We've all seen the photos. The 747 on airliners.net striking their engines or seriously crabbing to try and make the IGS landing at Hong Kong old (and now closed) Kai Tak airport. [Editor's note: if you're not familiar with what was once the world's most famously difficult approach, then read our how to about how to fly it correctly using your flight simulator.] To many flight simulator enthusiasts, bringing your 747-400 or other heavy aircraft into this airport in poor conditions may be the ultimate thrill!

However, there is another airport in flight simulator that is, as I found out today, just as challenging!

Picture this in your head. You are on approach, and ATC clears you to descend to 10,000 feet. During your descent you look at your approach chart, and see the field has one runway, 6000 feet long. There is a big rock jutting out to 1100 feet on one side of the runway, but other than that, there isn't any other really hazardous terrain around. Sounds like a cakewalk right?

You level off at 10,000 feet and await further descent instructions. It's a beautiful day and you are caught up enjoying the scenery passing below you. As you leave the coast, the controller gives you further instructions to descend down to 2000 feet. You dial it in and begin heading down.

Again, the view is stunning. You can see the coast of northern Africa ahead of you. The giant boulder that you briefed about during your descent is now on your right, clearly in sight. Once you've passed the rock, the controller turns you 90 degrees to the right and clears you down to 1500 feet. You are flying over a bay at this point, on a base leg for the visual approach to runway 09. You are cleared for the visual approach.

This is where it gets interesting. Remember that rock? It obstructs your view of the airport so you can't see the runway, and it creates some of the worst turbulence for any approach in the world. To add to the fun, you are surrounded by all sorts of no-fly zones. And just when you think it couldn't get worse...the only highway in the town with a population of about 1000 people crosses the middle of the runway!

Once you have a visual of the runway, you have less than 3 miles to turn 90 degrees onto final approach, line up and land.

Missed approach? What's that? If the weather is below minimums, you will have to fly all the way to the northern coast of Africa, usually Morocco, as the country neighboring this airport won't let you land at any of its airports.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome to Gibraltar! A British colony located on the southern tip of Spain, Gibraltar is the ultimate. There are sharp 90 degree turns, no over fly rights across Spanish territory, serious turbulence, a short runway that doubles as a highway, and let's not forget about the rock of Gibraltar!

The town of Gibraltar is a mile square. The airport takes up 84% of the entire city's geographical mass. There are actually more baboons in this town than there are people, as the rock of Gibraltar is famous for them. Due to trade embargos with the Spanish, everything in this colony is flown in from the United Kingdom, right down to the drinking water.

If you are thinking of trying this flight, keep in mind that most airlines in real life will only allow their most seasoned veterans to fly this flight as it really separates the men from the boys. This airport is also only certified for aircraft smaller than a very lightly loaded 757.

Pilots spend quite a bit of time practicing this approach in the simulator, and their training helps, but the sense of exhilaration and delight when they feel the mains touch down on the marks here is second to none. Once you've done it you will agree with me. Kai Tak was a cakewalk!

Jason Rivard
jason.rivard@gmail.com