though, an airport is more than its terminal, airside or runway apparent at first sight. More specifically, each airport features its dedicated airspace infrastructure. Sometimes, even with the respective airport closed down and its signs vanishing, part of the airspace infrastructure remains in use and thereby a remembrance of their past aviation glory.

​This guest contribution aims to shine some light on airports which closed in the past but live on through their airspace heritage. An exploration of both past and present, starring Hong Kong Kai Tak's airspace as a case study.
Boeing 747 Classic variant of local airline Cathay Pacific on turn to final approach of RWY 13, iconic for Hong Kong Kai Tak. Image courtesy of the AirportHistory.org collection.
Boeing 747 Classic variant of local airline Cathay Pacific on turn to final approach of RWY 13, iconic for Hong Kong Kai Tak. Image courtesy of the AirportHistory.org collection.

Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport: The Airport and Its Airspace

Without any doubt, Kai Tak will always be remembered for its challenging airspace approach path towards runway 13. This procedure led aircraft on their intermediate and final approach segments at dazzling height above rooftops over the former ‘British Dependent Territory’, offering spectacular sights from the city and the aircraft alike.

​From an airport perspective, Kai Tak was situated between the city to the west, considerable mountains to the north and the Victoria harbour to the south. In its final phase of operations (until 1998), the airport featured a 3,390 metres long RWY with orientation 13-31. Kai Tak was frequented by airlines in the Asian and Australian region as well as a very significant share of American and European airlines. Given the limited capacity of the Kai Tak infrastructure (in terms of apron and runway) and the high passenger demand for Hong Kong, many wide body aircraft were used to accommodate as many passengers per air traffic movement as possible.
Depiction of Kai Tak Airport runway, taxiway and apron infrastructure. Image courtesy of SAS Airlines Flight Support Department and Bertil Gullmar, September 1997. Edited by the author for clarity.
Depiction of Kai Tak Airport runway, taxiway and apron infrastructure. Image courtesy of SAS Airlines Flight Support Department and Bertil Gullmar, September 1997. Edited by the author for clarity.
In terms of the airspace, the aforementioned challenging approach segments towards runway 13 were part of the ‘instrument guidance system approach’ (IGS) in place for the respective runway. This procedure was a non-precision approach, defined by navaids (radio beacons) but also characterised by the visual cue of the famous checkerboard towards short final.
A Boeing 747 Classic variant of Korean Air Cargo executing the IGS approach towards RWY 13. The famous checkerboard for visual reference can be seen at the background. Image courtesy of the AirportHistory.org collection.
A Boeing 747 Classic variant of Korean Air Cargo executing the IGS approach towards RWY 13. The famous checkerboard for visual reference can be seen at the background. Image courtesy of Daryl Chapman Photography, 1995.

What Airspace Instrument Flight Procedures Exist?

Commercial air traffic operates under all-weather conditions. Arriving as well as departing traffic operating under these so called ‘instrument meteorological conditions’ adhere to ‘instrument flight procedures’ – routes invisible to the eye but essential to connect the airport to the global route network of airways.

For arrivals, aircraft leaving the cruise phase of a flight follow a ‘STAR’ (standard terminal arrival route), taking them from the enroute segment on an airway onto the direction of the airport. After the STAR, aircraft subsequently follow an ‘approach procedure’ leading them towards the runway in use.

​In the example below, the STAR route structure allows for traffic coming from the (south)west, south and east to route towards the initial approach fix (IAF) from which aircraft then fly an approach towards the runway.
Example of standard terminal arrival routes (STAR) leading traffic towards the airport of Kai Tak. Image courtesy of SAS Airlines Flight Support Department and Bertil Gullmar, September 1997. Edited by the author (changed colours for clarity).
Example of standard terminal arrival routes (STAR) leading traffic towards the airport of Kai Tak. Image courtesy of SAS Airlines Flight Support Department and Bertil Gullmar, September 1997. Edited by the author (changed colours for clarity).
For departures on the other end, aircraft follow a ‘standard instrument departure’ (SID) leading from the runway end towards a position where they can join a (lower) airway and transition towards the enroute or cruise phase of a flight.

​The respective route structure considers obstacle clearance over the mountains and ensures departure traffic from Kai Tak as well as arriving traffic towards Kai Tak are properly deconflicted through ‘procedural separation’, i.e. don’t interfere with each other.
Example of a standard instrument departure (SID) for aircraft departing Kai Tak. Image courtesy of SAS Airlines Flight Support Department and Bertil Gullmar, September 1997. Edited by the author (depiction of one SID only and updated colours for clarity).
Example of a standard instrument departure (SID) for aircraft departing Kai Tak. Image courtesy of SAS Airlines Flight Support Department and Bertil Gullmar, September 1997. Edited by the author (depiction of one SID only and updated colours for clarity).
​The aforementioned instrument flight procedures and airways can be defined through navaids, fixes or waypoints, which will depend on when the procedure was designed and the available technology of the time. To keep the scope of this article apprehensible, the focus for now will be on the first category -navaids- only.

