ENG-1962 — Page 303

COMMUNICATIONS

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had been the scene of many earlier historic flights, was consider- ably extended by reclamation during the early 1930's, and in 1936 a weekly mail and passenger service between Hong Kong and Penang, connecting with the London-Singapore-Australia service, was inaugurated by Imperial Airways. Later that year services to Canton and Shanghai were introduced and in 1937 Pan American Airways opened up the trans-Pacific route to Manila and San Francisco. By the time the Pacific war broke out in 1941 five companies were operating regular scheduled flights to and from the Colony.

After the war, civil air transport re-started at an increased tempo and it soon became apparent that the advent of bigger aircraft had made existing facilities quite inadequate. The mountainous nature of Hong Kong's terrain made a site for a new airport difficult to find and the decision was made to modernize and develop the existing site by very extensive reclamation. Work on this project started in 1956 and in a truly remarkable feat of engineering a promontory 7,800 feet long and 800 feet wide was reclaimed from the waters of Kowloon Bay. A gap in the surround- ing hills at Lei Yue Mun Pass makes possible direct approaches to the seaward end of the runway, while the extensive removal of hills has provided a safe, gently curving approach from the landward end.

The new runway, 8,340 feet long and stressed. to take aircraft weighing up to 400,000 pounds, was opened in 1958. It is suitable for use by the most modern types of aircraft now flying or cur- rently envisaged. The latest navigational and approach aids have been installed and an instrument landing system, surveillance radar, and precision approach radar contribute greatly to the safety and regularity of air services to the Colony. Modern airport and approach lighting have made safe night operations possible in spite of the surrounding hills.

A new terminal building, one of the most advanced in the Far East, came into use in November 1962. Operating on a 'two level' system, with arriving passengers being processed on the ground floor and departing passengers mainly on the first floor, the build- ing has been planned to eliminate those irritating delays to which air travellers are sometimes subjected. Modern shops, bars and a restaurant cater to the needs of passengers and visitors, and a