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This page was last updated on 6th Dec '01
The SMA Boeing B737-400 'Pride of Polynesia'
Inspired by a recently contributed photograph of our noble SMA Chairman Graeme Drewery constructing an Avro Vulcan bomber in his cabin (as one does) some years ago, we take pride in launching a unique page of life above the water rather than in it. And yes, we've reopened Kai Tak. It's so much more fun than Chek Lap Kok ...
If you own Microsoft's Flight Simulator FS2000 or have, at the least, an interest in things airy, you should enjoy this page. From here you can download, as 'add-ons', not only the SMA's very own, fully operational Boeing B737-400, but also working representations of the entire Cathay Pacific past and present fleet, including aircraft that have been created specifically for this collection. These are Roy and Syd's CX-founding DC-3s 'Betsy' and 'Nikki', an Avro Anson, a DC-4 in two liveries, an early DC6-B, a Bristol Britannia, a brace of Electras, a pair of Convairs and Cathay's new Lear Jet; all painstakingly painted up by your web-brat (a keen virtual pilot with over 800 different aircraft in his hangar) to complete the portfolio.
Please note: all downloads are free. Thoughtful, the SMA.
All these planes are realistic, flyable virtual models of their real-life counterparts, utilising detailed, functioning panels and sound. Should you have no interest in flight simulation then this page is, in any case, a rare collection of all Cathay Pacific's historical aircraft types in one place. Sorry, the pictures are only the web-brat's FS2000 computer images, and in order to make pretty pictures some 'planes are way off the glide path for Kai Tak! See Cathay's own history section at www.cathaypacific.com for more information about the growth of the airline than we could ever detail here. Or better still, find a copy of Gavin Young's "Beyond Lion Rock" (Hutchinson, 1988). Now, see da 'steam chickens' ...
Douglas DC-3 'Betsy'Download here (47.1KB, betsy.zip) Shown here flying across wintry Chinese mountains to Hong Kong Original by John Kelley, Mike Vidal, Tom Gibson, reworked by Raúl A. Rodríguez, Claudio Pedrazzini. Repainted by Mark Beaumont
Avro Anson Mk.IDownload here (130KB, anson.zip) Courtesy of Ron Hill, visual model crafted by Nigel Nixon, repainted by Mark Beaumont (20/3/01)
Douglas DC-3 'Nikki'Download here (49.7KB, nikki.zip) Original by John Kelley, Mike Vidal, Tom Gibson, reworked by Raúl A. Rodríguez, Claudio Pedrazzini. Repainted by Mark Beaumont in the later DC-3 colours (updated 23/7/00)
PBY-5A CatalinaDownload here (179KB, pby5a.zip)
Visual model by
Harry Follas, flight dynamics by Brian Horsey
Douglas DC-4Download here (308KB, dc4.zip) Original by Harry Follas, painted by Mark Beaumont (updated 27/7/00)
Douglas DC-6BDownload here (374KB, dc6bs.zip) Original by Tom Gibson, Harry Follas. Early livery by
Mark Beaumont based on fuselage textures by Gerry McLaughlin (added 5/10/01)
Lockheed L-188 ElectraDownload here (186KB, l188old.zip, nightlit) Aircraft Kevin Trinkle, flight dynamics Sam Chin, selected textures Bill Schulz & Kevin Trinkle, painted by Mark Beaumont (updated 27/7/00)
Bristol BritanniaDownload here (56.4KB, brisbrit.zip) A chartered BOAC Britannia replaced the Electras during modifications. Original by Richard Osborne, retouched by Mark Beaumont (20/3/01)
Lockheed L-188 ElectraDownload here (184KB, l188.zip, nightlit) Aircraft Kevin Trinkle, flight dynamics Sam Chin, selected textures Bill Schulz & Kevin Trinkle, repainted by Mark Beaumont in the change of livery heralded by the Electras' return to the CX fleet (updated 27/7/00)
