Class 3A went to the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) in Tung Chung for an educational tour in English on Thursday, 28 June. The guide, Mr. Samson, shared with QCOBASS students some very interesting and detailed information about flight history, the present situation in Hong Kong, and the CAD’s field of work, during the 90 minute tour.
The following are some of the things students learnt from the visit:
1) The first ever documented flight activity in Hong Kong was a hot air balloon in 1891.
2) Almost the entire world can be reached from Hong Kong within 5-10 hours (except e.g. South Africa).
3) The A380 can hold 500-600 passengers onboard.
4) The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is used in communication on all international flights.
5) If you are instructed to assume the brace position when sitting in a bulkhead seat, you should grab your ankles and lean forward.
6) There is approximately 1 aircraft landing and 1 aircraft take off every 1-2 minutes at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).
7) Currently, there are around 4,500 pilot licenses issued in Hong Kong.
8) Firetrucks can reach a crash scene at the HKIA within around 2 minutes. The international standard is 3 minutes.
9) A “black box” is actually orange in colour, not black.
10) Aircraft engines are made of titanium.
QCOBASS would like to thank the CAD and Mr. Samson for such an informative and eye-opening experience.
Below are some memorable moments from the visit.