ENG-1959 — Page 307

256

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

terminal apron area designed to accommodate eleven large air- craft, complete with a hydrant refuelling system controlled from a centralized fuel farm, the construction of a new freight building which was converted for use as a temporary terminal building pending the completion of a permanent terminal building in 1961, the installation of airport and approach lighting systems to inter- national standards, the installation of standard instrument landing systems and the installation of certain radio and radar air naviga- tion and approach aids recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The airport is now capable of handling the new jet and prop-jet aircraft, which started flying on the Pacific routes for the first time during this year. The completed runway is 8,350 feet long and 200 feet wide, and cleared areas of 300 feet and 800 feet are provided at the south-east and north-west ends of the runway. The runway, associated parallel taxiways and aircraft terminal apron are stressed to take aircraft weighing up to 400,000 lbs. all-up weight.

The third and final stage of the initial development plan, which entails the provision of a permanent terminal building and asso- ciated ancillary buildings, has been delayed by the necessity to redesign the proposed passenger and baggage checking channels and is now expected to be completed about the middle of 1961. Hong Kong Airport lies at the base of the Kowloon peninsula and its new runway extends into Kowloon Bay. The airport is suitable for both land and sea operations, although at the moment there is no operational requirement for an alighting base for civil flying-boats. The airport hours of operation were extended from fourteen to eighteen per day in the middle of the year and will be extended to twenty four when the necessary skilled staff can be recruited. The Director of Civil Aviation and a small number of specialist officers, who supervise all aspects of civil aviation and co-ordinate plans for its development in the Colony, are respon- sible for the administration and operation of the Airport. Of the total staff of 353 officers in the Civil Aviation Department, 326 are locally recruited; and training facilities are made available in both Hong Kong and the United Kingdom to enable all technical personnel to gain further knowledge and experience.

The Civil Aviation Department possesses staff and equipment for the usual administrative and operational services such as Air