The series of vital operational readiness briefings with representatives of government agencies and the private sector has been started by the Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD), operator and manager of the new Clark International Airport.
Bi Yong Chungunco, CEO of LIPAD, and Andrew Tan, Director and Deputy Head of Airport Operations, of Changi Airports International, presided over the first briefing. They outlined the features of the new terminal and the scope of the readiness processes that will take place leading to flight simulations before full operations.
The new terminal is a four-level edifice with a total of 110,000 square meters of floor area and 18 aero bridges. It houses both international and domestic terminals, and can handle 8 million passengers in a year. It is accessible with a new road network
Tan presented the various workgroups under the Project Management Committee and introduced the persons-in-charge of each. The workgroups cover all the important functions that work in synchronicity for efficient coordination to ensure smooth operations.
He likened the preparatory processes meticulously held under Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) to the holding of a live stage concert where all the production elements should have been fully rehearsed and the concert players well trained.
Airport operations entail a wide array of diverse and multi-pronged functions that have to be delivered in specific and clear periods. As a new build, the new Clark International Airport is fitted with suitable state-of-the-art technologies.
Tan guided the attendees through a timeline that leads toward the simulation of the first entry of a domestic flight by the second quarter of 2021 year. Simulation for the first entry of international flight follows soon after, toward the third quarter of the year. The next set of trials will then cover integrated trials of whole simulated flights.
Also presented were the conduct of run-throughs, initially involving table top exercises to highlight time and motion requirements in the rehearsals for each one’s roles and location.
Tan expounded on the acronym FIT which stands for familiarization, induction and training. Site visits for familiarization by government personnel, including those from the Bureau of Immigration, the Bureau of Customs, and the Department of Tourism were also set.
On-site visits by stakeholders are also continuously being received and scheduled.“Preparation and maintaining a solid rapport and constant coordination with our partners and stakeholders are just two of the most crucial factors to the successful opening of the new Clark International Airport. That is why we, at LIPAD, together with our partners at Changi Airports International, are leaving no stones unturned to ensure that the new terminal is ready and operational by 2021”, said Chungunco.(PR)