I assume that the vertical red and white tower above the Chequerboard is the glideslope antenna. Where was the localizer antenna?
I flew into Kai Tak many times during the 80s and 90s and always tried to get a right-side window seat to watch the 13 approach. I never got tired of it. In early 1998, I was travelling to Hong Kong from Tokyo on a CX 777 and I realized that this would be my last flight into Kai Tak. So after flashing my business card and PPL, I was invited to the flight deck by a very pleasant Captain.
The approach was even more spectacular from the cockpit. I'm glad I got the opportunity to see it.
A little bit of thread drift. The Captain and First Officer were both Brits and I immediately detected an excellent relationship and minimal "power distance". The Captain was the handling pilot and so the FO gave me the safety briefing, including : "In case Pete here, stuffs it up and we end up in the harbour, your life jacket is under your seat."
After landing, we were taxying to the terminal, watching the next arrival, a 747, come round the corner and make a spectacular bounce on landing. The Captain said "Another fine arrival by China Airlines" and the FO turned around and said to me "You know you really have to work at it to bounce a 747!"
