September 13, 2004
Wheeeeee!!!!

Joshua gets a swoopy no-prize for bringing us a video example of just how maneuverable a passenger jet can be.

I'm almost certain this is a shot from the old Hong Kong airport, which was world-famous for its loony "a**holes and elbows" approaches. Unregulated (and therefore spectacularly successful) development resulted in what was literally an approach corridor, surrounded by tall buildings which had to be slalomed through to reach the runway. There are several films and music videos that feature shots of a 747 flying below the rooftops of buildings... they're shot under the approach vectors of that airport.

Fortunately for everyone flying into Hong Kong, the old airport was closed down about a decade ago, and the new one has nice calm approaches over the harbor itself. But there never was anything quite like watching an old lady shake her fist at a passing 747 because it had blown her laundry off the roof on its way in.

Posted by scott at September 13, 2004 07:10 PM

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holy shit batman - i've been on planes that have landed a bit cockeyed before - but they always landed straight. That engine was maybe 10' from touching the ground - and if it does, it's all over...

Posted by: ron on September 13, 2004 07:58 PM
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