XN000022-1981-01-17 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 1981

NEW LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM AT AIRPORT

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A NEW COMPUTERISED LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGNED TO ENHANCE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL OPERATIONS WAS RECENTLY BROUGHT INTO USE AT THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

THE NEW SYSTEM WHICH REPLACED THE MANUALLY OPERATED LIGHTING CONSOLE IN THE CONTROL TOWER, PROVIDES DIRECTIONAL GUIDANCE TO BOTH APPROACHING AND DEPARTING AIRCRAFT AS WELL AS APPROPRIATE ROUTES FOR AIRCRAFT TAXIING.

ALL THE LIGHTING FUNCTIONS HAVE BEEN COMPUTERISED. THIS ENABLES AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER TO SELECT ANY OF THE 370 PRE-PROGRAMMED TAXIWAYS BY A SIMPLE PUSH-BUTTON OPERATION.

THE SYSTEM ALSO CONTAINS A COLOUR VISUAL DISPLAY WHICH COULD INDICATE WHETHER THE LIGHTING OF A SELECTED TAXIWAY AND AERONAUTICAL GROUND LIGHTS ARE IN 'ON' OR 'OFF' POSITION.

PREVIOUSLY THE SELECTION OF A TAXIWAY FROM THE FAR END OF THE RUNWAY TO AN AIRCRAFT PARKING BAY INVOLVED A SERIES OF PUSH-BUTTON OPERATIONS AND IN SOME CASES MORE THAN 20 SWITCHINGS HAD TO BE DONE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SAID: +THE IMPROVEMENT TO THE LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM HAS NOT ONLY CONSIDERABLY REDUCED THE WORKLOAD OF OUR STAFF BUT ALSO ENHANCED THE CAPABILITY OF THE AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES IN HANDLING THE GROWING VOLUME OF AIR/GROUND MOVEMENTS AT THE AIRPORT.+

REMOTE VILLAGE PIER BEING RE-BUILT

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THE PIER AT NAI CHUNG, A REMOTE SAI KUNG VILLAGE NEAR THREE FATHOMS COVE, IS BEING RE-BUILT BY THE GOVERNMENT AT A COST OF $200 000.

THE VILLAGE IN AN AREA NOTED FOR ITS SCENIC BEAUTY HAD ITS PREVIOUS PIER DESTROYED IN A TYPHOON IN THE SUMMER OF 1979.

THE LOSS CAUSED INCONVENIENCE TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE AREA WHO APPLIED TO THE DISTRICT OFFICE AT TAI PO TO HAVE IT REBUILT.

WORK STARTED IN NOVEMBER AND WILL BE COMPLETED IN FOUR MONTHS. IT INCLUDES FOUNDATION LAYING, DREDGING, EXCAVATING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE PIER DECK WHICH WILL BE SUPPORTED BY MASSIVE PILLARS EACH WEIGHING 9 000 KILOGRAMS.

THE PIER IS BEING SPECIALLY STRENGTHENED TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF CURRENTS SO THAT IT CAN STAND UP TO TYPHOONS.

IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED BY THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION ENGINEER, MR RAYMOND WONG, WHO IS ALSO SUPERVISING THE WORK TOGETHER WITH TAI PO DISTRICT OFFICE STAFF.

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