Centre to provide domestic helicopter services. A technical feasibility study, completed at the end of 2007, showed that the shared-use of the government helipad was technically feasible. After consulting further with the industry and other stakeholders, the Government will seek approval of funds from the Legislative Council to go ahead with the project.
Updating of Aviation Legislation
To ensure aviation safety and to align Hong Kong's aviation legislation with the latest international standards governing the transport of dangerous goods by air, the Dangerous Goods (Consignment by Air) (Safety) Regulations and the Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations were amended in 2007 and will go into force on January 1, 2008.
Air Traffic Control
The air traffic control system continued to perform well. It handled 295 342 aircraft movements at HKIA and 156 356 overflights, including aircraft flying to and from Macao Airport, representing a 5.3 per cent and a 10.1 per cent increases over 2006.
The Tripartite Working Group, formed by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, the Macao Civil Aviation Authority and CAD, endorsed an initial Air Traffic Management Plan for the Pearl River Delta Region in 2007. The plan is being reviewed by Mainland authorities. If endorsed, it will be implemented in phases. The plan was drawn up to improve usage of the PRD's airspace and air traffic management.
The Legislative Council's Finance Committee approved in May funding for replacing the existing air traffic control system. The new system, which will go into operation in late 2012, will be able to handle traffic projected up to 2025.
Air traffic control coordinated and facilitated special aviation activities during the year. On September 3, an Airbus A380, the largest airliner in the world, conducted flypasts over Victoria Harbour as part of the Asian Aerospace International Expo and Congress 2007. Filming for the 4th edition of the Batman film series took place during November 7-12, 2007. It involved several manoeuvres by helicopters and a Hercules L382 transport aircraft over Victoria Harbour. Both events were well coordinated with other government departments and helped obliquely to promote Hong Kong as a metropolitan city.
Aircraft Operation and Airworthiness
In November, a meeting on 'Technical Arrangement on Aircraft Maintenance' was held between Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to discuss the mutual recognition of aircraft and engine maintenance approval. This cooperation arrangement is an expansion of a previous one signed in December 2004 that covered only aircraft component maintenance. It is expected to be signed in the first quarter of 2008.