The Air Traffic Management Division (ATMD) is responsible for the provision of air navigation services to civil aircraft operating within the Hong Kong Flight Information Region (HKFIR). The services include air traffic services, and search and rescue coordination. With the mission of providing safe, reliable and sustainable air navigation services, and maintaining efficient and orderly air traffic operations within the HKFIR, the ATMD is also responsible for the training of air traffic control (ATC) personnel, provision of aeronautical telecommunication services and design of the ATC procedures.
With air traffic recovering from the pandemic since early 2023, the ATMD will continue to closely monitor the traffic growth and provide safe and efficient ATC services in a dedicated and professional manner.
During this financial year, there were a total of 162 932 aircraft movements at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) handled by the ATMD. In addition, the division handled 132 271 overflights transiting the HKFIR (13 172 of which were flights into and out of Macao International Airport). As the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on air traffic operations has been subsiding, aircraft movements at the HKIA and the number of overflights handled by the ATMD increased year-over-year by 10.89% and 29.67% respectively.
The ATMD will continue to closely monitor the post pandemic air traffic recovery rate and judiciously increase the runway capacity at various periods as demand resurges.
Flight safety is of paramount importance in the ATC field. To ensure that the Civil Aviation Department maintains the safety standard, the ATMD's Training and Safety Section administered the validation examinations for the issuance of initial ATC qualification to Student Air Traffic Control Officers (SATCOs) according to a well-established mechanism. The ATMD's Operations Section also conducted regular re-validation examinations to verify the standard and competency of rated Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs). In the year, 183 validation and revalidation examinations were conducted in the four ATC streams, i.e. Aerodrome Control, Approach Control, Terminal Control and Area Control. On top of that, the ATMD also conducted examinations and issued certificates for officers who had attained other ATC-related qualifications, such as the ATC Meteorological Reporter Certificates, On-the-job Training Instructor Certificates and Flow Control Certificates.
To identify suitable candidates with potential in the ATC aspects and to ensure they are properly trained, the ATMD's Training and Safety Section has a comprehensive recruitment process and training plan for the ATC staff. A total of six ATCOs III were recruited in batches and joined the CAD in the 2022-23 financial year. Another round of recruitment exercises were launched in the same financial year and targeted to intake around 80 ATCOs III, SATCOs and ATFSOs III in total in the coming financial years.
In addition, the ATMD periodically reviewed relevant tests in recruitment exercises for various posts to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of recruitment operations.
As at 31 March 2023, there were 353 ATCO grade and 138 ATFSO grade established posts in the CAD.
To equip SATCOs with the required aviation knowledge, a series of well-designed training will be arranged for them after they joined the ATMD. They are required to complete the training programme, which comprises a number of modules at different stages, so as to perform operational ATC duties independently. To start with, SATCOs are provided with induction training to acquire basic aviation and ATC knowledge. They will then attend courses on basic ATC and basic flying knowledge as part of their professional training.
The basic ATC course aims to impart fundamental ATC knowledge and skills to SATCOs through theoretical and practical training to meet the training requirements set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). In the past, these courses were provided by overseas approved training organisations. Since 2019, the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has started to provide local Basic ATC Courses. Up to the end of March 2023, a total of 62 SATCOs have completed this local course. Courses on basic flying knowledge will also be arranged for SATCOs to broaden their exposure to various aspects of the ATC operations from the perspective of airspace users and to enhance their understanding of basic principles of aircraft operations. As at end of March 2023, a total of 15 SATCOs have completed the basic flying knowledge training which consisted of ground lectures and simulator flying provided by a local organisation.
To attain the ATC professional qualifications, SATCOs will then attend specialised ATC rating courses. In addition to classroom learning, there are practical simulator exercises in the ATC Surveillance Simulator or the Control Tower Simulator. Subject to satisfactory performance in the simulator practice, SATCOs will be given on-the-job training at operational working positions. During the training, SATCOs have to achieve the required standards to perform the ATC duties independently before they can be recommended for initial qualification checks. After passing the initial qualification check, a SATCO will progress to an ATCO III. To become a fully qualified air traffic control officer, i.e. an ATCO II, further specialised ATC rating training is indispensable. It normally takes around five to seven years for a SATCO to become an ATCO II.
To ensure an uninterrupted supply of qualified ATC manpower, the ATMD developed a well-crafted training programme for the ATC personnel. The training programme is reviewed regularly to ensure operational needs are fulfilled and the anticipated air traffic growth can be coped with.
During this financial year, 32 professional ATC training courses were conducted and 82 ATC ratings or professional ATC qualifications were issued.
Furthermore, advanced training in various aspects, including search and rescue, project risk management, coaching and counselling skills, quality management, safety management and instrument flight procedure design, were also arranged for the ATC staff to equip them with the requisite knowledge to perform specialised duties.