Douglas DC-4Download here (351KB, dc4green.zip) Original by Harry Follas, repainted in VR-HFF's later green livery by Mark Beaumont (updated 23/7/00)
Douglas DC-6BDownload here (367KB, dc6b.zip) Original by Tom Gibson, Harry Follas. Repainted by Gerry McLaughlin
Convair 880Download here (105KB, 880blue.zip) From an original by Eric Johnson, moving parts by Tony Madge, repainted in original livery by Mark Beaumont (added 8/4/01)
Convair 880Download here (105KB, 880green.zip) Credits as above, shown in the more familiar green colours (added 9/4/01)
Or alternatively, download David Cougar's repaint of Tom Furnivall's CV-880 model here (311KB, 880.zip)
Boeing B707-320 Go here to download this aircraft. This new version of a Cathay classic is magnificently modelled by the Historic Jetliners Group (linked 6/8/01)
Boeing B707-351BDownload here (902KB, b707.zip)
Livery Rafael Zimmermann on a model by Bill Alderson, Francesco Zoja
Lockheed L-1011-100 TriStarDownload here (213KB)
Aircraft by the Project Freeware Group. Also L-1011-500 by Mike Ellmer. A commercial version with working INS is available from Pilot's software.
Boeing B747-267BDownload here (203KB, cx7472.zip) Original by Christian Kanakis, reworked Thomas Kwong, flight model by Thomas Kwong with help from Hiro Kohtake. Painting by Thomas Kwong and Baard Inge Oestergaard (uploaded 1/10/01)
Boeing B747-236 FreighterDownload here (191KB, b747c.zip) Credits as above
Boeing B747-400Download here (174KB, b747old.zip) By Hefroxian Whomacuddy from a Sandro Bernadini original
Boeing B747-400 The very latest repaint of the B747-400 in "classic" colours is available from Project Open Sky. Aircraft designed by Mitsushi Yutaka & Hiroshi Igami, with flight dynamics by Johan C. Dees and paintwork by Yosuke Ube (introduced 22/5/01)
Boeing B747-267B '50th Anniversary'Download here (71.8KB, b7472.zip) Original by Craig Mosher, painted by Mark Christie
Boeing B747-267 'Hong Kong Spirit'Download here (51.8KB, hkspir97.zip) Designed by Kentaro Kaneko. Repainted by Kazuto Kotera.
Boeing B747-400Download here (243KB, b747new.zip) Design by Sandro Bernardini, painting by Stefan Schroeder.
Or choose Melfin Rafi's interpretation of the Boeing B747-400, repainted by Chang-Yeon Cho (645KB, p744cath.zip, uploaded 12/9/00)
Boeing B747-400Download here (1.81MB, os744cx.zip) Alternatively, this latest very sophisticated model is designed by Mitsushi Yutaka & Hiroshi Igami. Flight dynamics are by Johan C. Dees and paint by C. Vincent Cho (added 11/4/01). Or go to their Project Open Sky to download a new 'weathered' edition! What's more, Phoenix Simulation make a popular commercial version with full FMC.
Boeing B747-467 'Same Team, Same Dream'
This Project Open Sky aircraft is designed by Mitsushi Yutaka & Hiroshi Igami, with flight dynamics by Johan C. Dees, beautifully painted by Hirata Takamitsu with assistance from Simon Ng. It is linked for download here.
The International Aircraft Design Group produced a 'lighter' "Millennium" version which you can download here (962KB, cm747400.zip, uploaded 15/3/01)
Boeing B747-400 Freighter Download here (936KB, cp744.zip) With mulitiple cargo doors and cargo, handling equipment and personnel! Aircraft model by Jon Murchison, CX textures by Pierre Marchadier, freight textures by Jon Murchison (uploaded 1/10/01)
Boeing B777-200Download here (241KB, b7772.zip) Aircraft by Sandro Bernardini. Early "new" paintwork by Hiroshi Igami
Alternatively, download Camil Valiquette's version (362KB, 772cx_lt.zip)
Or seek out Shervin Ahooraei's livery on a B777-200 POSKY model.
