Airline operators for public transport must submit the details regarding their Aerodrome Operating Minima (AOM) to the Civil Aviation Department before commencing operations at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).

AOM tells very instrument pilot under what visibility (in terms of Runway Visual Range (RVR)) and/ or cloud ceiling can the aircraft take off, and under what visibility (again in terms of RVR) and visual reference can the aircraft continue the approach to land from the decision altitude (for precision approaches, e.g. Instrument Landing System (ILS)) or from the minimum descent altitude (for non-precision approaches).

There are a number of factors affecting the values of AOM. They include aerodrome terrain profile, aircraft capability (e.g. aircraft climb performance, avionics capability), aerodrome equipment capability (e.g. runway lighting system and ILS), pilot capability, individual company’s standard operating procedures and State regulations.

When establishing the AOM, an operator has to conform to rules laid down by the State (or Region) of the Operator. Further more, it also has to account for any restrictions which might be applied by the State (or Region) of the Aerodrome.

Responsibility of the State (or Region) of the Operator

The State (or Region) of the Operator has the responsibility for the approval of the method used to establish such minima, and for supervising compliance with those rules it may prescribe for the operator as a whole.

Responsibility of the State (or Region) of the Aerodrome

The State (or Region) of the Aerodrome has to provide data such as Obstacle Clearance Altitude/ Height (OCA/ H), details of electronic aids for an approach to landing, etc, to enable an operator to establish AOM for each runway intended to be used at that particular aerodrome. Since the State (or Region) of the Aerodrome has the responsibility for safety of air navigation within its own Flight Information Region (FIR), it follows that it retains that authority to accept the AOM submitted by the operators.

Under Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (AN(HK)O 1995), operators for public transport are required to submit the details regarding their AOM to the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (HKCAD) before commencing operations at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). In addition, operators who wish to conduct Low Weather Minima Operations (LWMO) at the HKIA must submit to the HKCAD the authorization from the relevant authority of the State of Registry or State of Operator to conduct such operations.

In meeting the requirements laid down in the AN(HK)O 1995, the Flight Standards and Airworthiness Division (FSAD) consolidated the necessary data from other Divisions of HKCAD and compiled an acceptable AOM for each of the runway at HKIA. Aeronautical Information Circulars (AICs) were issued to announce the acceptable AOM for HKIA and the flight operations requirement for publics transport operators to submit to FSAD their AOM for HKIA before commencing operations at HKIA.