XN000022-1974-05-28 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MAY 28, 1974

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RUNWAY EXTENSION READY FOR USE

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THE KAI TAK RUNWAY EXTENSION, WHICH FORMS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL SCHEME FOR EXPANDING THE FACILITIES AT HONG KONG AIRPORT, WILL COME INTO OPERATION ON JUNE 1.

WORK ON THE $170 MILLION PROJECT COMMENCED AT THE END OF 1970 TO EXTEND THE AIRPORT RUNWAY FROM 8,350 FEET TO ITS PRESENT LENGTH OF 11,130 FEET.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SAID A STUDY HAD BEEN UNDERTAKEN TO ASSESS THE OPTIMUM LENGTH FOR THE RUNWAY. IT HAD CONCLUDED THAT A RUNWAY OF 11,130 FEET WOULD BE THE MOST SUITABLE AND ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE FOR HONG KONG, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT AIR SAFETY, PHYSICAL AND CLIMATIC CONDITIONS, AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCES, NOISE, SECTOR DISTANCES AND ECONOMICS OF OPERATION.

THE RUNWAY EXTENSION, COUPLED WITH A BALANCED AND PHASED PROGRAMME OF IMPROVING AND MODERNIZING THE AIRPORT, WOULD ENSURE THAT CIVIL AVIATION IN HONG KONG WOULD KEEP PACE WITH TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND THE RAPID GROWTH IN ALL SECTORS OF THE INDUSTRY, HE ADDED.

MAJOR WORKS INCLUDED THE RECLAMATION OF 2,600,000 SQUARE FEET OF LAND CONTAINED BY 1.25 MILES OF SEAWALLS, THE CONSTRUCTION OF 400,000 SQUARE FEET OF CONCRETE PAVEMENTS AND 1,200,000 SQUARE FEET OF ASPHALT PAVEMENTS.

OTHER ANCILLARY WORKS WERE THE CONSTRUCTION A NEW SUBSIDIARY FIRE STATION, AN ELECTRIC POWER SUB-STATION, AN UNDERGROUND BUILDING FOR ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT TO BE USED FOR GUIDING AIRCRAFT LANDING OVER THE SEA FROM THE DIRECTION OF LEI YUE MUN, AND DOLPHINS BEYOND THE END OF THE EXTENDED PROMONTORY TO CARRY THE RUNWAY APPROACH LIGHTS.

IN ADDITION, THE WHOLE OF THE EXISTING RUNWAY SURFACE HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED AND IMPROVED BY AN ASPHALT OVERLAY.

COMMENTING ON THE PROJECT, MR. ROY DOWNING, DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION SAID THE EXTENSION OF THE RUNWAY PROVIDES A NUMBER OF BENEFITS.'

+THE INCREASED LENGTH WILL GIVE AN ADDITIONAL MARGIN OF AIRCRAFT SAFETY OVER THE PRESENT RUNWAY, PARTICULARLY UNDER VERY ADVERSE OPERATING CONDITIONS. THE WIDER RUNWAY ALSO PERMITS THE PROVISION OF AN ADDITIONAL FIRE STATION AT THE SOUTHEAST END OF THE RUNWAY WHICH WILL ENABLE A VERY RAPID RESPONSE TO BE MADE TO ANY PART OF THE AIRFIELD.

+THE ADDITIONAL RUNWAY LENGTH ALSO ENABLES AIRCRAFT TO UPLIFT A VERY MUCH GREATER PAYLOAD THAN IS PRESENTLY POSSIBLE. ALTERNATIVELY MORE FUEL CAN BE UPLIFTED, THEREBY PERMITTING AIRCRAFT TO OPERATE OVER MUCH LONGER STAGE LENGTHS THAN THEY CAN AT PRESENT, MR. DOWNING SAID.

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THE EFFECT OF THESE FACTORS, EITHER SEPARATELY OR IN COMBINATION, IS TO IMPROVE PROFITABILITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF CHARTERED AIRCRAFT.

/+IN THE LONG ...