As the ability of air traffic controllers to handle high volume of traffic and emergency situations is always of utmost importance, the ATMD has been arranging regular refresher simulator training in the year to ensure the competency of controllers and trainees under on-the-job training in handling various situations and to prepare for the recovery of the aviation industry.
The Third Runway Project of the HKIA requires transition of the ATC operations from Two-runway System (2RS) to Interim Two runway System (I-2RS) and eventually to Three-runway System (3RS) in phases. During the year, conversion training for the ATC staff and familiarisation visits to the new Interim ATC Tower (IAT) were completed by the ATMD in May 2022. To ensure a safe and seamless transition to I-2RS operations, the ATMD collaborated with the AAHK, Hong Kong Observatory, Government Flying Service (GFS), airline operators and other CAD divisions in conducting various drills and exercises in June 2022, including Aircraft Taxi Drills, Aircraft Crash Exercise on the new North Runway, IAT evacuation and North Tower Activation Drills. A dedicated transition team was formed to support frontline ATC personnel during I-2RS transition and a Command Post comprised of CAD management team was also established to oversee the transition and coordinate in a timely manner with various divisions and external organisations during the cutover phase. The transition went off without a hitch and operation familiarisation of the new North Runway commenced on 8 July 2022. The new North Runway was officially commissioned on 25 November 2022 and the Centre Runway is currently closed for reconfiguration and targeted to reopen in 2024 to support the 3RS operations.
The use of Approach Path Monitoring (APM) and Departure Path Monitoring (DPM) by the CAD on the existing runways to detect departures and arrivals at the HKIA deviating from the pre-defined flight paths has been very effective in preventing controlled flight into terrain since their implementation in 2019. Evaluation is being conducted to extend the use of APM and DPM for the monitoring of flight paths to support the 3RS operations in future.
Digital Tower Facilities (DTF) have been launched in the ATC Towers at the HKIA since July 2022. Equipped with ultra-high resolution cameras strategically positioned throughout the HKIA, the DTF provides real-time panoramic views to the ATC personnel, supplemented with augmented features such as correlation of flight data with aircraft and vehicle images. The inclusion of high-performance panoramic views in the DTF has significantly improved situational awareness for the ATC personnel, particularly in challenging conditions such as low-light and adverse weather scenarios. As a result, this enhancement has effectively bolstered the safety and efficiency of the ATC operations at the HKIA.
In April 2022, the Flight Inspection Center of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) was commissioned to conduct flight validation for the instrument flight procedures of the New North Runway of the HKIA and the results were satisfactory. It represented a major milestone of the New North Runway in achieving the readiness for launching service in 2022. After opening up to airlines for operation familiarisation in July 2022, the New North Runway inaugurated on 25 November 2022.
Since the New North Runway commenced its operation familiarisation in July 2022, the Centre Runway was temporarily closed for reconfiguration as part of the development of the 3RS which was targeted to complete in 2024. Until then, the HKIA would continue to operate as an I-2RS with the new North Runway and the South Runway.
To promote flight safety, the Hong Kong Sector Flight Safety Committee comprising local airspace users continued to meet regularly to coordinate flight safety issues in the local low-level airspace. These local airspace users include fixed wing operators and rotary wing operators (GFS, the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, Sky Shuttle Helicopters Limited, Heliservices (Hong Kong) Limited and Hong Kong Aviation Club), Hong Kong Paragliding Association and private aircraft owners.
The ATMD maintained close liaison with regional and international SAR authorities and continued to participate in local and international aeronautical SAR meetings. To strengthen SAR support, 15 experienced ATCOs were arranged to attend SAR training courses this year to equip themselves with specialised knowledge to perform SAR coordination duties. Besides, SAR refresher training had also been provided to SAR-qualified ATCOs to maintain their competency in SAR coordination procedures and keep them abreast of the latest SAR development.
The Aeronautical Information Management Centre (AIMC) is responsible for the provision of aeronautical information to the aviation community in the form of aeronautical information products necessary for the safety, regularity and efficiency of air navigation. Aeronautical information products provided by the AIMC include the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), AIP Amendment, AIP Supplement, Aeronautical Information Circular, Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and aeronautical charts. The AIMC is also responsible for processing flight plans for flights departing from the HKIA. To further enhance the accessibility to the most up-to-date Hong Kong NOTAM, the AIMC has launched the Hong Kong NOTAM online service since March 2023.
In the year, the AIMC handled 1 027 913 NOTAMs and 89 023 flight plans.
