Expansion
of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System |
Submission of Procedures
for Mitigation of Aircraft Noise |
Contents
1.3
Structure of this Document
2
Overview of Aircraft Noise Mitigation Measures
2.2
Additional Aircraft Noise Mitigation Measures and Incentives Implemented
at HKIA
2.2.1
Reduction of Noise at Source - Further Restrictions on Noisy Aircraft
Types
2.2.2
Land-use Planning and Management
2.2.3
Noise Abatement Operational Procedures - Radius-to-Fix Flight Procedures
2.2.4
Operating Restriction - Noise Quota Count Pilot Scheme introduced for
Existing 2RS Operation
2.3.2
West Lamma Channel Departures
2.3.3
Required Navigation Performance (RNP) Track 6
2.3.5
Noise Abatement Departure Procedures (NADP) to the Northeast
2.3.6
Continuous Descent Approach from the Northeast
3
West Lamma Channel Departures in East Flow Operation
3.2
Implementation Details of the Procedure in Existing 2RS
3.3
Planned Implementation for I-2RS Operation
3.3.1
Required Procedure Development
3.3.2
Required Changes to the AIP
4
Noise Abatement Departure Procedures in East Flow Operation
4.2
Implementation Details of the Procedure in Existing 2RS
4.3
Planned Implementation for I-2RS Operation
4.3.1
Required Procedure Development
4.3.2
Required Changes to the AIP
5
Continuous Descent Approach in West Flow Operation
5.2
Implementation Details of the Procedure in Existing 2RS
5.3
Planned Implementation for I-2RS Operation
5.3.1
Required Procedure Development
5.3.2
Required Changes to the AIP
A. Implementation
Schedule as presented in Table 20.1 of the approved 3RS EIA Report
B. Enlarged Plans
of Figure 3.1
C. Enlarged Plans of
Figure 3.2
Tables
Table 2.1: Implementation Schedule of
Aircraft Noise Mitigation Measures for I-2RS and 3RS
Figures
Figure 1.1: Runway Operation
Configuration
Figure 3.1: Noise Mitigating SID
routings during East Flow in existing HKIA operation
Figure 3.2: Noise Mitigating SID
routings during East Flow in I-2RS operation
2RS |
Two-runway System |
3RS |
Three-runway System |
AAHK |
Airport Authority Hong Kong |
AIC |
Aeronautical Information Circular |
AIP |
Aeronautical Information Publication |
ANSP |
Air Navigation Service Provider |
CAD |
Civil Aviation Department |
CDA |
Continuous Descent Approach |
DEP |
Director of Environmental Protection |
Doc |
Document |
EIA |
Environmental Impact Assessment |
EIAO |
Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance |
EM&A |
Environmental Monitoring and Audit |
EP |
Environmental Permit |
EPD |
Environmental Protection Department |
FMS |
Flight Management System |
GPS |
Global Positioning System |
ha |
Hectare |
HK |
Hong Kong |
HKIA |
Hong Kong International Airport |
I-2RS |
Interim Two-runway System |
ICAO |
International Civil Aviation Organization |
ILS |
Instrument Landing System |
MM |
Mott MacDonald |
NADP |
Noise Abatement Departure Procedure |
NEF |
Noise Exposure Forecast |
NSR |
Noise Sensitive Receiver |
PANS-OPS |
Procedure for Air Navigation Services – Aircraft Operations |
QC |
Quota Count |
RF |
Radius-to-Fix |
RNP |
Required Navigation Performance |
RNP-AR |
Required Navigation Performance Authorization Required |
RWY |
Runway |
SID |
Standard Instrument Departure |
T2 Building |
Terminal 2 Building |
Under the Environmental Impact Assessment
Ordinance (EIAO), the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report and the
Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Manual (Register No.:
AEIAR-185/2014) prepared for the “Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport
into a Three-Runway System” (hereafter referred to as the Project or the “3RS
Project”) have been approved by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD),
and an Environmental Permit (EP) (Permit No.: EP-489/2014) has been issued for
the Project.
The
project is planned to be located on a new land formation area immediately north
of existing Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in North Lantau, covering a
permanent footprint of approximately 650 ha. As stated in the approved 3RS EIA,
the project primarily comprises:
● New third runway with associated
taxiways, aprons and aircraft stands;
● New passenger concourse
building;
● Expansion of the existing
Terminal 2 (T2) building; and
● Related airside and landside
works, and associated ancillary and supporting facilities.
