XN000022-1986-01-04 — Page 15

SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1986

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IT WILL BE HELD IN THE YUEN YUEN INSTITUTE AT LO WAI ROAD IN TSUEN WAN,

NOTE TO EDITORS:

YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE EVENT.

UC TRACTOR HELPS KEEP KAI TAK SAFE AND TIDY

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ONE OF THE LEAST KNOWN TASKS OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS THE CUTTING OF THE LARGE ACREAGE OF GRASS ADJOINING THE AIRPORT RUNWAY AT KAI TAK. A SPECIAL TRACTOR, TO WHICH A MECHANICAL MOWER IS ATTACHED, PERFORMS THIS TASK, WHICH IS AN ONGOING ONE.

GRASS-CUTTING HAS A VITAL BEARING ON AVIATION SAFETY. UNCUT GRASS, APART FROM ITS UNSIGHTLY APPEARANCE, CAN HARBOUR BIRDS WHICH MIGHT GET SUCKED INTO THE JET ENGINES OF AIRLINERS.

AT THE SAME TIME CUT GRASS MUST BE PROMPTLY AND EFFICIENTLY CLEARED, SINCE IT TOO COULD BE BLOWN INTO THE AIR AND AFFECT ENGINE PERFORMANCE.

THE SPECIAL TRACTOR, ACQUIRED LAST SUMMER, HAS AN ENCLOSED AND AIR-CONDITIONED CABIN, REDUCING THE IMPACT OF AIRCRAFT NOISE ON THE DRIVER, WHO KEEPS IN TOUCH WITH THE AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER BY RADIO.

HEADLIGHTS ENABLE THE TRACTOR TO BE USED AT NIGHT IF

NECESSARY.

SMALLER LAWN-MOWERS ARE USED TO TRIM THE MORE REMOTE CORNERS OF GRASS,

THE COUNCIL HAS A 15-STRONG HORTICULTURAL TEAM AT THE AIRPORT, WHO ALSO TEND THE TREES, SHRUBS, FLOWERBEDS AND LANDSCAPED PRECINCTS AND ROADWAYS MAKING HONG KONG A MORE PLEASANT AND WELCOMING PLACE FOR THE ARRIVING TRAVELLER.

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