Boeing B777-200 Download this latest version from Project Open Sky(linked here 1/10/01). Aircraft modelled by Mitsushi Yutaka & Hiroshi Igami, flight dynamics by Warren C. Daniel, painted by C. Vincent Cho. Phoenix Simulation offer a commercial 772 version with FMC.
Boeing B777-300Download here (157KB, b777.zip) Design and paintwork by Camil Valiquette
Boeing B777-300 Those with quicker computers should try this fabulous new 773 from the tireless gang at Project Open Sky. Moving flaps, spoilers, ailerons, elevators, rudder, fan blades; tilting bogies, gear bays, night lighting, flashing beacons, transparent cockpit windshield with 3-D pilots. Plus ... flexing wings! This has it all. (released 13/08/01)
Airbus A330-300Download here (328KB, a330.zip)
Design and paintwork by Camil Valiquette
Airbus A340-300Download here (333KB, a340.zip)
Design and paintwork by Camil Valiquette
A detailed new A340-313X is available from the Allied FS Group.
You'll agree that the Hong Kong weather is fairly accurate, although we're surprised it's not raining on our B777-300 in Gatwick. Talking of Europe, here's the next generation: any room up top? Give me 'Betsy' over "The Hump" any day ...
Airbus A380-100Download here (78.9KB, a3xx.zip)
Design and paintwork by Jeffrey Lung
Lear 45 JetDownload here (57.0KB, lear45cx.zip)
Cathay Pacific has ordered two Lear 45 aircraft for pilot training. The first is due to be delived in late 2001. This speculative repaint of the FS2000 default Lear 45 texture file is by Mark Beaumont (13/6/01)
4/8/01 - Now look at this: a friend has sent the web-brat a photograph of the real thing, below. Sadly, we shan't be able to replicate this exactly in FS2000 as design limitations preclude this exact livery being painted easily; so you may have to be satisfied with our version above. And hey, we weren't far out! Looks like Cathay even hired the same photographer!
The magic of computer simulation today is the tremendous wealth of 'add-on' material available on the Internet that complements the basic flight simulator software. All the above planes are configured (to save file size) to work with the default software (panels and sound) in Microsoft's application, but there are literally thousands of additional aircraft, very sophisticated panels and realistic sound files available online as 'freeware'. Some highly recommended 'flightsim' sites are www.flightsim.com, www.avsim.com, www.simviation.com and Classic Airliners. You'll find exceptional work there by talented people; everything from fully functioning GPS systems to detailed scenery for all parts of the world. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 itself includes more than 20,000 airports and full functionality for VFR and IFR flight. Navigation radios and navaids all work.
No such PC animal for ships, yet. Visit the Microsoft Flight Simulator site to find out more about becoming an armchair pilot, by clicking on the banner below. You will need the software, of course, if you don't have it and no, we don't receive commission from Bill Gates on any sales! This page is all about entertainment and, perhaps, a little education.
All downloads on this page can be used with FS2000 Standard Edition, and should work within the new FS2002.
Want to fly SMA? Here's a cockpit view of the SMA's very own B737 on final at Kai Tak. We've all taken this right turn at Lion Rock, but how many of us have had the con at the sharp end? Will you land her safely or modify the Marlboro man? Good luck!
The SMA Boeing B737-400Download here (596KB, B737SMA.zip) Aircraft paint job by Mark Beaumont on Simon Jamie's textures (http://www.fingermouse.net/aircraft). The displayed panel is not default but is 'freeware' by Jorge Alsina, available from www.flightsim.com.
Hooked already? In order to make this page an outstanding resource (the SMA never sleeps) we have researched and selected a number of the finest 'freeware' panels for the above aircraft that will enhance your flight experience with FS2000. In addition, check out the sites we recommend for a wide choice of superb propliner and jet engine sounds.