As
presented in the approved 3RS EIA Report, the runway operational configuration
will be implemented in phases as shown in Figure 1.1
below. Upon completion of the new third runway and associated taxiways, the existing
north runway will be closed for modification works. During this Interim Phase as described in the approved 3RS EIA Report, the existing south runway and the
new third runway will be in operation, which is hereafter referred to as the
interim two-runway (I-2RS) operation. Upon completion of all essential
infrastructure and facilities, the airport will be operated under the 3RS,
which is hereafter referred to as the 3RS operation.
|
|
Interim 2RS (I-2RS) Operation |
3RS Operation |
The aircraft noise impact assessment completed as part of
the approved 3RS EIA Report had assessed the aircraft noise impact associated
with the above-mentioned I-2RS and 3RS operation. These covered both the
Worst Operation Mode and Design Capacity as two assessment scenarios for
the 3RS operation in addition to the Interim Phase scenario for the I-2RS
operation. Relevant aircraft noise mitigation measures had been
recommended and adopted as operational assumptions in the detailed aircraft
noise modelling undertaken for the above-mentioned assessment scenarios.
Taking
into account the EIA recommendations and the EP requirements, pursuant to EP
Condition 2.21, the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) is required to prepare
and submit the Procedures for Mitigation of Aircraft Noise for the Project to
the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP, or hereafter referred to as the
Director) for approval no later than 3 months before the operation of the third
runway of the Project.
Mott
MacDonald (MM) has been appointed by AAHK as the Consultant to provide
consultancy services for the 3RS Project, which include, among others, the
preparation of the submission under EP Condition 2.21. The Director-General of
Civil Aviation has been consulted in the preparation of this submission in
accordance with the requirement under EP Condition 2.21.
This
document has been prepared to fulfil EP Condition 2.21 for the I-2RS operation.
The Plan will be updated subsequently to present the procedures for
mitigation of aircraft noise for the 3RS operation when
design details related to the 3RS operation are ready.
Following this introductory section, this Plan is structured
as follows:
Section
2 Overview of Aircraft
Noise Mitigation Measures
Section
3 West Lamma Channel
Departures in East Flow Operation
Section
4 Noise Abatement
Departure Procedures in East Flow Operation
Section 5 Continuous Descent Approach from Northeast in West Flow Operation
The
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) developed the Balanced
Approach to Aircraft Noise Management in 2001 and published a relevant ICAO
guidance document on the subject in 2004. The Balanced Approach is an
internationally agreed approach to managing aircraft noise at large airports.
The Balanced Approach involves utilising four different types of measures,
including:
1. Reduction of Noise at Source
2. Land-use Planning and Management
3. Noise Abatement Operational Procedures
4. Operating Restrictions
Each
of these types of measures aims to tackle noise-related issues from a different
dimension and contributes to the overall noise mitigation objectives for an
airport.
In Hong Kong, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) has been
implementing a series of aircraft noise mitigation measures and initiatives in
accordance with the ICAO’s Balanced Approach. These include the following
measures as described in Section 7.3.2.5 of the approved 3RS EIA Report:
(i) all noisy jet
aircraft which do not comply with the noise standard set out in Chapter 3 of
Annex 16 Volume I, Part II to the Convention on International Civil Aviation
are not allowed to operate at HKIA since July 2002;
(ii) between midnight
and 07:00 am, arriving aircraft are required to land from the southwest,
subject to acceptable wind direction and safety consideration since October
1998;
(iii) aircraft departing to
the northeast of the airport between midnight and 07:00 am are required to use
the southbound route via the West Lamma Channel, subject to acceptable
operational and safety consideration since October 1998. The application
period was revised to 11:00 pm to 07:00 am since January 1999;
(iv) aircraft departing to
the northeast are required to adopt the noise abatement take-off procedures
stipulated by ICAO so long as safe flight operations permit;
(v) all aircraft on
approach to the HKIA from the northeast between 11:00 pm to 07:00 am are
encouraged to adopt the Continuous Descent Approach (CDA).
