Hong Kong has a long and storied history with aviation, and its airshows have mirrored the city's transformation from a colonial trading port to a global financial hub. From the dramatic flypasts over the old Kai Tak Airport to the massive trade expositions at AsiaWorld-Expo, the story of Hong Kong airshows is one of ambition, economic shifts, and a deep public fascination with flight. This article traces that history from the earliest displays to the present day, and looks ahead to what the future may hold.
The Kai Tak Era: Airshows Before the Airport Moved
Kai Tak Airport, which served Hong Kong from 1925 to 1998, was famous for its heart-stopping approach over the city's dense Kowloon rooftops. But it was also the stage for some of Hong Kong's earliest public airshows. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Royal Air Force (RAF) and later the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (RHKAAF) regularly staged flypasts and static displays at Kai Tak to mark public holidays such as the Queen's Birthday and Armed Forces Day.
These early events were modest by modern standards. They typically involved a handful of aircraft, de Havilland Chipmunks, Auster AOP.6 observation planes, and later, Hawker Hunter jet fighters, performing low passes over the runway. The public was allowed onto the tarmac to inspect the aircraft up close. There were no ticket prices, no trade halls, and no international exhibitors. It was purely a community event.
By the 1970s, as Kai Tak became one of the world's busiest airports, the scope of these displays grew. In 1977, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession, a major airshow was held at Kai Tak featuring the Red Arrows, the RAF's aerobatic team flying BAE Hawk T1s. The Red Arrows returned in 1983 and again in 1992, each time drawing crowds estimated at over 100,000 people who lined the runway and the hillside of nearby Lion Rock.
One of the most memorable Kai Tak airshows took place in 1994, when the United States Air Force (USAF) participated with a B-52 Stratofortress, a C-5 Galaxy, and an F-15 Eagle. The static display also included a British Airways Concorde, which was parked alongside a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400. The event was free to the public, but visitors had to register in advance through the Hong Kong Government's Information Services Department. According to the South China Morning Post archives, an estimated 180,000 people attended over the two-day weekend.
However, the Kai Tak airshows were constrained by the airport's operational pressures. With over 300 flights per day by the mid-1990s, closing runways for airshows became increasingly difficult. The last major public airshow at Kai Tak was held in October 1997, just months before the airport closed. It featured the Russian Knights aerobatic team flying Sukhoi Su-27s, the first time Russian military jets had ever performed in Hong Kong. The crowd was estimated at 200,000, and the event was broadcast live on TVB.
Asian Aerospace: The Trade Show That Defined an Era
While public airshows at Kai Tak were popular, the most significant aviation event in Hong Kong's history was the Asian Aerospace trade exhibition. Launched in 1981, Asian Aerospace was the brainchild of the Singapore-based Cahners Exposition Group (later Reed Exhibitions). The show was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai, with static aircraft displays at Kai Tak Airport.
Asian Aerospace quickly became the premier aviation trade show in Asia, rivaling the Paris Air Show and Farnborough in terms of attendance and deal-making. The 1992 edition, held from 25 February to 1 March, attracted 620 exhibitors from 35 countries, including Boeing, Airbus, McDonnell Douglas, and Lockheed. Total trade visitors exceeded 25,000. The show's highlight was the public debut of the McDonnell Douglas MD-90, which performed demonstration flights from Kai Tak.
The 1996 Asian Aerospace, held from 5 to 11 February, was even larger. It featured 850 exhibitors and 30,000 trade visitors. Boeing chose the show to unveil the 777-300, the longest twin-engine airliner then in production. Airbus brought the A340-300, which set a world record for the longest non-stop flight by a commercial jetliner, from Paris to Auckland via Hong Kong, during the show. The static display at Kai Tak included a Russian An-124 Ruslan cargo plane, a USAF C-17 Globemaster III, and a British Airways Concorde.
Asian Aerospace continued in Hong Kong until 1998, when the show moved to Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre. The move was driven by the closure of Kai Tak and the lack of a suitable venue near the new Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) at Chek Lap Kok. The last Hong Kong edition, in 1998, was held at the newly opened AsiaWorld-Expo, but the static display was at the old Kai Tak site, which was already being redeveloped. Attendance dropped to 18,000 trade visitors, and the show's organisers decided to relocate permanently to Singapore, where it was rebranded as the Singapore Airshow in 2008.
The Post-Kai Tak Lull: Public Airshows in the Early 2000s
After the closure of Kai Tak in July 1998, Hong Kong entered a period without a dedicated public airshow. The new airport at Chek Lap Kok, while modern and efficient, was not designed with airshows in mind. The airport authority, the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), was focused on operational efficiency and cargo throughput, not public events.