Download any of the sample panels below by clicking on the images. Note that most are very large files because of all the complex gauges and electronics they include:
Douglas DC-3 (2.2MB) By Chris Alevritis.
PBY-5A Catalina (1.03MB) By Brian Horsey, Harry Follas assisted, original Dave Haskell.
Douglas DC-4/6 IFR capable (1.96MB) By Tom Gibson
Lockheed L-188 Electra (2.51MB) By Kevin Trinkle (updated 22/7/00)
Bristol Britannia (b312pnl2.zip, 7.02MB) Not available here - for this excellent panel by Dave Haskell go to www.flightsim.com
Convair 880 (1.43MB) By Matthias Lieberecht (added 30/01/01)
Boeing B707 (902KB) By Staffan Ahlberg
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar (1.58MB) By David Durst
Boeing B747-200 (1.32MB) By Staffan Ahlberg
Boeing B747-400 (862KB) From the Gold Panels Collection by The Freeware Works
Boeing B777-200 (574KB) By Michael Toussaint
Boeing B777-300 (178KB) By Jorge Alsina
Airbus A330 (2.91MB) Remake of Glenn Gower original by Giovanni Combattelli and Ruggero Osto
Airbus A340/A380 (2.88MB) By Ruggero Osto
We're assuming, of course, that you'll be taking the left hand seat ... in for a penny, in for a pound ...
An absolute must for your FS2000 scenery 'add-on' collection is this exciting version of Kai Tak (Microsoft closed it, of course) and the surrounding Kowloon area, by Thomas Kwong. Click the pic to download the 331KB zipfile:
Kai Tak 2000 V2
This is "Version 2"; Thomas has produced a fabulous "Version 3" which we do not include here as the file size is enormous and it eats FS2000 frame rates; but keen flightsimmers will find it (kt2000v3.zip, 5.76MB) at www.flightsim.com. Meanwhile, "Version 2" works just fine. From the same source you can also download Thomas' highly accurate detailing of Chek Lap Kok (clk2000.zip, 3.93MB, clk20fx.zip, 252KB) ... but Kai Tak's the business!
Compare the real thing, photographed the day it closed on 5th July 1998, with Thomas' awesome FS2000 V3 scenery ...
Click here to enlarge these views of Kai Tak, 1925-1998.
William Ng has also modelled a frame-rate-friendly version of Chek Lap Kok (681KB, clk2001.zip, added here 3/10/01) which complements the Hong Kong and surroundings Terrain Mesh scenery enhancement (386KB, kong.zip) created by Raimondo Taburet.
There were two commercial (i.e. not free) versions of 'add-on' FS2000 Scenery released in 2001 ... Samsoft's 'Hong Kong Today' and Flightsoft's 'Ultimate Hong Kong'. Maybe the SMA should produce one too; we'll just stick a beacon on top of the 'Red Lips Bar'. Heh heh.
Also highly recommended is Jerry Joseph's fabulous freeware Macau scenery (VMMC_2K.ZIP, Macau982.zip) which files you can find at www.flightsim.com. You need somewhere to fly to, after all! Buzz the Lisboa in the Lear ...
And there's more! Download dynamic traffic (other moving aircraft, 240KB) to bring dear old Kai Tak to life.
'FS Traffic' users may prefer these FS Traffic tracks (121KB), recorded by Gianfranco Corrias. Alternatively, try this one (14.1KB), by Raul Vidal, or this latest effort (79KB) by Graham Michael. Whichever you choose, Kai Tak lives!
Furthermore, Cedric Justin has produced a static aircraft and ground equipment package to complement Thomas Kwong's Kai Tak (1.22MB, kaitakst.zip, modified 4/10/01)
And yet more! If you know the difference between VFR and IFR, then you'll want to download Approach Charts: IALs and ASIRs (mostly STARs and SIDs) for both Kai Tak and Chek Lap Kok. Now you can really fly SMArt, courtesy of Bertil Gullmar and SAS Flight Planning, Sweden ...