As
described in Sections 7.3.2.7 to 7.3.2.10 of the approved 3RS EIA Report, CAD
has been exploring additional measures and new initiatives that could be
implemented to further reduce the aircraft noise impact arising from the
existing operation at HKIA. AAHK had also initiated a detailed study to
develop an environmental charges/ incentives scheme as a means of encouraging
airlines to use quieter aircraft; actively managed the night flights demand;
and also committed to either the provision of, or to pay for, noise insulation
measures at all domestic houses/ structures affected by aircraft noise.
These additional measures and initiatives, which have been introduced at HKIA
and covered all four aspects of measures under the above-mentioned Balanced Approach
promulgated by ICAO, are described in the section below.
Improved
aircraft designs through adoption of new technology mean the newer generation
aircraft generate less noise. Each aircraft type is certified for their noise
performance based on both engine and the airframe noise as per ICAO Annex 16
and Doc 9501.
As described above, CAD has implemented a ban in July 2002
on jet
aircraft that do not comply with the noise standards stipulated in Chapter 3 of
ICAO Annex 16 Volume I, Part II to reduce aircraft noise at source.
Those aircraft types that marginally comply with
Chapter 3 noise standards are also not allowed in scheduled operations into
HKIA since the end of March 2014 between 2300 and 0659 hours, and this
requirement had been extended to the whole day since October 2014.
To further improve the local noise environment and to
alleviate the aircraft noise impact on the local communities, CAD have
implemented a further restriction on aircraft that do not comply with the more
stringent Chapter 4 of ICAO Annex 16 Volume I, Part II. These aircraft,
which have been referred to as Non-chapter 4 Equivalent Aircraft in the
relevant Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) 18/18 dated 10 September 2018
issued by CAD, have not been allowed to schedule operations at HKIA between 2200 and
0659 hours since March 2019.
Based
on the results of the aircraft noise modelling presented for the years 2030 and
2032 scenarios, part of the Noise Exposure Forecast (NEF) 25 contours will
encroach onto a Comprehensive Development Area site in Lok On Pai. As
described in Sections 7.3.4.8 and 7.3.4.14 of the approved 3RS EIA Report,
Planning Department has already been informed of the requirement of allowing
non-noise sensitive uses only within the NEF 25 contour in their preparation of
the planning brief to control the future development in the Comprehensive
Development Area site in Lok On Pai through the established planning mechanism
and also in the lease.
It
is noted that an outline zoning plan (No. S/TM/35) was subsequently published
by the Town Planning Board in December 2018 with a requirement to conduct an
environmental assessment for any planned developments at the Comprehensive
Development Area site in Lok On Pai.
The
approved 3RS EIA Report had identified that after exhausting all practicable
direct noise mitigation measures, it is unavoidable that some village houses/
licensed structures in and around Sha Lo Wan and certain village houses/
licensed structures along North Lantau shorelines would still be situated
within the NEF 25 contours, though the extent of encroachment would be reduced
once the 3RS becomes operational when the existing south runway could be put on
standby at night. In line with the indirect mitigation measures already
provided to Sha Lo Wan village at airport opening, AAHK had already delivered
its commitment made in Section 7.3.2.10 of the approved 3RS EIA Report to
either provide, or to pay for, noise insulation measures at all existing
domestic houses/ structures within the other newly affected villages named in
Table 7.3.2 of the approved 3RS EIA Report.
As described in Section 7.3.2.7 of
the approved 3RS EIA Report, CAD has implemented since 2012 a set of departure
flight procedures (known as Radius-to-Fix flight procedures) whereby aircraft
which are capable to use satellite-based navigation technology, when departing
to the northeast from HKIA, can adhere closely to the nominal flight track when
making the turn to the West Lamma Channel, thereby keeping the aircraft at a
distance away from the areas in the vicinity of the flight paths, and reducing
the noise impact on these areas.
CAD has been encouraging airlines with
aircraft equipped with the above-mentioned satellite-based navigation
technology to adopt the Radius-to-Fix flight procedures. Since the
introduction of the Radius-to-Fix
(RF) flight procedures in 2012, the proportion of flights adopting the
procedures has steadily increase. These RF departure procedures are now
being assigned as the default procedure in preference to the basic flight
procedures for aircraft departing from Runways 07 during the noise mitigating
period between 2301 and 0700 to further increase their utilisation.
