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In response to media enquiries about prevailing wind conditions at Hong Kong International Airport on Sunday, August 22, a government spokesman said today (Tuesday) it was important to make a distinction between cross-winds and windshear.

The spokesman said that last Sunday evening strong northwesterly cross-winds were generally blowing across the runway at Hong Kong International Airport.

He pointed out that the wind conditions prevailing at the airport on the day were blowing in from the sea, and not from the direction of the nearby Lantau mountains.

The Hong Kong Observatory received no reports of windshear from pilots flying into and out of Hong Kong on the day.

The Hong Kong Observatory's sophisticated Windshear and Turbulence Warning System gave no warning of windshear at the time of the China Airlines crash, nor did Hong Kong Observatory staff who were specifically monitoring for that condition.

There were 11 landings in the two hours before the accident, the last one being just six minutes beforehand. There were six missed approaches and two diversions during the same period.

All pilots were fully informed by the Civil Aviation Department on prevailing weather conditions so they could decide whether to land or take off.

The spokesman emphasised that the potential problems of cross-wind, windshear and turbulence at the new airport were comprehensively studied as part of the selection of the site for the replacement airport.

The studies showed that the frequency of cross-wind occurrence and the usability of the airport during cross-winds were well inside the recommended guidelines by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The studies found that under cross-wind conditions, there was only a marginal difference in the usability of Kai Tak airport compared to the new airport at Chek Lap Kok.

They concluded that Chek Lap Kok was operationally viable as an international airport in terms of windshear and turbulence.

END/Tuesday, August 24, 1999

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