( CNN ) -- `` Goodbye , Kai Tak , and thank you . '' Fifteen years after Richard Siegel , Hong Kong 's then-director of civil aviation , bid farewell and turned off the lights at Hong Kong Kai Tak International Airport , the old airport has been given a new life . With official ceremonies set for this week , it will be rechristened Kai Tak Cruise Terminal . The new facility will accommodate cruise ships and other large vessels . Royal Caribbean 's Mariner of the Seas will be the first ship to arrive at the cruise ship berth -- formerly runway 13 -- today at 8 p.m. Before its closure in 1998 , Kai Tak ( the first recorded flight from the site took place in 1925 ) was regarded as one of the most difficult airports in the world for pilots to fly into and out of . As it sat in the middle of Kowloon City , with a runway protruding into the sea , landing in Kai Tak was a hair-raising event even for experienced pilots . Cathay Pacific Airways ' general manager of operations and pilot Russell Davie has 36 years of flying experience . He remembers Kai Tak fondly . `` As a pilot , it was totally unique . It was the only major airport in the world that required a 45-degree turn below 500 feet to line up with the runway , literally flying between the high-rise buildings , passing close to the famous orange and white checkerboard as you made that final turn toward the runway , '' he said . Daryl Chapman , a teacher and aviation photographer from Britain who has lived in Hong Kong since 1987 , spent countless hours photographing the amazing scenes of large aircraft swooping in over the Hong Kong skyline . ( See a gallery of his work above . ) `` Kai Tak was very different to most international airports because it was right in the city , '' recalled Chapman . `` Lion Rock ( a prominent hill in Hong Kong ) blocks the standard straight-in approach ; thus planes had to make that special turn over Kowloon City while landing on runway 13 . '' `` This was quite a challenge , especially in strong wind conditions , '' Davie said . `` As Cathay pilots , we had plenty of practice and became very adept at flying the approach . `` The approach was quite a challenge for pilots from other airlines , especially in more demanding flying conditions , as they might only come to Kai Tak once a year . '' World 's most 'thrilling ' airports , where thrilling = terrifying . Scariest moment : 'We never saw the actual plane ! ' Chapman recalls watching flights landing at Kai Tak during those `` demanding flying conditions . '' `` Being at the Kai Tak car park watching airplanes land in heavy rain could be very worrying , '' he said . `` The pilots could not see the runway , and landing over Kowloon , you had to be visual with the runway . `` Some ( pilots ) seemed to wait a little longer than others before they aborted the landing and went around for another go . Some would appear out of the low clouds on the approach path , then power up and vanish back into the clouds . '' The scariest memory for Chapman was the landing of an Air France 747-200 freighter contending with an extremely low ceiling . `` We could hear it coming but saw no sign of the landing lights . It was dark , '' he said . `` It got louder and louder ; then you could see the glow of the red beacon under the plane . He overshot the turn and went right over the car park and control tower as he powered up and went around for another try . '' `` That was very loud and worrying , as we never saw the actual plane ! '' Fond memories of Kai Tak . Although the much larger and more modern Hong Kong International Airport ( which opened in July 1998 ) is considered one of the best airports in the world , Kai Tak is still missed in some quarters . It served Hong Kong for 73 years and was something of a city symbol , known to travelers worldwide . `` I have very fond memories of Kai Tak , '' Davie said . `` When I first joined Cathay Pacific , I spent many happy hours walking around Kowloon City every time I had a visitor in town , watching the aircraft fly low over the houses and shops . `` The approach looked really amazing from the ground , and also as a passenger , especially if you were seated on the right-hand side of the aircraft . '' Davie 's favorite route was arriving from Japan or Taiwan , northeast of Hong Kong . `` This allowed the pilot to fly the aircraft initially along the East Lamma shipping channel before turning around the end of Hong Kong Island , past Green Island , and heading toward the checkerboard to make the final approach , '' he remembered . `` Passengers lucky enough to have a window seat had a fantastic view of the south side of Hong Kong Island , then Central and the harbor before landing over Kowloon . ''
Kai Tak , Hong Kong 's former airport , set to reopen as Kai Tak Cruise Terminal . Closed in 1998 , Kai Tak was one of world 's most challenging airports for pilots . A Cathay Pacific pilot recalls unique 45-degree turn when landing at Kai Tak . Many pilots aborted first landing during bad weather and swung around for another go .