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Hong Kong's Kai Tak approach was famous for its unique approach, including the "checkerboard" and its low altitude when passing over Kownloon. The latter has been memorialized in innumerable photos and film clips.

At what altitude did landing aircraft typically pass over the city on this approach?

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    $\begingroup$ This looks like a question for @Terry $\endgroup$
    – Pondlife
    Feb 16, 2020 at 23:16

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As the wikipedia article for Kai Tak, Runway 13 approach states:

Typically the plane would enter the final right turn at a height of about 650 feet (200 m) and exit it at a height of 140 feet (43 m) to line up with the runway.

Given that some of those buildings underneath the flightpath were 6-storey and therefore ~60-70ft tall, the aircraft were less than 100ft above the highest rooftops. (This I can personally vouch for, since my sister did for a while live in one of those 6-storey apartment buildings and I have stood on the rooftop watching the planes pass over!)

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