What is a Navaid?

A navaid is a ground-based radio beacon transmitting a signal used by aircraft to determine their position relative to the navaid. From the 1930s onwards with the implementation of the first so-called ‘navaids’ to guide air traffic during low visibility, instrument flight procedures started to be in place as defined by navaids, with the aim to lead aircraft to and from the airport.

For commercial air traffic, a variety of navaid facility types exist:
  • NDB (non-directional radio beacon), a basic radio station to guide aircraft during enroute, arrival and departure phases of flight and in use since the 1930s.
  • VOR (VHF-frequency omnidirectional range station), a more accurate navaid consisting of multiple grouped (hence the ‘omnidirectional’ in the acronym) antennas to guide aircraft during enroute, arrival and departure phases of flight. This type of radio station has been deployed since the 1940s and '50s. When paired with so-called distance measuring equipment (DME), the navaid is referred to as a ‘VOR-DME’ and allows for even more accurate navigation.
  • ILS (instrument landing system), a navaid used to guide arriving aircraft towards a specific runway, composed of a ‘localiser’ and ‘glideslope’ radio station, in use from the 1940s onwards.
A beautiful impression from 1962 featuring Kai Tak's terminal, apron and runway. Image courtesy of the AirportHistory.org collection.
VOR-DME (left) and NDB (right) radio beacons. Navaid photographs are for explanatory purposes and do not depict the exact Hong Kong navaids. Respective photographs courtesy of Trevor Diamond, February and March 2003.

Hong Kong Kai Tak Navaids & Instrument Flight Procedures in the 1960s

A beautiful impression from 1962 featuring Kai Tak's terminal, apron and runway. Image courtesy of the AirportHistory.org collection.
(Click to enlarge) A beautiful impression from 1962 featuring Kai Tak's terminal, apron and runway. Image courtesy of the AirportHistory.org collection.
When we have a look into historic airspace charts depicting the navaids in place for Hong Kong Kai Tak runway 13-31, it becomes apparent that those are quite rare for the timeframe of the 1960s. As part of this article’s research, the first chart found in credible sources dates back to 1968.
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The respective chart is no instrument approach plate nor is it a plate for standard instrument departures, but more a depiction of the navaids in place for Kai Tak in 1967, published in a report in 1968 and depicted below.
Airspace chart depicting selected navaids in place for Kai Tak airport. Image courtesy of Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department - Accident Investigation Division, 1968.
(Click to enlarge) Airspace chart depicting selected navaids in place for Kai Tak airport. Image courtesy of Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department - Accident Investigation Division, 1968.
As becomes apparent from the aforementioned chart and commensurate with the common navaids at the time, we see many NDBs and some VORs. Typical examples marked on the chart include NDBs 'Stonecutters Island' with radio ident 'SC' (a 2-letter code to identify the navaid when tuning into its radio frequency), as well as NDB 'Kai Tak' (on airport side) and NDB 'Tathong Point'. Note that 'Tathong Point' does not only feature an NDB, but also a VOR station with the same designator (ident 'TH').

Furthermore, visual aids have been plotted, such as the famous ‘checkerboard’, furthermore some old-fashioned aeronautical ground lights and even a note reading ‘white-painted cliffs’ for visual reference during an arrival or departure procedure.

Note that a final approach track for RWY 31 has also been plotted in the respective chart, along with what at first sight appears to be an ILS marker beacon. However, when looking closer, it becomes apparent that no ILS (localiser) frequency is present. In fact, the listed frequency at the approach track is that of the aforementioned VOR. Hence, in the timeframe of the 1960s, an ILS navaid did not yet seem to be in place.

​Nowadays, the old NDB's are obviously no longer operational and have been decommissioned. Similar steps to phase out NDBs have been ongoing in many other parts of the world too. Furthermore, aforementioned VOR 'Tathong Point' is no longer in place either.
Tathong Point on Tung Lung Chau island, Hong Kong. Likely the location of the VOR-DME navaid ‘Tathong Point’. Image courtesy of Chung Kwong Lee, 2013.
Present navaid constellation of the Hong Kong airspace region. None of the NDBs as well as the VOR 'Tathong Point - TH' is in use nowadays (don't confuse VOR 'TH' with VOR 'TD' depicted on the chart). Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, February 2024.
Whether the aforementioned navaids have been taken out of operation exactly coinciding with the closure of Kai Tak airport itself remains unclear. With regard to VOR 'Tathong Point', photographs dating back to October 2013 have been retrieved, showing the respective location without the actual navaid, only the footprint remaining in place.
Tathong Point on Tung Lung Chau island, Hong Kong. Likely the location of the VOR-DME navaid ‘Tathong Point’. Image courtesy of Chung Kwong Lee, 2013.
Tathong Point on Tung Lung Chau island, Hong Kong. Image courtesy of Chung Kwong Lee, 2013.

