XN000022-1987-10-23 — Page 11

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1987

10

AIRPORT SURFACE DETECTION EQUIPMENT COMMISSIONED

NEW AIRFIELD SURFACE DETECTION EQUIPMENT CAPABLE OF DETECTING AIRCRAFT, AND VEHICLES ON THE AIRFIELD AND SHIP MOVEMENTS AROUND THE RUNWAY PROMONTORY HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED

AT HONG KONG

INTERNATIONAL

AIRPORT.

SITUATED ON TOP OF A 40-METRE HIGH TOWER AT KOWLOON BAY RECLAMATION, THE EQUIPMENT'S RADAR HEAD CAN IDENTIFY TARGETS AS SMALL AS A VEHICLE WITHIN A SIX KILOMETRE RANGE. INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION, SHAPE AND SIZE OF THE TARGET OBJECTS IS AUTOMATICALLY RELAYED TO THE CONTROL TOWER AND DISPLAYED ON A RADAR SCREEN.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SAID EQUIPMENT WOULD HELP TO REDUCE THE WORKLOAD OF AIR CONTROLLERS WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD TO RELY ON VISUAL SURVEILLANCE AIRFIELD AND THE HARBOUR.

THE NEW TRAFFIC OF THE

"THE CONTINUOUS FLOW OF RADAR INFORMATION WILL ASSIST IN THE PREVENTION OF COLLISION BETWEEN AIRCRAFT AND VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT AND IN POOR VISIBILITY, HE SAID.

AS SHIPS UNDER THE FLIGHT PATH TO THE RUNWAY MAY POSE HEIGHT OBSTRUCTIONS TO ARRIVING AND DEPARTING AIRCRAFT, IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE DETECTION EQUIPMENT TO ALSO MONITOR SHIPPING MOVEMENTS.

MARINE WITHIN

THE DETECTION EQUIPMENT WILL ALSO PROVIDE DATA FOR THE VESSEL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM NOW BEING INTRODUCED BY THE DEPARTMENT. THE NEW SYSTEM WILL DISPLAY SHIPPING MOVEMENTS VICTORIA HARBOUR AND UP TO LEI YUE MUN GAP.

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CONSUMER PRICE INDICES FOR SEPTEMBER RELEASED

(B)

FOR

THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) AND CONSUMER PRICE INDEX SEPTEMBER 1987 WERE BOTH 110.8, REPRESENTING INCREASES OF 5.9 CENT AND 5.7 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY OVER SEPTEMBER 1986, ACCORDING THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (FRIDAY).

PER ΤΟ

COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1987 AND BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS COMPARISON MAY BE AFFECTED BY SEASONAL FACTORS, THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) INCREASED BY 0.3 PER CENT AND THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (B) BY 0.4 PER CENT.

THE AVERAGE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) AND AVERAGE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (B) FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 1987, AT 107.6 AND 107.8 RESPECTIVELY, WERE BOTH 4.7 PER CENT HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 1986.

/DURING THE ..........