XN000022-1981-12-04 — Page 11

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1981

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+THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY HAD TO COLLECT SOME 2 400 TONNES OF LITTER WHICH WAS DISFIGURING OUR BEAUTY SPOTS EMPHASISES THE NEED FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US WHETHER WALKING, PICNICKING OR HAVING BARBECUES, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LEAVE NO MESS BEHIND US AND DISPOSE OF ALL OUR LITTER IN THE BINS PROVIDED FOR THIS PURPOSE, HE SAID.

MR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID LAST YEAR THERE WERE NEARLY 300 FIRES IN THE COUNTRY PARKS AND MOST OF THEM COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

AFTER THE OPENING CEREMONY, MR RIDDELL-SWAN JOINED TWO GROUPS OF CHILDREN IN AN INAUGURAL BARBECUE PARTY IN THE NEW SITE.

FRICTION-TESTER FOR HONG KONG AIRPORT

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A NEW SOPHISTICATED RUNWAY FRICTION TESTING VEHICLE, KNOWN AS THE SAAB FRICTION-TESTER, WILL SOON BE BROUGHT INTO USE AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SAFETY OF AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS ON THE RUNWAY DURING TAKE-OFF AND LANDING.

TO BE DELIVERED LATER THIS MONTH, THE FRICTION-TESTER WILL BE SERVICEABLE AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF A RADIOTELEPHONE SYSTEM AND MINOR MODIFICATIONS TO SUIT LOCAL CONDITIONS.

THE FRICTION-TESTER IS A SPECIALLY-EQUIPPED VEHICLE WITH A FIFTH WHEEL WHICH IS LOWERED FROM THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR WHEN MEASUREMENTS OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE FRICTION CHARACTER ISTICS ARE TO BE TAKEN. THE VALUES ARE SHOWN ON A VISUAL DISPLAY AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ON A PRINT-OUT COPY PRODUCED BY A PROCESSOR-CONTROLLED PRINTER NEXT TO THE DRIVER, AS THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ALONG THE RUNWAY.

INFORMATION OBTAINED BY THE TESTER HELPS PILOTS GREATLY IN ADJUSTING THE IR OPERATING TECHNIQUES WHEN THE RUNWAY IS WET OR COVERED WITH WATER DURING AND AFTER HEAVY RAIN,

THE FRICTION-TESTER IS COMPLETELY SELF-CONTAINED AND DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY PREPARATORY WORK OR SETTING OUT OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN MEASUREMENTS ARE TO BE TAKEN.

THE RESPONSE TIME FOR FRICTION MEASUREMENTS IN THE EVENT OF QUICK PASSING SHOWERS OR SQUALLY RAIN IS THEREFORE VERY SHORT AND THE RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THE RUNWAY FRICTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO PILOTS WITHIN A MINUTE OR TWO.

THE FRICTION-TESTER IS ALSO CAPABLE OF MEASURING AQUAPLAN I NG+ SPEED - A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON A WATER COVERED SURFACE. UNDER SUCH A CONDITION AIRCRAFT WHEEL BRAKING IS VIRTUALLY INEFFECTIVE.

ANOTHER USE OF THE FRICTION-TESTER IS FOR ASSESSING THE RUNWAY SURFACE TEXTURE, WEAR AND RESTORATION REQUIREMENTS.