The Aeronautical Network Centre (ANC) offers reliable, high quality and efficient telecommunication services for the exchange of air traffic service messages and operational meteorological messages in support of air navigation services. In addition, the ANC provides 24-hour aeronautical broadcasting service by means of voice and digital dispatch to aircraft in flight for acquiring latest weather information necessary for flight operation. To ensure safe network security for the ATC systems, the ANC monitors firewall systems in real time and provides 24-hour network security alerting service.
In the year, the number of messages handled by the ANC was 64 844 343, with an increase of 15% compared with 2021. On aeronautical broadcasting service, the number of operational meteorological messages dispatched to aircraft in flight was 342 323.
Regarding the implementation of Common Aeronautical Virtual Private Network (CRV), Hong Kong has further expanded the network infrastructure by successfully establishing a new CRV circuit with Bangkok since August 2022. Together with the existing CRV circuits with Beijing, Fukuoka, Manila and Taipei, the overall efficiency and reliability of Aeronautical Fixed Service have been significantly enhanced.
The CAD has been actively participating in harmonising the Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) with other Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) in the Asia-Pacific region. Working hand in hand, the CAD and the relevant authorities in Singapore, Thailand and China jointly developed the Distributed Multi-nodal ATFM network, a concept of Common Operational Procedure (COP) for the ATFM applicable to the Asia-Pacific region, and further promoted it to many Southeast Asian countries, such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia. The ICAO also adopted this concept in establishing a framework of cross border ATFM in the Asia-Pacific region.
The primary ATFM measure in the COP is the use of Ground Delay Programme (GDP). It regulates the air traffic flow by allocating Calculated Take-Off Time to offset airborne delay, so as to solve the imbalance of demand and capacity of the airport and airspace caused by weather or other unpredicted events. Flights could then be managed in a more organised manner, and fuel consumption and environmental pollution could be reduced.
With a number of successful operational trials of the GDP, the Korea Office of Civil Aviation has agreed to facilitate the GDP initiated by Hong Kong China whenever there is an imbalance of demand and capacity. The collaboration allows the CAD to act as a bridge between Northeast and Southeast Asia so as to provide better air navigation services for the entire Asia-Pacific region.
To consolidate and enhance the status of Hong Kong as an international aviation hub, and support the development of a world-class airport cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), including the construction of the 3RS at the HKIA and the expansion of other airports in the GBA, the CAD has been working closely with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao (AACM) through the Tripartite Working Group (TWG) on ATM issues in the GBA. The objective is to collaboratively formulate appropriate measures, with a view to allowing every airport in the region to operate at their best efficiency. Over the years, a number of air traffic control improvement measures have already been implemented, which optimised the air traffic management in the region and facilitated air traffic in the region to sustainably develop in a safe and efficient manner.
In the year, the TWG held over 10 video conferences to seek continuous enhancement of ATM initiatives and launched a study on airspace planning of the airport cluster in the GBA. The TWG also proactively explore application of new technologies to promote advancement and betterment of the ATC operations in the GBA through innovation.
The CAD will keep collaborating with the CAAC and AACM to actively study and implement various measures for the optimisation of the GBA airspace management, with a view to enabling the 3RS of the HKIA to progressively achieve the target runway capacity of 102 air traffic movements per hour in the long run, and strengthening Hong Kong's status as an international and regional aviation hub.
To mitigate and minimise safety risks during daily operations, the ATMD has implemented a comprehensive Safety Management System, with an aim to prioritise safety, enhance safety culture within the division, and continuously improve safety performance in Hong Kong airspace. According to risk management approach, various activities such as safety data collection and analysis are conducted in order to proactively identify potential safety issues. Appropriate risk mitigation measures and corrective actions may then be implemented in a timely manner to prevent occurrence of safety related events.
The ATMD monitors safety performance continuously and compiles quarterly summaries, which are reviewed by the Air Traffic Management Standards Office, an independent regulatory office of air traffic management related matters. In addition, there is an internal audit programme for various key functional areas of the ATMD to ensure all operations are up to standards and the safety management requirements.
The ATMD will uphold safety risk management principles in managing various air traffic enhancement plans related to the 3RS project at the HKIA and other initiatives in the HKFIR to ensure that identified risks are mitigated properly.
Being one of the leading ANSPs in the Asia-Pacific region, the ATMD is committed to maintaining continuous and close collaboration with other ANSPs in the region through active participation in various video conferences and webinars convened by the ICAO, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation and other civil aviation authorities. Since March 2023, the ATMD resumed participation in face-to-face meetings and conferences. In the year, the ATMD took part in various meetings to share with industry partners valuable experience of implementing new ATM advancement initiatives, such as enhanced wake turbulence separation in Hong Kong and the ATFM for Asia-Pacific region, and pressing ahead with significant ATM improvement initiatives like the introduction of enhanced longitudinal spacing on specific airways in the Asia-Pacific region, with an aim of ensuring seamless integration of important air navigation services upgrades.