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AsBAA, the Asian region’s non-for-profit
representative trade body for business aviation has announced that, further to
its ongoing cooperation with Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (HKCAD) on the
noise profiling of business jets, the Gulfstream 650 has been added to the
exempted aircraft list for night slots, effective from 28th April.
The change, which marks the first Ultra Long
Range jet to leverage night slot departures at HKIA is significant because it
recognises that the G650 noise levels are below Committee on Aviation
Environmental Protection (CAEP) Stage 4, which is notably quieter than the
majority of commercial airlines operated at the airport.
"We appreciate AsBAA's efforts to advocate for
the business aviation industry, thereby ensuring operators are able to fully
leverage all of business aviation's strategic benefits, including the
flexibility to fly when and where operators want, said
Heidi Fedak,
Director, Corporate Communications Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. "The
willingness of the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department to open night slots for
the G650 recognizes the tremendous advances we've made to ensure this aircraft
is one of the quietest in operation today. We're grateful we can offer
Gulfstream operators this additional capability."
In addition to the new G-650 noise approval,
the number of night slots allocated for business jets to use is set to increase
from its current five to seven from 2300 to 0700 (local time) at HKIA. The
announcement comes after months of close cooperation between HKCAD and AsBAA to
resolve some of the bottlenecks affecting transport systems in Hong Kong.
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(L to R): Vivian Cheung Deputy
Director Airport Operations, Charlie
Mularski Chairman AsBAA, Mike
Walsh Board of Governor Member AsBAA,
C K Ng Deputy Director, Airport
Operations of Airport Authority Hong
Kong, Steven Yiu General Manager
Airfield, Denzil White Board of
Governors AsBAA |
AsBAA Chairman,
Charlie Mularski
said, “Through AsBAA, we work with the leadership in all governments in the
region to lobby for the local operators and business aviation community so that
we can work towards alignment of the strategies and goals for each country to
better enable the growth of business aviation in the region. This recent
announcement from HKCAD to add the Gulfstream 650 to the exempted list for night
flights is a very encouraging move forward, and indicative of the spirit of
cooperation that exists between AsBAA (on behalf of its members) and local
government bodies. Supporting the infrastructure and regulations required to
allow business aviation to flourish will assist in ensuring the continued
economic growth in our region.”
AsBAA has been actively advocating its view
that the short-to-mid-term solution in Hong Kong is about creating more options
that reduce the pressure on existing infrastructure. The association has been
working in the region to promote a synergy of air, road, rail, rotor that works
well together and un-bottles bottlenecks. For this to become a reality, AsBAA
has been lobbying for some key changes that includes: easier and flexible
permits for business jets to land, recognition and understanding of business
jets in terms of noise profiling, combined with an efficient bridge connection
and/or helicopter for faster transfers that will immediately increase revenues
for the airports and cities.
Mularski concludes with, “AsBAA can help bring
investment and users through its members. All this can be achieved without much
infrastructure development. It’s a very easy business model to figure out. We
have seen it in the New York Area as well as the greater London Area. We just
need to see the focus on attracting business aviation. The solution lies in
easier permit process and more efficient utilisation of the existing ramp or
parking space and slots. This recent announcement from HKCAD is a positive step
forward in the utilisation of existing resources and night slots. From a big
picture perspective – attracting business aviation will lead to economic
development in the wider Pearl River Delta (PRD) - we know that business
aviation hubs leads to investment, growth, job creation and overall economic
development."
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