XN000022-1987-04-10 — Page 6

V

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1987

MOVE TO REDUCE AIRCRAFT NOISE NUISANCE

*****

REGULATIONS PROVIDING FOR THE FRAMEWORK ENVISAGED UNDER THE CIVIL AVIATION (AIRCRAFT NOISE) ORDINANCE FOR REDUCING THE NOISE NUISANCE CAUSED BY AIRCRAFT WERE PUBLISHED TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS ENACTED IN JUNE 1986, AIMS TO PROHIBIT AIRCRAFT FROM LANDING OR TAKING OFF IN HONG KONG IF THEY DO NOT POSSESS A NOISE CERTIFICATE OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF PERMISSIBLE NOISE.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE CIVIL AVIATION (AIRCRAFT NOISE) (CERTIFICATION) REGULATIONS 1987, PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY, PROVIDE FOR LÍMITED EXEMPTIONS FROM THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE ORDINANCE THAT AIRCRAFT OF PRESCRIBED CLASSES MUST CARRY NOISE CERTIFICATES OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL NOISE STANDARDS.

THEY ALSO PROVIDE FOR THE GRANT OF NOISE CERTIFICATES TO HONG KONG REGISTERED AIRCRAFT AND POWERS TO SUSPEND AND CANCEL NOISE CERTIFICATES, AND TO INSPECT AIRCRAFT IN REGARD TO THE IR COMPLIANCE WITH NOISE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS THE INTENTION TO APPLY THE LEGISLATION TO DIFFERENT CLASSES OF AIRCRAFT AT DIFFERENT TIMES, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANISATION'S (ICAO) REVIEW OF THE PROBLEM OF NOISE IN AIRCRAFT OPERATION.

THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH LAYS DOWN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR THE EMISSION OF NOISE BY AIRCRAFT, WAS FORMALLY ADOPTED BY THE ICAO COUNCIL IN 1981 AS AN ANNEX TO THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION.

ICAO HAS RECOMMENDED THE APPLICATION OF ITS STANDARDS TO FOREIGN AIRCRAFT NOT BEFORE JANUARY 1, 1988 IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FOR AN ORDERLY PHASED APPROACH TO COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE ANNEX.

+AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, IT IS DESIRABLE FOR HONG KONG TO TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE ICAO NOISE STANDARDS BY EXCLUDING NOISY' AIRCRAFT FROM THE HONG KONG REGISTER AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE.+

ALSO PUBLISHED TODAY WERE TWO NOTICES MADE UNDER THE ORDINANCE.

+

THE FIRST SIMPLY BRINGS THE ORDINANCE INTO EFFECT ON MAY 1, 1987, WHILE THE SECOND ONE, ENTITLED THE CIVIL AVIATION (AIRCRAFT NOISE) (AIRCRAFT CLASSES) NOTICE' APPLIES THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCE TO THE FOLLOWING CLASSES OF AIRCRAFT WITH EFFECT FROM MAY 1, 1987:

(A) SUBSONIC JET AIRCRAFT REGISTERED IN HONG KONG;

SUBSONIC JET AIRCRAFT NOT REGISTERED IN HONG KONG BUT OWNED OR OPERATED BY A COMPANY INCORPORATED, OR BY A PERSON ORDINARILY RESIDENT, IN HONG KONG.

(B)

THE SPOKESMAN