Kai Tak (VHHH) IALs(92.7KB)ASIR(518KB)
CLK (VHXX/VHHH) IALs(93.7KB)ASIR(536KB)
You'll need the latest Acrobat Reader to get these charts on your kneeboard. Download here for free if you don't have it.
Kai Tak expert Elmer Chen of Hong Kong has sent us these 1994 Jeppesen charts which anyone can view or print out:
Thanks, Elmer! Note: none of the above should be used for real navigation, of course, even if you do own a Boeing 747!
A highly recommended way to plan your Asian flights is to download the latest version of FSNavigator. This excellent programme runs in parallel with FS2000, offering a moving map facility at the touch of a key, as well as user-controlled chart options illustrating everything from your VOR, NDB and ILS coordinates to all world airports, waypoints and recognised airways. Plot your own flight plans or use prepared ones; FSNav can control your autopilot, either directly or based on info from your INS/FMC/GPS. Otherwise, just use it to see where the heck you are. FSNav 4.4 is shareware, but the last freeware version, FSNav 3.0, can still be found here, together with FS2000 updates.
Jeremy Katz produces flightplans for FSNav 3.0 and is kindly working some up specifically for Kai Tak, both inbound and outbound. Visit his BestLinkSite (FSNav section). To date, he's compiled four outbound plans to Japan:
Narita,
Haneda,
Nagoya and
Osaka.
Also try his regional inbound plans to CLK from
Manila and
Taipei. You can always switch to a Kai Tak arrival from CH VOR!
Feeling lonely in that left-hand seat? Download sample Kai Tak ATIS (terminal information) or try out FS2000 ATC (Air Traffic Control) 'adventures' to both VHHH (Kai Tak) and VHXX/VHHH (CLK).
NEW! From his recordings, Aussie Mark Fahey has compiled the following excellent 'wav' files of real Kai Tak ATC, for use as background ambience using complementary programmes such as BSATC, Enviro! or FSChatter (download the latter from flightsim.com or avsim.com):
Thanks, Mark! These great files really make for realism in the cockpit and you've put an end to an exhaustive hunt!
Now all we need is the CX cabin theme music ... anybody?
There were a couple of Cathay Pacific 'virtual airlines' out there on the Internet but it seems that the powers-that-be have shut them down. Ah well. But amazingly, given some flightsim experience and some free software you can ...
It doesn't get more realistic than this. Now we're talking ... and this is what the Internet is all about. Find out more by visiting the FS2000 page at the MSN Zone - you can register for free - and visit www.atc4u.com, where a Brit B777 pilot (a real one) hosts dedicated HKG sessions. Other well-organised, general ATC sites are www.worldatc.com and www.atcplace.com. All will require Roger Wilco (comms radio, 355KB), which is a free download, and for some sessions CH Client (transponder) and other free gizmos. See you in the stack! Make sure you know how to fly first, of course - it does help - and brush up your VHF style with Pablo Ferrer's cribsheet VHF COM (93.4KB, Acrobat) or, in much more detail, George Papafilis' Aviation RT Phraseology (27.4KB) or Tyler Sumner's Radio Comms (24.6KB), both in MS Word format.
All too much trouble? Click on this simpler Kai Tak Approach Plate to enlarge it. Limit your education to Dark Moment's 'Idiot's Guide' to carving up the infamous R13 ...
At airlinepilots.com you'll find a fascinating 25-minute online interview with a number of 747 pilots called "Tales from Kai Tak". Or go to a340.net to download a (real) cockpit video of an A340 landing at Kai Tak, plus a lot more. All good stuff. You'll need a Real Audio Player.
