In the past year, the preparatory work of the Three-runway System (3RS) project of the HKIA reached a milestone. Following the successful flight check in April 2022, the new North Runway was opened to airlines for operation familiarisation in July 2022 and officially commissioned on 25 November 2022. The Centre Runway was then temporarily closed for reconfiguration as part of the 3RS development which was targeted for completion in 2024. Until then the HKIA will continue to operate with the new North Runway and the South Runway under the Interim Two-Runway System (I-2RS).
To ensure a safe and seamless transition to I-2RS operation, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) has made thorough preparations in advance. These include organisation of Interim Air Traffic Control Tower conversion and familiarisation training for air traffic control staff in May 2022, and conducting various drills and exercises in collaboration with the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), airline operators, as well as relevant government departments in June 2022. The CAD will continue to support the ongoing work in preparation for the successful implementation of the 3RS, and give regulatory advice to the AAHK in a timely manner to guarantee the operation of the HKIA is in compliance with the aerodrome licensing requirements.
In addition to taking forward the HKIA 3RS project in full swing, the CAD is committed to strengthening the HKIA's status as an international air cargo hub. During the year, the AAHK established the Hong Kong International Airport Logistics Park (HKIALP) in Dongguan and an airside intermodal cargo pier at the HKIA. These facilities allow export air cargo from the Mainland to be screened, palletised and accepted for shipment at the HKIALP, and transported by ship to the airside intermodal cargo pier at the HKIA for carriage on departure flights without undergoing further security screening. Throughout the formulation and implementation process of the scheme, the CAD has closely liaised with the AAHK and provided regulatory advice to ensure compliance with Hong Kong's air cargo security regulations. Upon full operation of the HKIALP and the new cargo intermodal model, costs and cargo handling time will be effectively reduced, thus further enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of cargo transshipment services in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
During the year, regulation of small unmanned aircraft also entered a new phase. The Small Unmanned Aircraft Order (SUA Order), a subsidiary legislation under the Civil Aviation Ordinance (Cap. 448), came into effect on 1 June 2022. The new regulatory framework harnesses the potential of SUA applications on the one hand and, on the other, ensuring aviation and public safety. To facilitate the implementation of the new legislation, the CAD launched the “Electronic Portal for Small Unmanned Aircraft (eSUA)” in May 2022 for the convenience of the public to register, make applications and access safety information. As at 31 March 2023, over 18 000 remote pilot registration applications and more than 22 000 SUA registration applications were handled. The CAD will keep up its publicity and educational efforts through various means and communicate regularly with SUA/model aircraft associations and manufacturers, in a bid to raise the safety awareness of relevant sectors and organisations, as well as the general public, about SUA operations.
The National 14th Five-Year Plan and the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area indicate strong support for the consolidation of Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub. The CAD has always been playing an active role in the national civil aviation development and collaboration with its Mainland counterparts, including the active participation of operational evaluation of the C919 aircraft. In 2022, the CAD deployed a flight operations expert to Shanghai for two months to partake in the C919 T5 test for flight crew training. The successful completion of the T5 Test and presentation of the Aircraft Evaluation Report by the Civil Aviation Administration of China in November 2022 not only represented a monumental landmark for the certification project, but also signified the CAD's contribution to the development of the country's aircraft manufacturing industry.
Hong Kong has been enjoying the distinctive advantages of the strong support of our country and the close connection to the world. Looking forward to the year ahead, the aviation industry will further recover, and the demand for air transport services from the public and visitors will increase. The CAD, as a professional, committed and dedicated team, will continue to strive for the best in promoting the development of the aviation industry and safeguarding aviation safety. We will also seize the opportunities to actively participate in the development of the GBA and better integrate into the overall national development. I believe that the Hong Kong's aviation industry will fly high and scale new heights.