Hi Mark - No problem - I understand how it goes.
I've watched several different videos of some of the landings and it amazes me how nimble a 747 can be. I guess the classic is the Korean Air 747 that comes over the numbers at about a 30 - 45 degree crab - slams the rudder and straightens out just as the mains hit. I'd love a challenge like that.
Out of curiosity, did pilots have to have sim time on that approach before tackling it for real or did they just get thrown to the wolves.
I guess the other approach that gives me a kick to see is the St.Martens approach just over the beach. Talk about kicking sand in your face... 
Thanx,
Vic
> Hi Vic,
>
> I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to reply. I've had a busy month.
> I have indeed flown in there and it is one of the few airports where a
> visual approach is more difficult than the instrument approach.
> As you probably know, you approach on a base leg to the runway aiming at
> a big billboard. The problem is that the base leg must be flown so close
> into the airport that the final is very short. Compounding this is the
> fact that there is almost a right crosswind. As you are on a right base
> that right crosswind on final is a tailwind on base. This tends to make
> you overshoot the final which you must not do. Because of all the above
> the approach is often not too stablized which is pretty important in
> heavy jets. You are often rolling wings level on final at just a feww
> hundred feet, this in an aircraft with a 195 foot wingspan!
> All that being said though, the landing at Kai Tak was hotly fought over
> because it was such a challange. After all, that's why we became pilots
> wasn't it?
>
> Mark
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RE: Kai-Tak