Construction of first passenger access bridge begins

(HONG KONG, 6 November 1996) -- Passengers will set foot on Hong Kong in sophisticated passenger access bridges at the new airport at Chek Lap Kok.

The first of the fixed link bridges is being installed on the northern concourse, where a number of other benchmark fittings are under way. There will be 38 of these structures when the airport opens in April 1998, with another 10 installed when the northwest concourse extension and second, or northern, runway is completed in late 1998.

The access bridges conform with the terminal building design concept of passenger convenience and keeping floor changes to a minimum. No steps or uphill walks are involved: arriving passengers will walk down a gentle slope to the arrivals level, while departing passengers will walk down from the terminal's departures level. The bridges will also feature separate departure tunnels for economy and business/first class passengers.

Each access bridge will have two sections --- a fixed link mounted on permanent columns to the airport apron, and a pair of hinged and adjustable "air bridges" that connect with the aircraft. There are three types of fixed links --- 19 "A" types and 11 "B" types, both about 40 metres long, and eight "non-typical" models that will span out from the extremities of the terminal building. Attached to each fixed link will be a 28-metre, two-tunnel air bridge and a 43-metre, three-tunnel bridge. The ends of the air bridges nearest the aircraft are mounted on wheels, and can be raised or lowered. Automatic levelling systems will also adjust heights as aircraft are loaded or emptied.

The fixed links are being built as part of the HK$10.1 billion (US$1.29bn) passenger terminal building construction contract awarded to the BCJ Joint Venture, while the installation of services inside the links comes under the HK$1.88bn (US$241m) building services contract awarded to AEH Joint Venture. They will be steel structures clad in aluminium, and will be erected on site. Watson/Nippon Steel Joint Venture will carry out the primary steel work, while H H Robertson for Nippon Light Metal (HK) Ltd will provide external cladding. The fit-out package will be undertaken by the nominated sub-contractor, Shun Shing & Penta Ocean.

The 96 movable air bridges are being built in Jakarta by a joint venture between PT Bukaka Teknik Utama of Indonesia and Ramp International of the United States in a HK$189m (US$24.2m) contract awarded in March, 1995. They will be shipped to Hong Kong and installed next year.

As well as passengers, the access bridges will carry various services, including pre-conditioned air, potable water and fixed ground electrical power so aircraft systems can continue while engines are shut down. The provision of these and other terminal building services such as public address and closed circuit television systems --- as well as installations on the apron beneath the bridges --- requires contractors to work to specific sequences and fixed schedules.

The access bridges also conform to the strictest fire safety standards in the passenger terminal building, and the main fire escapes for the building will be positioned off the staircases attached to the fixed links.

Ref. PR-244