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Hong Kong Kai Tak Navaids & Instrument Flight Procedures in the 1990s

During the course of history, the airspace situation at Kai Tak evolved and the next available chart stems from the year 1990. More specifically, when having a look at the ILS approach plate for runway 31, we see that an ILS navaid for RWY 31 as well as an additional VOR-DME navaid had been added.

Though it is clear that the ILS infrastructure is no longer in operation nowadays given its direct link to the RWY at closed Kai Tak, VOR-DME with designator ‘Cheung Chau’ and ident ‘CH’ requires some further research, as elaborated below.
Approach chart for the ILS approach into RWY 31. Image courtesy of Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department - Accident Investigation Division, 1990.
Approach chart for the ILS approach into RWY 31. Image courtesy of Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department - Accident Investigation Division, 1990.
To complement the collection of historic airspace charts available as part of this research and before moving on to the research with regard to its current status, we first also have a look at the last available approach plate for the famous IGS approach to runway 13. The respective chart stems from 1993, published in a report of 1995 and depicted below in cartographic and photographic form.
Approach chart for the IGS approach into RWY 13. Image courtesy of Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department - Accident Investigation Division, 1995.
Approach chart for the IGS approach into RWY 13. Image courtesy of Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department - Accident Investigation Division, 1995.
As a sidenote, the above chart also features an NDB navaid designated ‘Sha Lo Wan’ as part of the western extent of the procedure. Though nowadays also decommissioned, one anecdote worth mentioning relates to the designator of this NDB. Even though named after the local bay (or the pertaining village) where the radio beacon is situated, it nevertheless makes one wonder whether the assigned designator (when pronounced in English) was a sense of British humour to refer to an aircraft ‘shallow approach’? This will probably remain insider knowledge only known to the instrument flight procedure designers who were involved in planning the (previous) Hong Kong airspace.
Long-exposure photograph of aircraft operations at night towards and from Hong Kong Kai Tak. Image courtesy of the AirportHistory.org collection.
Long-exposure photograph of aircraft operations at night towards and from Hong Kong Kai Tak. Image courtesy of the AirportHistory.org collection.
With regard to the aforementioned VOR-DME featuring designator ‘Cheung Chau’, this navaid was in fact only decommissioned very recently. While Kai Tak was operational, it served as the initial approach fix for the the famous IGS approach towards RWY13. With Kai Tak closing, the navaid continued in place to define airways in the Hong Kong flight information region (FIR).

The respective VOR-DME remained in use for a significantly long time, only being decommissioned in November 2023, as apparent from (previous versions of) the Hong Kong Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP).
Cheung Chau in use nowadays for airway route definition. Image courtesy of Jeppesen, a Boeing Company and Navigraph, March 2024.
(Click to enlarge) Cheung Chau VOR-DME in use until November 2022 as VOR-DME (left) and until November 2023 as DME (right). Images courtesy of the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, 2019-2024.
One final navaid from Kai Tak times deserves some further research and attention. This concerns VOR-DME 'Tung Lung' with ident 'TD'. A 1998 Jeppesen airspace chart depicts the respective navaid during the days when Kai Tak was still operational. This navaid was added in addition to VOR-DME 'Tathong Point' introduced in the 1960s, the latter serving as a 'terminal' VOR, meaning short range radio signal coverage and serving for Kai Tak approach and departure procedures only. VOR-DME 'Tung Lung' on the other hand was positioned approx. 1.1 km to the northeast of the other radio beacon, specifically at higher altitude of the mountainous Tung Lung Chau island, to ensure long range radio signals reception for enroute traffic.
Cheung Chau in use nowadays for airway route definition. Image courtesy of Jeppesen, a Boeing Company and Navigraph, March 2024.
Tung Lung VOR-DME marked on a 1998 Jeppesen chart. Image courtesy of Gordon Ramsay and Jeppesen, 1998.
The aforementioned VOR-DME with designator 'Tung Lung' remains operational up to the day of today, truly keeping Kai Tak airspace heritage alive. Nowadays, this navaid is in use to define many SID, STAR and approach procedures for the new Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok airport.
Tathong Point on Tung Lung Chau island, Hong Kong. Likely the location of the VOR-DME navaid ‘Tathong Point’. Image courtesy of Chung Kwong Lee, 2013.
VOR-DME 'Tung Lung' (ident 'TD'), still operational in 2024. Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, February 2024. Edited by the author.
Apart from the navaids discussed in the previous sections, parts of the airspace layout from Kai Tak times are also present in other ways. The reason for this lays in the fact that many (previous) navaids have also been replaced by 'waypoints' used for satellite navigation instead of navigation by radio beacons. For example, this applies to (recently decommissioned) VOR-DME 'Cheung Chau', which actually has been replaced by waypoint 'BIGEX'. Even though the navaids are then no longer in place, at the same location a waypoint has been added to serve the Hong Kong airspace and define its new instrument flight procedures.