AAHK has completed the detailed study mentioned in Section 7.3.2.9 of
the approved 3RS EIA Report to develop an
environmental charges/ incentives scheme as a means of encouraging airlines to
use quieter aircraft types. Taking into account the study findings, AAHK
introduced and implemented a Noise Quota Count (QC) Pilot Scheme for the
existing 2RS operation since the Summer Season of 2017 after thorough
consultation with the aviation community. AAHK had also managed the night
flights demand at HKIA to ensure that the noise contour in the remaining years
of existing two-runway operations would not expand into any new Noise Sensitive
Receivers (NSRs) on top of the affected villages reported in the approved
3RS EIA Report.
The
approved 3RS EIA Report has recommended six noise abatement operational
procedures for the 3RS operation which have been listed in EP Condition 2.21,
as reproduced below:
The
Permit Holder shall, no later than 3 months before the operation of the third
runway of the Project, submit 3 hard copies and 1 electronic copy of the
procedures to the Director for approval. The procedures shall describe at least
the following mitigation measures recommended in the approved EIA report
(Register No. AEIAR-185/2014):
(i)
putting the existing south runway on standby where possible at night
between 2300 hours and 0659 hours;
(ii)
requiring departures to take the southbound route via West Lamma Channel
during east flow at night between 2300 hours and 0659 hours, subject to
acceptable operational and safety consideration;
(iii)
assigning a new arrival Required Navigation Performance Track 6 for
preferential use in the runway 25 direction between 2300 hours and 0659 hours;
(iv)
implementing a preferential runway use programme when wind conditions
allow such that west flow is used when departures dominate while east flow is
used when arrivals dominate during night-time;
(v)
adopting the noise abatement take-off procedures stipulated by
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for aircraft departing to the
northeast so long as safe flight operations permit; and
(vi)
adopting the Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) for all aircrafts on
approach to the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) from the northeast
between 2300 hours and 0700 hours.
The
Permit Holder shall consult the Director-General of Civil Aviation in preparing
the procedures.
While the above measures, as described in
Section 7.3.5.3 and summarised in form of an Implementation Schedule in Table
20.1 (see the extract in Appendix A) of the
approved 3RS EIA Report, are for the 3RS operation, some
of these measures are also planned to be adopted in the I-2RS operation as
summarized in Table 2.1. Each of the
procedures are briefly described in Sections 2.3.1
to 2.3.6, with further details of those applicable
to I-2RS set out in Sections 3 to 5.
Table
2.1: Implementation Schedule of Aircraft Noise Mitigation Measures for I-2RS
and 3RS
Item |
Measure |
Description |
Implementation Schedule |
|
I-2RS |
3RS |
|||
i. |
South Runway on Standby |
Putting existing south runway on standby where possible at night between 2300 and 0659 hours. |
Not |
Planned for implementation |
ii. |
West Lamma Channel Departures |
Departures to take southbound West Lamma Channel during east flow at night between 2300 and 0659 hours, subject to acceptable operational and safety considerations. |
Planned for implementation |
Planned for implementation |
iii. |
RNP |
Assigning a new arrival Required Navigation Performance (RNP) Track 6 for preferential use in the runway 25 direction (i.e., west flow) between 2300 hours and 0659 hours. |
Not |
Planned for implementation |
iv. |
Preferential Runway Use |
Preferential runway use programme when wind conditions allow such that west flow is used when departures dominate while east flow is used when arrivals dominate during night-time. |
Not |
Planned for implementation |
v. |
NADP to the Northeast |
Adopting noise abatement departure procedures for aircraft departing to the northeast as long as safe flight operations permit. |
Planned for implementation |
Planned for implementation |
vi. |
CDA from the Northeast |
Adopting CDA for all aircraft on approach from the northeast between 2300 and 0700 hours |
Planned for implementation |
Planned for implementation |
* South Runway on Standby is not operationally feasible with 2 runways in I-2RS (see Section 2.3.1). |
||||
** Taking into account the level of aircraft / aircrew capability and air traffic considerations, the existing RNP Track 6 will continue to be assigned for use in the west flow direction for a limited types of suitably equipped aircraft only when circumstances permit during the I-2RS operation (see Section 2.3.3). |
||||
*** The existing preferential use of Runways 07C and 07R will continue to be applied in the I-2RS operation (see Section 2.3.4). |
Putting the existing south runway on standby at night will minimise
the aircraft noise impact on Sha Lo Wan and other village houses along the
Lantau shorelines that would inevitably be situated within the NEF 25 contour
given their proximity. Yet, as already pointed out in Section 7.3.4.12 of the
approved 3RS EIA Report, this measure is not applicable to both the existing
2RS and in the I-2RS operation as it is operationally
not feasible to put the South Runway on stand-by when there are only two
runways available in total. Therefore, this measure can only be implemented
when the 3RS operation commences with an extra runway to allow the South Runway
to be put on standby, while the remaining two runways rotate between
operational and maintenance modes. Further details about this procedure will be
available when this document is updated for the 3RS operation.
