FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1986
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LEGISLATION PROPOSED TO CONTROL AIRCRAFT NOISE
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO REDUCE THE 101SE NUISANCE CAUSED BY AIRCRAFT AND TO ENABLE EFFECT TO BE GIVEN TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND RECOMMENDED PRACTICES RELATING TO AIRCRAFT NOISE.
THE CIVIL AVIATION (AIRCRAFT NOISE) BILL, GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY), AIMS AT PROHIBITING AIRCRAFT FROM LANDING OR TAKING OFF IN HONG KONG IF THEY DO NOT POSSESS A NOISE CERTIFICATE OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF PERMISSIBLE NOISE.
THE BILL PROVIDES FOR THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION TO REQUIRE AIRCRAFT OPERATORS TO ADOPT LANDING AND TAKE-OFF PROCEDURES WHICH MITIGATE THE EFFECT OF NOISE AND VIBRATION. THERE ARE ALSO PROVISIONS TO RESTRICT AERODROME OPERATING HOURS AND TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF LANDINGS OR TAKE-OFFS WITHIN A GIVEN PERIOD.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT NOISE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE PHASED IN THROUGH SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION FOR DIFFERENT CLASSES OF AIRCRAFT AT DIFFERENT TIMES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANISATION'S (ICAO) REVIEW OF THE PROBLEM OF NOISE AND OTHER EMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT OPERATION. THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH LAYS DOWN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR THE EMISSION OF NOISE BY AIRCRAFT, WAS FORMALLY ADOPTED BY THE ICAO COUNCIL IN 1981 AS AN ANNEX TO THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION.
ICAO RECOMMENDED THE APPLICATION OF ITS STANDARDS TO DOMESTIC AIRCRAFT ON A DATE NOT BEFORE JANUARY 1, 1986 AND TO FOREIGN AIRCRAFT NOT BEFORE JANUARY 1, 1988 IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FOR AN ORDERLY PHASED APPROACH TO COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE ANNEX.
+AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, IT IS DESIRABLE FOR HONG KONG TO TAKE STEPS TO COMPLY WITH THE ICAO NOISE STANDARDS BY BANNING NOISY' AIRCRAFT FROM THE HONG KONG REGISTER AT AN EARLY DATE, WHICH, IF THE BILL IS ENACTED, WILL BE SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR, AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXTENDING THIS BAN TO FOREIGN AIRCRAFT ON SOME DATE AFTER DECEMBER 31, 1987.+
HE ADDED THAT THE FIRST STAGE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LEGISLATION WOULD HAVE NO IMMEDIATE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OVERALL AIRCRAFT NOISE LEVELS IN THE VICINITY OF HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AS ALL AIRCRAFT ON THE HONG KONG REGISTER WERE CAPABLE OF COMPLYING WITH THE LEGISLATION. +HOWEVER, IT IS OBVIOUSLY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.+
THE SPOKESMAN