XN000022-1985-05-29 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1935

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LITTLE DEMAND SEEN FOR HELICOPTER SERVICE

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GOVERNMENT'S LONG STANDING POLICY WAS TO FACILITATE, RATHER THAN POSITIVELY TO ENCOURAGE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER SERVICES BASED IN HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR GERRY HIGGINSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT, HE SAID, PROVIDED SOME ENCOURAGEMENT BY OFFERING PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO PROSPECTIVE OPERATORS.

HOWEVER, DURING RECENT YEARS, THERE HAD BEEN ONLY A HANDFUL OF ENQUIRIES.

THIS, HE THOUGHT, WAS BECAUSE IN COMMERCIAL TERMS HELICOPTER OPERATIONS WERE FINELY BALANCED VENTURES+.

AND, THE DEMAND FOR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL HELICOPTER SERVICES FOR PASSENGER SERVICES APPEARED TO BE SMALL, BECAUSE SUCH OPERATIONS HAD TO COMPETE WITH ESTABLISHED EFFICIENT, CONVENIENT AND MUCH CHEAPER METHODS OF TRANSPORT.

AS A RESULT OF THE HIGH COSTS INVOLVED IN THE PROVISION OF THE NECESSARY PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO FACILITATE COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER SERVICES, AND IN VIEW OF THE LIMITED DEMAND DEMONSTRATED THUS FAR, NO DIRECT INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER SERVICES WAS JUSTIFIED AT PRESENT, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, DURING THE PAST YEAR, FOUR SITES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING SUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT BY COMMERCIAL OPERATORS AS BASES FOR DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL SERVICES SHOULD THERE BE A DEMAND FOR SUCH SERVICES.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON PETER POON ON GOVERNMENT POLICY REGARDING COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER SERVICES.

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