​Further Hong Kong Kai Tak and Chek Lap Kok Airspace Similarities

Apart from the discussed navaids from Kai Tak times, another aspect which continues to apply nowadays is the fact that the entire Hong Kong airspace (FIR) remains as confined as ever. It is fascinating and impressive how air traffic controllers (ATCOs) from the Hong Kong air navigation service provider (ANSP) safely handle such high traffic loads on the instrument flight procedures in such limited space.
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In this context, it is even more intriguing to see how some parts of this ‘invisible’ airspace infrastructure are directly and indirectly dating back to the days when Kai Tak was still serving the city of Hong Kong as its legendary gateway.
The new Chek Lap Kok airport serving Hong Kong as of 1998, replacing Kai Tak airport. Image courtesy of HKIA, Date unknown.
(Click to enlarge) The new Chek Lap Kok airport, seen here in an early 2000s aerial, has served Hong Kong as of 1998, replacing Kai Tak airport. Image courtesy of HKIA.

​Conclusion

The aim of this article was to shine some light on the airspace infrastructure which continues to serve air traffic even after the original airport closed down and vanished, in this case through a case study of legendary Hong Kong Kai Tak airport.

As became apparent from the covered research, traces of the airspace from the glorious days of Kai Tak aviation history remain in place up to the day of today. More precisely, VOR-DME 'Tung Lung' even serves many SID, STAR and approach procedures of the new Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok airport. Furthermore, waypoints to replace vanished navaids in a certain sense also keep Kai Tak heritage alive, given their location coinciding with the radio beacons of the past.
The new Chek Lap Kok airport serving Hong Kong as of 1998, replacing Kai Tak airport. Image courtesy of HKIA, Date unknown.
(Click to enlarge) ILS RWY 25L approach procedure for the new Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok airport, starting at the initial approach fix (IAF) defined by VOR-DME 'Tung Lung'. Image courtesy of Jeppesen, a Boeing Company and Navigraph, July 2024.

​Closing Remarks

If you like this article, let me know (contact details in section below - or via the comments function!) and it could be expanded. Topics still to be covered could be Kai Tak airspace fixes and waypoints in more detail (compared to the navaids of the present article), as well as airways stemming back to the Kai Tak days but still present and in use nowadays.
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Furthermore, articles about the airspace of other legendary airports such as Ecuador’s old Mariscal Sucre Quito airport, the old Jakarta Kemayoran airport in Indonesia or Oslo Fornebu in Norway, also feature interesting stories still to be told.
Kai Tak airport site after its closure - several impressions from 2019 - 2022 (Click to enlarge).
Impression 1 + 2: Old Kai Tak runway and aeronautical utility building. Image courtesy of Curro Cardenal and Manuel Alvarez Diestro, 2019.
Impression 3: Kai Tak site nowadays during repurposing process to become an urban part of Hong Kong. Image courtesy of South China Morning Post, 2022.

​About the Author

Sebastiaan Menger is an airspace capacity and configuration expert. Nicknamed “Mr Airspace” by his colleagues, he lives and breathes airspace, ranging from functional airspace planning, pertaining capacity as well as operational aspects like aircraft performance. He aims to publish the ‘Airspace Capacity Bible’, starting with band one of three by 2025. For questions, comments or feedback, he can be contacted via LinkedIn - https://de.linkedin.com/in/sebastiaanmenger

​Credits

The author would like to thank the following experts for their input, proofreading and guidance:
  • Marnix Groot, Leading airport expert and publisher of Momberger Airport Information
  • Ronald Lunstroo, Senior airport developer and sustainability ambassador
  • Magnar Nordal, Airline captain and instructor on the ATR 42 / 72 aircraft
  • Fay Cheung, Hong Kong Kai Tak expert
  • Gordon Ramsay, Hong Kong Kai Tak expert

​Image Credits

Credits to the authors of the images used in this research article have been provided per image above, however for reference a list with image credits has also been included below:
We hope you enjoyed this tribute to the airspace of Hong Kong Kai Tak! Be sure check out our Photo Special on Kai Tak Airport in the 1960s here.

Did you travel through Hong Kong Kai Tak in the past, or were involved in its airspace? Share your experience in the comments below!


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