SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1981
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REPORT ON HELICOPTER OPERATION
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THE WORKING PARTY SET UP IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR TO LOOK INTO HELICOPTER OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES OVER THE NEXT DECADE HAS SUBMITTED ITS REPORT TO THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES.
MEMBERS OF THE WORKING PARTY WERE DRAWN FROM THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT AND THE ECONOMIC SERVICES, ENVIRONMENT AND SECURITY BRANCHES OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.
THE WORKING PARTY CONCLUDES THE CIVIL HELICOPTER SERVICES IN THE 1980'S WILL PRODUCE NO WIDESPREAD PUBLIC BENEFIT AND THE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF SATISFYING THE DEMAND WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANT. HOWEVER, IF THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS WILLING TO PROVIDE AT ITS OWN COST. FACILITIES FOR HELICOPTER OPERATIONS, THE WORKING PARTY SEES NO OBJECTION TO THAT, PROVIDED ALL OPERATIONAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
IT RECOMMENDS THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO PROVIDE A HELIPORT AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE FOR THE OPERATION OF A SCHEDULED SERVICE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND MACAU.
A SECOND HELIPORT WILL BE REQUIRED IN 1990 TO ACCOMMODATE A SCHEDULED PASSENGER SERVICE BETWEEN THE CENTRAL URBAN AREA AND THE REPLACEMENT AIRPORT (ASSUMING THE LATTER IS BUILT), AND THIS HELIPORT SHOULD BE PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT, AS PART OF THE DOWN TOWN TERMINAL FOR THE NEW AIRPORT.
IT EMPHASISES THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE HELIPORTS BEING CENTRALLY LOCATED AND THE CONSEQUENT DIFFICULTY IN FINDING SUITABLE GROUND LEVEL AREAS DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF LAND. IT RECOMMENDS THAT PRIORITY SHOULD THEREFORE BE GIVEN TO INVESTIGATING THE PROVISION OF ROOFTOP HELIPORTS.
THE WORKING PARTY DID NOT CONSIDER THE LIKELY DEMAND FOR NON-SCHEDULED SERVICES, SUCH AS DOMESTIC BUSINESS AND SIGHT-SEEING FLIGHTS AND OIL EXPLORATION SUPPORT SERVICES WOULD BE SUFFICIENT IN ITSELF TO JUSTIFY PROVISION OF A HELIPORT.
THIS DEMAND WOULD BE MUCH SMALLER IN NUMBER AND OF LESS PUBLIC BENEFIT THAN THE SCHEDULED SERVICES TO MACAU AND THE REPLACEMENT AIRPORT.
IT FORECASTS THAT THE DEMAND FOR A HONG KONG - MACAU HELICOPTER PASSENGER SERVICE COULD BE AS MUCH AS 1 000 PASSENGER SEATS PER DAY IF A CONVENIENTLY LOCATED HELIPORT WITHIN THE CENTRAL URBAN AREAS OF HONG KONG ISLAND OR KOWLOON WERE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE- AND THIS DEMAND IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE STEADILY TO ABOUT 2 600 PASSENGER SEATS PER DAY IN 1990.
HOWEVER, THE WORKING PARTY STRIKES A CAUTIOUS NOTE AGAINST UNDUE OPTIMISM CONCERNING THE COMMERCIAL SUCCESS OF THIS SERVICE.
→WHILE THE FORECAST DEMAND CAN BE FIRMLY STATED IN THEORY THE REPORT SAYS, THE VALIDITY OF THE FORECAST DEPENDS ON A NUMBER OF CRITICAL ASSUMPTIONS+.
/+ONCE THE