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 contains instructions for the pilots 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). For foreign operators to meet this requirement, while applying to operate to Hong Kong in accordance with GEN 1.2 of the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), in addition to other documents required to be submitted to HKCAD for assessment, the operators who wish to conduct low visibility operations at the HKIA shall submit the following information :-

a) The completed DCA Form 236 to show the operator’s CAT II/III minima authorised by their State; and
b) The CAT II/III authorisation issued by their State.

Detailed requirements relating to AOM are published in the AD 1.1 of AIP and/or Aeronautical Information Circulars (AICs) in http://www.hkatc.gov.hk.