Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Airport lives again in Flight Simulator with this free scenery addon

Closed since 1998, Kai Tak Airport remains as a memory of one of the most famous and difficult landings in the world. It’s impossible not to feel a certain admiration for the pilots who guided massive jumbo jets across the infamous “checkerboard” approach, for a tight 47º turn between Hong Kong’s high rise buildings into a short runway surrounded by water. Certainly one of the most consistently amazing feats in the history of aviation!

Sadly, however, Kai Tak is no more. The airport is being replaced by a new cityscape made for people and commerce, not planes. And that means the airport no longer exists in Flight Simulator, replaced by the much bigger, more modern and safer Chek Lap Kok International Airport. And that’s a shame, because everyone loves a great challenge!

We have good news, however. Thanks to the dedicated work of an independent creator, ali501, you can install today a free version of the beloved Kai Tak airport, and fly there in Microsoft Flight Simulator. You can finally recreate that unsettling experience of landing in Kai Tak, and prove your worth among the most capable pilots from that golden era of aviation.

This is a freeware add-on comes with a caveat though, which the developer wasn’t able to fix yet: there’s the possibility of finding unwanted ground traffic, vehicles and lights in the airport. However, the developer promises to fix this once he’s found a way.

Overall, this is a great addition to your addon library if not just for the unique challenge that it poses, and the feeling of accomplishment when that 747 gently touches the runway and you come to a stop. And, being free, we couldn’t ask for more!