As described under item (iii) in Section 7.3.2.5 of the
approved 3RS EIA Report, and relevant requirements are as specified in Section
2.4 of VHHH AD 2.21 of the Hong Kong Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP
Hong Kong) published by the CAD, currently aircraft departing to the northeast
of the airport between 2301 and 0700 hours are already required to take a
southbound route via the West Lamma Channel, subject to acceptable operational
and safety consideration.
This
existing noise mitigating procedure will continue to be applied in I-2RS and in
the subsequent 3RS operation, including both basic RNP Standard Instrument
Departures (SIDs) as well as the RNP SIDs with Radius-to-Fix (RF) segments as
described in Section 2.2.3 above for effecting a better
noise environment.
Section 3 presents details about the West Lamma
Channel Departure procedure for I-2RS operation.
Currently
the RNP Track 6 is already available as the RNP Y Authorization Required
(AR) approach for arrival to Runways 25L and 25C in the west flow direction in
the existing operation. However, taking into account the level of
aircraft / aircrew capability and air traffic considerations, it is expected
that the existing RNP Track 6 will continue to be assigned for use in the west
flow direction for a limited types of suitably equipped aircraft only when
circumstances permit during the I-2RS operation and initial years of the 3RS
operation. Assigning the RNP Track 6 for preferential use in the runway 25
direction between 2300 and 0659 hours may only happen when there is a more significant level of approval for operators to utilise
the procedures.
This
procedure provides a scheme where the runway direction in use is decided to
preferentially enable the bulk of the traffic to arrive from or depart towards
the west side of HKIA over waters to minimise the noise impact on populated
residential areas to the east of HKIA in the future 3RS operation where
practicable. As summarised in Table 2.1, this
procedure is not due to commence for the I-2RS operation as assumed in the
approved 3RS EIA Report.
The
existing preferential use of Runways 07C/07R will continue to be applied in the
I-2RS operation with a requirement on the preferential use of Runways 07C/07R
throughout the night period when wind conditions allow as specified in Section
2.3.1 of VHHH AD 2.21 in the AIP. The 25 runways are only selected for use when
operationally required due to unserviceability of navigation aids, adverse
weather conditions, aircraft performance or traffic situations, etc.
Currently,
all departures taking off in east flow operation are already required to adopt
NADP as prescribed in ICAO’s Doc 8168 Procedure for Air Navigation Services –
Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS) at any time during the day so long as safe flight operations permit. Under these procedures, aircraft are required to reduce their
power upon reaching an altitude of 800 feet or above to abate aircraft noise.
This
existing noise mitigation procedure, which is detailed in AIP Hong Kong Section
"VHHH AD 2.21 Noise Abatement Procedures > 1 ICAO Noise Abatement
Departure Procedure RWY 07” and included as a noise abatement good practice as
recommended in Section 7.3.5.4 of the approved 3RS EIA Report, will continue to
be applied in I-2RS and in the subsequent 3RS operation.
Section 4 presents details about the NADP
procedure for I-2RS operation.
Currently all aircraft on approach to the HKIA from the
northeast between 2301 and 0700 hours are required to adopt the Continuous
Descent Approach (CDA). This existing noise mitigating procedure, which is detailed in AIP Hong Kong Section “VHHH AD
2.21 Noise Abatement Procedures > 2 Noise Mitigating Measures > 2.2
Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) Procedure for RWY 25L/25C” and included as a
noise abatement good practice as recommended in
Section 7.3.5.4 of the approved 3RS EIA
Report, will continue to be applied in I-2RS and
in the subsequent 3RS operation.
