SUNDAY, JULY 24, 1977
COMMUNICATORS VITAL TO AIRCRAFT SAFETY
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WHILE PASSENGERS ARE CHECKING IN AT THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, A GROUP OF COMMUNICATORS OF THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT WILL AT THE SAME TIME BE MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO ENSURE THEM A SAFE JOURNEY.
WORKING IN THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE AT THE AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING, THE COMMUNICATORS COLLECT AERONAUTICAL METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION AND NOTICES TO AIRMEN (NOTAM) FOR DISSEMINATION TO AIRLINES.
+THE INFORMATION IS MOST VITAL TO AIR CREWS WHEN THEY ARE COMPUTING THEIR FLIGHT PLANS, SAID MR. CHU HARK-KEUNG, THE SENIOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS OFFICER.
+AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION AND NOTAMS, COLLECTED THROUGH GROUND- TO-GROUND FIXED RADIO NETWORKS, CONTAIN THE FULLEST DETAILS OF FACILITIES AVAILABLE FROM THE LATEST SITUATION REPORTS AT AIRPORTS LIKE MANILA, SINGAPORE, BANGKOK, TOKYO, OSAKA, AND EVEN AS FAR AS SYDNEY, HE EXPLAINED.
+FOR EXAMPLE, THE CANCELLATION OF NAVIGATIONAL AIDS, REPAIRS BEING CARRIED OUT ON A PARTICULAR RUNWAY, LIMITATION OF RADAR SERVICE, OR NOTIFICATION OF OTHER SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AFFECTING OPERATIONS OF AIRPORTS ARE LISTED WITH THE SPECIFIC DATE, TIME AND LOCATION.
+AS FOR THE METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION. SUPPLIED TO AIRLINES- THIS INCLUDES WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED, VISIBILITY, CLOUD COVERAGES, TEMPERATURES, DE POINT, ALTIMETER SETTING AND FUTURE WEATHER FORECASTS, + MR. CHU WENT ON.
*WITH THE INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE, AIR CREWS CAN DECIDE ON THE PREFERRED TIME OF TAKE OFF, THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL AT THEIR DESTINATIONS, THE QUANTITY OF FUEL, THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS TO BE CARRIED. THE BULK OF GOODS THAT CAN BE TRANSPORTED AND THE BEST ROUTES TO TAKE, HE ADDED.
+THE FLIGHT PLANS ARE FILED IN THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN FINALIZED BY THE AIRLINE STAFF AND FLIGHT CREWS. THE AIRPORTS LISTED IN THESE FLIGHT PLANS AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES ARE THEN INFORMED OF THE APPROPRIATE DETAILS.+
+THESE FLIGHT PLANS ARE FIRST CONVERTED INTO A FORM SUITABLE FOR THE TRANSMISSION MEDIUM AND THEN DISSEMINATED THROUGH LANDLINE OR RADIO TELEPRINTER CIRCUITS,+ MR. CHU CONTINUED.
HOWEVER THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNICATORS IN PROTECTING AIR TRAVELLERS DOES NOT END AT THIS STAGE.
+AFTER AN AIRLINER TAKES OFF FROM KAI TAK IT REMAINS UNDER AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL COMMUNICATION UNTIL IT IS 200 MILES FROM HONG KONG. THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT TRANSFERS TO EN ROUTE CHANNELS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE AEROMOBILE OFFICE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE,+ MR. CHU SAID.
/+AS THE