XN000022-1977-07-23 — Page 8

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1977

C.A.D. TO HAVE NEW LONG-RANGE RADAR ON MOUNT PARKER

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A NEW LONG-RANGE RADAR STATION FOR CIVIL AVIATION USE IS BEING BUILT ON MOUNT PARKER.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE STATION IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN DECEMBER AND THE INSTALLATION OF THE RADAR EQUIPMENT WILL TAKE ABOUT FOUR MONTHS BEFORE IT COMES INTO OPERATION NEXT APRIL.

THE NEW RADAR WILL GIVE PRECISE POSITIONS OF AIRCRAFT WITHIN 200 NAUTICAL MILES OF HONG KONG AND AT ALTITUDES OF UP TO 18,300 METRES (60,000 FT.)

THE DATA COLLECTED BY THE RADAR WILL BE TRANSMITTED TO THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTRE AT THE HONG KONG AIRPORT BY A MICRO-WAVE RADIO LINK.

AT PRESENT, THREE OTHER RADARS ARE IN SERVICE. THEY ARE A +HIGH-RESOLUTION APPROACH+ RADAR ON BEACON HILL FOR CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT WITHIN 60 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE AIRPORT, A +PRECISION APPROACH+ RADAR AT THE AIRPORT TO GUIDE AIRCRAFT WITHIN 10 NAUTICAL MILES TO LAND ONTO THE RUNWAY DURING POOR VISIBILITY CONDITIONS, AND A +SECONDARY SURVEILLANCE+ RADAR ON MOUNT PARKER PROVIDING IDENTIFICATION AND ALTITUDE INFORMATION OF COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SAID THE NEW RADAR WAS ESSENTIAL FOR CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT FLYING ON AIRWAYS TO AND FROM HONG KONG AT EXTENDED RANGES.

+ IT WILL FORM AN INTEGRAL PART OF A RADAR NETWORK TO ENABLE THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL STAFF TO DIRECT AIRCRAFT APPROACHING AND LEAVING THE AIRPORT, HE ADDED.

+COMPLEMENTING ONE ANOTHER, THESE RADARS WILL ENSURE A SAFE, EXPEDITIOUS AND ORDERLY FLOW OF AIR TRAFFIC THROUGH HONG KONG.+

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