CAD to set up expert panel to offer advice to CAD on new ATMS
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"At around 1pm today, the radar screens were unable to display some of the flight information (such as flight callsigns and flight speed) for about 26 seconds. Nevertheless, positions and altitudes of the flight targets were still available on the radar screens. The flight information eventually reappeared automatically. To safeguard aviation safety, air traffic control officers (ATCOs) have suspended the handling of departure flights for 15 minutes during the incident," the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Simon Li, said.
"Other flights within the Hong Kong Flight Information Region were operating smoothly and aviation safety was not affected by the incident. Other functionalities of the new ATMS have also been operating smoothly. Although the radar screens were unable to display some of the flight information, positions and altitudes of the flight targets were still available. ATCOs, who have undergone professional training, can keep direct communications with the pilots at all times to ensure the flight position and altitude, and provide effective air traffic control services according to the information," he added.
According to a preliminary analysis of the contractor's on-site engineer, the incident was primarily caused by number one Flight Data Processor (FDP#1) of the main system. It encountered a problem when it was archiving data automatically. According to system design, the system automatically switched over to the main system's number two FDP (FDP#2). Upon fixing and restarting the FDP#1, the two data processors started to synchronise data. As a result, the flight data could not associate with radar data.
"Although aviation safety was not affected by the incident, it is not satisfactory as the above circumstance should not have occurred due to data archiving of the FDP. The CAD has asked the senior management of the system's contractor to come to Hong Kong to follow-up on the incident. The system's contractor has also been asked to submit an incident report and propose the necessary fix within 48 hours to prevent recurrence in future," Mr Li said.
In view of the incident, the CAD will set up an expert panel comprising academics, electronics engineers and representatives of ATCOs to offer objective advice to the CAD on the teething issues identified since the new ATMS' commissioning.
Ends/Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Issued at HKT 21:43
Issued at HKT 21:43
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