I
believe most of you love traveling. Nevertheless, when you are waiting to board the aircraft at the gate, have
you ever thought of the number of staff members involved to make a flight depart safely and punctually?
Have you ever imagined how your checked-in suitcases are transported into the belly of an aircraft?
”
Answers
to these questions and many more interesting discoveries about aviation were unveiled during Michael Yim's
8-week summer internship at the Airport Authority Hong Kong.
Airfield Department, where I was attached throughout my internship, oversees and manages all operations
and activities happen in the apron. You may wish to know what the actual activities are in airfield. Let me share
with you some of the duties of an Operation Officer which may interest you. First, when an aircraft is about to
arrive at the parking stand, the officer drives to the stand and makes a visual inspection to ensure the stand
is free of foreign objects which may cause damage to the aircraft. Second, the officer holds a pair of lollipop-
liked marshalling wands to guide the pilots where to stop the aircraft. Different aircraft types have their specific
parking area due to their differences in length. The aircraft has to be stopped within a designated area so as
to allow ample space for the deployment of aerobridge. After the aircraft has come to a complete stop and the
pilots have turned off the fasten seat belt sign, a series of aircraft turnaround activities will take place at the
parking bay...... So, next time when you fly, you may also explain to your friends what the people are doing in
the apron!
Assigned to a sub-team for revenue management, I was responsible for organising and analysing aircraft
landing and parking charge data, as well as making a proposal on streamlining data processing. Thanks to my
school, I acquired fundamental knowledge and theories in aviation through the courses on airport and airline
management. For example, I learned in class that airlines are charged for landing based on the maximum take-
off weight of different aircraft types. I had a deeper understanding throughout this internship.
Michael YIM (BBA Hotel & Tourism Management / Year 5)
What is happening in the airfield?
What did you do in these 8 weeks internship?
Airport Authority Hong Kong
A U n i q u e a n d E y e - o p e n i n g E x p e r i e n c e s a t A i r p o r t
An officer is holding a pair of lollipop-liked
marshalling wands to guide the pilots where to
stop the aircraft
11
SPOTLIGHT
NOV 2017
UMP
大學廣場
