ENG-1987 — Page 256

TRANSPORT

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In May, Transcorp Airways (Hong Kong) Limited, after receiving its air operator's certificate, began non-scheduled cargo services between Hong Kong and Sydney with a B707 freighter.

The Hong Kong/Netherlands Air Services Agreement, which was concluded by Hong Kong under specific authorisation from the United Kingdom Government, entered into force on June 26. This was the first in a series of air services agreements which Hong Kong aims to conclude with other governments in the coming years. These agreements have been specifically designed with the relevant provisions of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong in mind.

The Civil Aviation (Aircraft Noise) Ordinance, which provides, inter alia, for the prohibition of aircraft not meeting international noise standards from landing and taking off in Hong Kong, came into force on May 1. The relevant provisions of the ordinance are to be implemented in stages. The first stage, effective from May 1, applies to subsonic jet aircraft registered in Hong Kong and subsonic jet aircraft not registered in Hong Kong, but owned or operated by a Hong Kong company or resident. The second stage, covering foreign aircraft, has yet to be implemented.

At Hong Kong International Airport, progress was made on a number of ongoing projects, and new projects were launched.

Work continued on the Stage V extension of the Passenger Terminal Building and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 1988. The capacity of the terminal building will then be increased by about 50 per cent - to 18 million passengers per annum.

The 22-month-long project to provide paved shoulders along the full length of the runway to eliminate the severe soil erosion problem caused by jet efflux, which commenced in May 1986, continued on schedule. This project is scheduled for completion in March 1988. During this period, the runway is closed to aircraft operations from midnight to 8.45 a.m. daily.

In March, new walk-through metal detectors and film-safe X-ray baggage inspection machines were introduced for security screening of departing passengers and their hand baggage.

A new money-changing system was introduced on March 15 to provide an improved service. Under this system, the money changers must apply the exchange rates which are used by major local banks and displayed on a TV monitor installed at their premises. A single service charge not exceeding five per cent of the Hong Kong dollar value of the transaction is levied.

From September 1, Duty Free Shoppers (1973) Limited ceased to be the contractor for the duty-free liquor and tobacco concession after 25 years of operation. A new concessionaire, Kiu Fat Investment Corporation Limited, has taken over and will operate there for five years. In October, a short-range radar capable of monitoring aircraft and vehicle movements on the runway, taxiway and apron areas at night and in poor visibility, was commissioned. An advanced computerised radar data processing and display system is to be introduced in the air traffic control centre to enhance the efficiency of the air traffic control service. A set of new air traffic control simulators, used for the initial and refresher training of air traffic control staff, was acquired to replace the old simulators and to match the new functional system. Installation of the equipment progressed on schedule, and the two systems will be commissioned in phases in the first half of 1988.

In the latter part of 1987, two studies were started in respect of the airport.

An airport ground noise consultancy study began in September. Its objectives are to determine the extent of ground noise and to recommend abatement measures. This study