Update · Flying & Procedures
The checkerboard turn now starts at 650 ft, 2 NM out
A wider, higher right turn that matches how Kai Tak's IGS 13 approach was flown, plus an aviation-orange checkerboard.
The checkerboard turn now matches how it was flown in 1998. You enter the right turn earlier and higher, about 2 NM from touchdown at roughly 650 ft, and roll out on runway heading at roughly 140 ft. The turn is wider and lasts about half a minute instead of fifteen seconds.
What changed
- Turn entry: about 3.3 km before the threshold at about 650 ft (was about 1.8 km and 380 ft).
- Roll-out: about 470 m before the threshold at about 150 ft, close to the 140 ft pilots describe.
- Turn radius: 3.5 km (was 1.5 km), so the 47° right turn takes about 35 seconds at approach speed with a gentler bank.
- IGS course: the 088 course now crosses the runway centreline about 2 km out, so the inbound line runs a little south of the checkerboard, as on period approach diagrams.
- The checkerboard is now aviation orange and white, as painted on the hill at Kowloon Tsai, instead of red and white. The mast beside it matches.
- Runway 31 go-around: the tower now adds the missed approach turn, left heading 255 toward Stonecutters.
Flying it
The "Checkerboard ahead, start the right turn" prompt, the approach guide hoops, the tower handoff and the autopilot all follow the new path. Start the turn when the prompt appears and keep the descent going through it.
What did not change
- The 3.1° glidepath and the 3,100 ft start over Tsing Yi.
- The autopilot still lands in every weather preset on both runways, and flying with no input still ends in a crash.
格仔山轉彎而家同 1998 年真實飛法一樣。你會早啲、高啲開始右轉，大約離着陸點 2 海里、約 650 呎，然後喺約 140 呎對正跑道。轉彎闊咗，由十五秒變成大約半分鐘。
改咗咩
- 開始轉彎：跑道頭前大約 3.3 公里、約 650 呎（之前係約 1.8 公里、380 呎）。
- 對正跑道：跑道頭前大約 470 米、約 150 呎，貼近機師講嘅 140 呎。
- 轉彎半徑：3.5 公里（之前 1.5 公里），以進場速度轉 47° 右彎大約要 35 秒，傾側冇咁急。
- IGS 航道：088 航道而家喺大約 2 公里外同跑道中線相交，所以進場線喺格仔山稍為南邊經過，同當年進場圖一樣。
- 格仔山而家係航空橙色同白色，同九龍仔山上油嘅一樣，唔再係紅白。旁邊支桅杆都改埋。
- 31 號跑道復飛：塔台而家會加埋復飛轉向：左轉航向 255，飛向昂船洲。
點樣飛
「Checkerboard ahead, start the right turn」提示、進場指引圈、塔台交接同自動駕駛全部跟新路線。提示一出就開始轉，轉彎期間繼續下降。
冇改嘅嘢
- 3.1° 滑翔道，同喺青衣上空 3,100 呎開始。
- 兩條跑道喺所有天氣下自動駕駛照樣識降落，完全唔操作照樣會墜機。
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