Section 5 presents details about the CDA procedure for
I-2RS operation.
Aircraft
on departure typically fly pre-defined tracks called Standard Instrument Departures
(SIDs). These are in use at HKIA to allow aircraft to safely and efficiently
route away from the airport. SIDs are designed in accordance with ICAO Doc 8168
Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS) in
terms of obstacle clearance for safety but the alignments of the routes are
defined by the local Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) which in Hong
Kong's case is CAD.
In
general, track alignment design takes into consideration many factors including
the need to minimise potential aircraft noise impact:
● Terrain and obstacle clearance;
● Efficiency of the routing;
● Maintenance of required
separation from other traffic operating to or from other runways or airports;
● Direction of the flight and
connection to the desired airways at higher altitudes;
● Avoidance of strategically
important infrastructure;
● Avoidance of restricted areas;
and
● Potential aircraft noise impact.
Use
of the SIDs which route via West Lamma Channel at night by all departing
flights while in east flow operation is an existing noise mitigating procedure
for reducing the number of departing aircraft overflying populated residential
areas and the associated aircraft noise impact.
These
procedures are designed to provide noise mitigation from departure flights as
the flight paths avoid flying over populated
residential areas to the east of HKIA, by requiring all eastbound and
northbound flights to, instead of flying over the city via their normal daytime
tracks, route away from populated residential areas
by initially taking the southbound track via West Lamma Channel before turning
east or north over open waters.
These
departure procedures have been designed to track over water and RNP procedures
are flown with very high navigational accuracy using GPS signals as lateral
guidance. Flights are able to follow the prescribed flight paths very precisely
thereby achieving the objective of minimising the aircraft noise impact.
These
procedures are currently implemented with the following noise mitigating SIDs
for northbound and eastbound flights (see Figure 3.1
and enlarged plans in Appendix B).
All flights departing HKIA between 2301 and 0700 hours are required to take
this track while the airport is in east flow operation.
Figure 3.1: Noise Mitigating SID routings during East Flow in existing HKIA operation |
|
|
|
|
|
Noise mitigating northbound route via West Lamma Channel |
Noise mitigating eastbound route via West Lamma Channel |
Source: AIP Hong Kong |
Enlarged plans presented in Appendix B |
Details of the procedure are published in Hong Kong Aeronautical
Information Publication (AIP Hong Kong) “Section VHHH AD 2.21 Noise Abatement
Procedures > 2 Noise Mitigating Measures > 2.4 Noise Mitigating SIDs RWY
07C/07R”.
The
procedure charts are in “Section VHHH AD 2.24 Charts Related to an Aerodrome”.
The following actions have been
taken for implementation in the I-2RS operation.
CAD
has completed the design of the procedures for use with the New North Runway,
as illustrated in Figure 3.2 (also see the
enlarged plans in Appendix C). As
illustrated with the figures, the
existing mitigating procedures will be adapted for use with the New North
Runway during the I-2RS operation.
Figure 3.2: Noise Mitigating SID routings during East Flow in I-2RS operation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Noise mitigating northbound route |
Noise mitigating eastbound route |
Source: CAD Enlarged plans presented in Appendix C |
|
Note: Please refer to the latest publications on the Hong Kong Aeronautical Information Services website (https://www.ais.gov.hk/) for operational details and up-to-date information. |
The procedures
have been published on the Hong Kong Aeronautical Information Services website
for advance information to airline operators.
Details
already in “Section VHHH AD 2.21 Noise Abatement Procedures > 2 Noise
Mitigating Measures > 2.4 Noise Mitigating SIDs RWY 07C/07R” will continue
to be valid for RWY 07L/07R in the I-2RS operation with the exception of the
timing of the procedure, which will be slightly adjusted from the existing
“between 1501 and 2300 UTC” to “between 1500 and 2300 UTC” to cover the time
period specified under EP Condition 2.21(ii). The new procedure charts will be
published in “Section VHHH AD 2.24 Charts Related to an Aerodrome”.
An
established schedule is in place for the regular publication of new or modified
aeronautical information. The worldwide convention is for the required
information to be published at least 56 days in advance of the commencement of
operation. This publication schedule is adopted by all aeronautical authorities
and operators worldwide including CAD.