However, the AAHK did occasionally organise small-scale events. In 2003, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of HKIA, a static display was held on the tarmac near the passenger terminal. Aircraft on display included a Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300, a Dragonair Airbus A320, a Government Flying Service (GFS) Eurocopter EC155, and a People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Xian Y-8 transport. The event was free but required pre-registration, and only 5,000 tickets were issued. It sold out within hours.
Another notable event was the Hong Kong Aviation Day in 2007, organised by the Hong Kong Aviation Club (HKAC) in partnership with the GFS. Held at the HKAC's base at Shek Kong Airfield (formerly a Royal Air Force station), the event featured aerobatic displays by the GFS's Zlin Z-242L trainers, a flypast by a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400F, and a static display of vintage aircraft including a de Havilland Tiger Moth and a Piper PA-28 Cherokee. Attendance was around 8,000 people. Tickets were priced at HKD 50 for adults and HKD 20 for children, with proceeds donated to the Hong Kong Red Cross.
Despite these efforts, the lack of a major public airshow was a source of frustration for aviation enthusiasts in Hong Kong. Many travelled to the Singapore Airshow (held every two years since 2008) or the Zhuhai Airshow (China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition) in nearby Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. The Zhuhai Airshow, first held in 1996, became the largest in the region, featuring the PLAAF's Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter and the Y-20 transport. Yet Hong Kong had no equivalent.
The Return: Hong Kong Aviation Day and the Rise of the GFS Open Days
The turning point came in 2012, when the Government Flying Service (GFS) began hosting its own open days at its base at Hong Kong International Airport. The GFS, which operates a fleet of fixed-wing aircraft (including Bombardier Challenger 605 jets and Diamond DA42 Twin Stars) and helicopters (Eurocopter EC155 and Airbus H175), opened its hangars to the public for the first time.
The inaugural GFS Open Day, held on 9 December 2012, attracted over 12,000 visitors. The event featured a static display of all GFS aircraft, a simulated rescue demonstration using an EC155 helicopter and a Zlin Z-242L fixed-wing spotter plane, and a flypast by a Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER. The event was free, but visitors had to register online via the GFS website. Tickets were allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and sold out in 48 hours.
The GFS Open Day became an annual event, growing in size and scope. The 2015 edition, held on 8 November, included a performance by the Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps (HKACC) drill team, a display of vintage aircraft from the Hong Kong Aviation Club, and a flypast by a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Harbin Z-9 helicopter. Attendance reached 18,000. The 2017 edition, marking the GFS's 25th anniversary, featured a formation flypast of three EC155 helicopters and two Challenger 605 jets, as well as a simulated ship rescue in the waters off the airport.
In parallel, the Hong Kong Aviation Club (HKAC) revived its Aviation Day in 2014, this time at the club's new premises at the former Kai Tak runway, which had been repurposed as a public park and events space. The event, held on 11 October 2014, featured a static display of light aircraft (Cessna 172s, Piper Warriors, and a Socata TB-10), a helicopter joyride service (HKD 500 per person for a 10-minute flight), and a talk by Captain John Chalmers, a retired Cathay Pacific pilot who had flown the Concorde. Around 6,000 people attended.
The Modern Era: The Hong Kong International Airport Airshow
The most significant development in recent years was the launch of the Hong Kong International Airport Airshow in 2019. Organised by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) in partnership with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), the event was held over two days (30-31 March 2019) at the airport's cargo apron and the adjacent AsiaWorld-Expo. The airshow aimed to showcase Hong Kong's aviation capabilities and attract tourists.
The 2019 airshow featured a flying display by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) August 1st Aerobatic Team, flying Chengdu J-10A fighters, their first public performance in Hong Kong. The static display included a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (Cathay Pacific), an Airbus A350-1000 (Cathay Pacific), an Airbus A380 (Emirates), a C-17 Globemaster III (USAF), a C-130J Super Hercules (USAF), and an Il-76MD (Russian Air Force). The trade exhibition at AsiaWorld-Expo hosted 120 exhibitors, including Boeing, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Honeywell. Trade visitors paid HKD 300 for a one-day pass, while public tickets were HKD 150 for adults and HKD 80 for children. Total attendance was estimated at 50,000 over the two days.
The 2019 airshow was widely considered a success, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted plans for a second edition. The 2021 airshow was cancelled, and the 2023 edition was postponed to 2024. The rescheduled Hong Kong International Airport Airshow 2024 was held on 23-24 November 2024, with a theme of