Just flying past? Anyone can download our special Cathay Pacific Screensaver (CXscr.zip, 828KB) showing many of the aircraft images on this page, and more. SMA men who have already downloaded our screensaver software elsewhere only need the images folder (CXsnaps.zip, 617KB)
No CX fan should miss a better look at the marvellous painting below. Click on the picture to open a larger image. "Betsy" lovers should click on the other box to see a larger view of the Kai Tak Landing Chart, 1945, and to learn a little of Kai Tak's early history from Phil Parker, ATC ...
... or look down on Kai Tak in 1987 from a Soviet satellite! Was it directions they were after, or the duty-free San Mig?
Jamie Wilcox has kindly sent us his excellent drawing of a CX B747-400 in current livery, which will look just grand on your desktop. Click this image to see the full banana.
For up-to-date Hong Kong airline & airport news, click here. Or read up on Cathay Pacific scuttlebutt at AIRwise.
Here's a very special inclusion: Adrian Swire's very own Spitfire Mk.IX, which until 1985 flew a CPA logo!
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX Original by Pegasus Aviation Design. Go to www.flightsim.com and download spit9.zip, which large zip file includes plane, detailed panel and genuine Merlin sounds. Then simply replace the 'texture' folder with Mark Beaumont's ACS repaint, which you can download here (102KB, spittexture.zip, updated 13/3/01)
Some of you have asked about Cathay helicopters. Well, there are and were none, but we wouldn't want you to miss the thrill of hovering around Island haunts one more time:
Sikorsky S76A+ HK Government Flying Service (pre-1997)Download this wonderful aircraft by rotor guru Ian Standfast here (S76A.zip, 148KB) Also recommended: S76 panel (657KB) by Ian Standfast/David Giles
Please note that there are many "Hong Kong" aircraft out there for download on the Internet, from military and government aircraft to all the Asian carriers that wing(ed) their way in and out for a decent Peking Duck ... but this is supposed to be a Cathay site. Happy hunting! E-mail the web-brat with any queries, as he's enough of an anorak to have most of the answers and always enjoys a virtual beer.
Last but not leashed ... Cathay's own hot air balloon! Now this is the way to tour the FS2000 virtual world! With panel, burners and sound ... oh, and a basket.
Hot Air Balloon VR-HHO Original by Captain Slug, repainted by Mark Beaumont. Download here (492KB, balloon.zip, updated 9/4/01)
Phew! Let the SMA know how you get on! Don new stripes, shipmates, and find out whether your fellow Swire captains earned their money.
Please note that the above downloads are only of use to you if you have Microsoft FS2000, with the exception of the charts, ATIS, Kai Tak stuff and various pics which anyone can view. Feel free to steal any of the web-brat's CPA images. When did you last see a picture of a CX Electra?
Although the aforementioned web-brat has personally effected the repaints of the B737, DC-3s, Anson, DC-4s, DC6-B, Electras, the Britannia, Convairs, Lear Jet, Spitfire and balloon, the above aircraft are the work of other pilots, hobbyists or a compilation of several talents as notated. Full original credits are to be found in all files you download. Thank you, gents; if any copyrights have been breached, please advise. None of this work may be used commercially, repackaged or altered without permission. If you're naughty, expect a visit from a helicopter gunship.
Notify your web-brat of any problems with downloads or if you have any constructive comments or suggestions. Be aware that this particular page is no longer a work in progress: it was originally put up for SMA amusement on 8th July 2000, although it has been updated as notated, but our new FS2002 page at cxkaitak.html is now the place to go. In any case, serious flightsimmers may care to check other sites for subsequent updates, or newer versions, of FS2000 aircraft and panels offered here.
Use all the above files at your own risk. We webfooted shipping types at the SMA can take no responsibility for any problems with your computer, howsoever caused. There are no known issues. We also accept no liability should you miss the runway ...
"Seasick? Just a little turbulence,
pal. And this is a TriStar ... you should try the Cat!"
