Hello, thanks for listening to the witness history podcast from the BBC World Service with

Medial Curzley. I'm taking you back to 1998, and the last flight out of Hong Kong International

Airport, known as Kaitaq. The runway is situated in the middle of Victoria

Harbour, surrounded by mountains on three sides. Pilots have to make a hair-raising descent

through the skyscrapers of Kaolun, making it world-renowned.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Sharman, bookable ball and off-flight

251 to London Heathrow. As you may be aware, this is the last commercial flight as a Kaitaq

which would be closing immediately after we get airborne. So we're all in this historic

day together. That's Captain Kim Sharman, we're calling what he said at the start of

Cathay Pacific Flight 251 on July the 6th, 1998, whilst piloting the last commercial flight

to leave Kaitaq before the airport closed down. The airport, named after two Chinese

businessmen, Mr Kai, and Mr Tak, was world-famous for the thrilling landing that became known

as the Kaitaq Heart Attack. Here it's described in the BBC television programme The Air Show.

This is one of the most dramatic and spectacular landings in the world for passengers and pilots

alike. Just seconds before touchdown, the aircraft makes a 47 degree turn onto the final

runway heading. At that moment, the passengers have an alarmingly close view over the rooftops

and the wingtip seems teasingly close to the network of washing lines. Yes, aviation

lovers of the world, you already know that this is Kaitaq International Airport, Hong Kong.

Kim estimates that he flew into Kaitaq about four times a month for 23 years. That's more than

a thousand landings. It was a monumental piece of engineering. Some four sevens swooping over

the streets. They look very, very low, but it was all legal. It was unique. I've been

wrecking my brain trying to think of another airport with those degree of difficulties and

...