Grounded aircraft complicate typhoon prep

Typhoon preparation at the Airport Authority has become more challenging this year as a large number of aircraft are grounded at the airport due to stagnation in air travel.

As many as a hundred idle aircraft have been parked on the taxiways, where they are more exposed to the wind, and so the authorities have had to make more preparations.

Idle aircraft are usually weighed down by fueling, but this year a safety plan with extra measures has been drawn up for idle aircraft on the taxiways.

"External weights were tied to the nose gear and sandbags were loaded to the cargo hold to weigh down the aircraft," general manager of the airfield Chapman Fong Shui-man said.

"The number of chocks placed against aircraft were also doubled to avoid skidding or movement."

According to the authority, aircraft parked on taxiways were also spaced out and strategically placed. Larger and more stable aircraft were placed in areas exposed to wind, while smaller models were tucked away in positions sheltered from the wind, the authority said.

Last week, when typhoon Nangka passed the city, special precautionary measures were also taken.

As soon as the signal No 3 was issued, airport staff immediately began fastening loose materials in worksites and sheltering empty cargo containers.

As Nangka blows over, the observatory said a dry northeast monsoon will bring generally fine weather to the Guangdong area this week.

However, the temperature will vary between day and night, with the mercury forecast to dip to 21 degrees Celsius on Friday, the coolest for this autumn.