Noise
Abatement Departure Procedures (NADPs) are procedures applied by aircraft
climbing from 800ft through to 3000ft on departure where engine thrust can be
varied to change the noise footprint. General guidance materials are available
in ICAO Doc 8168 Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Aircraft Operations
(PANS-OPS) Part III Section 9. There are two implementations named NADP1 and
NADP2 for mitigating noise closer to or further away from an airport
respectively.
The
requirement to adopt NADP procedures is prescribed in the AIP for operators to
follow and comply. All operators are required to adopt either NADP 1 or NADP 2
procedures for all departures from RWY 07L and RWY 07R.
The
procedures are flown by pilots with flight management system (FMS) support. As
the procedures require customisation of the aircraft operating parameters, the
actual procedure adopted will be designed and administered by individual operators
and are different between aircraft operators and aircraft types.
As specified in Section 1.3
of VHHH AD 2.21 of the AIP Hong Kong published by CAD, all operators are
required to adopt either NADP 1 or NADP 2 procedures for all departures to the
east of HKIA. CAD refers aircraft operators to PANS-OPS for details
about the design and implementation of these procedures.
Details of the procedure are
published in AIP Hong Kong Section “VHHH AD 2.21 Noise Abatement Procedures
> 1 ICAO Noise Abatement Departure Procedure RWY 07”.
The following actions have been
taken for implementation in the I-2RS operation.
The
use of NADP will continue to be a requirement for aircraft operators for I-2RS.
Aircraft operators will utilize runway data for the New North Runway and
appropriate obstacle data if required in order for them to develop their own
NADP procedures with reference to ICAO guidance. Aircraft operators will need
to test and verify their designs before implementation.
General details already in AIP Section “VHHH AD 2.21 Noise Abatement Procedures > 1 ICAO Noise Abatement Departure Procedure RWY 07” will continue to apply for all take-offs in the east flow direction during the I-2RS operation.
Aircraft approach an airport by descending gradually from
altitude. The most efficient means of doing so is by flying a Continuous
Descent Approach (CDA) in which the engine thrust setting is maintained at a
minimum and the aircraft operates in a clean configuration for as long as
possible. This allows the aircraft to effectively glide down at a constant rate
of descent, flying a descent profile approximating a 3° vertical
profile. This avoids any level segments which require spooling up and down the
engines in order to stop and start the descent, which causes a wastage in fuel
and produces additional noise from both the engines and the airframe.
During
daytime operation where the traffic demand is high, flights from multiple
directions are merged into an orderly sequence for final approach. This
involves the air traffic controller giving vectoring instructions to aircraft
in order to achieve the desired sequence and to maximise runway throughput.
CDAs can be difficult to achieve in such a busy environment.
During
the night-time period with lower traffic demand however, there is more
flexibility to accommodate CDAs so they are required to be used at night at
HKIA for noise abatement purposes.
This
procedure is facilitated by CAD’s air traffic control techniques which allow
the pilots in the approaching aircraft to execute a CDA in accordance with the
parameters as stipulated in the AIP.
This
is an existing mitigating procedure where traffic situation and weather permit,
aircraft on approach between 2301 and 0700 hours are offered CDA approaches by
air traffic control. In west flow operation, CDA starts at 8000ft to achieve a
continuous descent profile approximating a 3° vertical profile to intercept the
Glide Path.
Details of the procedure are published in AIP Hong Kong
Section “VHHH AD 2.21 Noise Abatement Procedures > 2 Noise Mitigating
Measures > 2.2 Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) Procedure for RWY
25L/25C”.
The following actions have been
taken for implementation in the I-2RS operation.
While new flight procedures
have been developed for the New North Runway, the existing procedure for continuous descent approaches will
continue to apply for I-2RS. No development is required as the CDA
procedure will remain the same as present.
Details already in “Section VHHH AD 2.21 Noise Abatement Procedures > 2 Noise Mitigating Measures > 2.2 Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) Procedure for RWY 25L/25C” will continue to be valid in general and be updated with the inclusion of RWY 25R approach procedures and the timing of the procedure which will be adjusted from the existing “between 1501 and 2300 UTC” to between “1500 and 2300 UTC” to cover the time period specified under EP Condition 2.21(vi).