Industrial Attachment (IA) AY2014/15

Student Report

Name: Leung Man Ting

Programme Code/Class: HT124007-1D

Student number: 140142584

Course Code: HST4903

Submission Date: 11thSeptember 2015

Word Count: 2028

Airport Authority Hong Kong

(Airfield, Infrastructure Management & Coordination)

Table of Contents

1) Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------p. 3-5

2) IA Period and Total Hours --------------------------------------------------------p.6

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3) Linkage between the Job and Study----------------------------------------------p.7-8

4) Personal Development--------------------------------------------------------------p.9

5) Evaluation of Industrial Attachment---------------------------------------------p.10-11

6) Career Aspiration--------------------------------------------------------------------p.12

7) Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------------------p.13

8) Appendices---------------------------------------------------------------------------p.14-20

9) Reference-----------------------------------------------------------------------------p.21

Introduction

I had worked for Airport Authority Hong Kong for 6 weeks from 13 July to 21 August.

The department that I attached to was Airfield. There are 3 subdivisions in Airfield

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Department – Infrastructure Management & Coordination, Standards and Services

Delivery and Baggage Handling.

Airfield Department is responsible for the management of the aircraft parking aprons,

runways, taxiways, associated airfield areas and facilities. Front line duty staff regulates

the airside operational activities in order to ensure a high standard of safety, operational

efficiency and customer service for movements of aircraft, passengers, cargo and mail on

a 24-hour basis. In addition, its responsibility covers all facets of airfield business

including management of revenues and expenditures relating to the airfield assets, and

franchisees and commercial license administration.

The key responsibility of the Airfield Management Section is to ensure that the runways,

taxiways, aircraft parking apron, aerodrome lighting and other installations are

maintained at the highest safety standards commensurate with the regulatory

requirements of ICAO and CAD for aircraft operation. Its responsibilities include:

aerodrome inspections, reporting and documentation of airfield discrepancies, aircraft

movement area cleaning management, runway surface friction measurement, bird hazard

reduction, low visibility(Cat II, IIIA) operation, airfield emergency crisis management

and aircraft recovery readiness.

I was assigned to Infrastructure Management & Coordination in the internship. My

supervisor, Mr. Thomas Li, Manager of Infrastructure Management & Coordination, had

given me tasks which were to arrange documents and do research on several airports.

In the first two week, my supervisor asked me to rearrange the files such as Master Plans

and Contracts according to his guidance and request so that was a documentary job and

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required comparatively fewer specialized skills. All I had to do were to type the file title,

retention date and print that list out. In the meantime, I had to rearrange those documents

on the cabinet. He also gave me a task which was to simplify the content of 3RS Infokit

and report to him.

In the third week, my supervisor asked me to search background information of 11

airports roughly. Those 11 airports are: Incheon International Airport, Singapore Changi

Airport, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, London Heathrow Airport, Guangzhou

Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, Macau International

Airport, Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai

Hongqiao International Airport and Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. I searched

background information like number of runway, gross floor area of terminals, passenger

traffic and aircraft movement etc. I also searched some Master Plans and new

technologies roughly of these airports. After I showed those data to my supervisor, he

requested me to do a report more particularly and he had given me 2 weeks to complete

it.

In week 4 and 5, I kept on searching Master Plans and new technologies that have still

not been implemented at HKIA yet and I had searched new technologies of other airports

around the world upon my supervisor’s request. Also, I had to compare those airports to

see whether they are competitive. After the search process, I had to arrange all data and

analyze those airports regarding the performance of different airports and the

competitiveness of them. Lastly, I presented the report to my supervisor with my

colleague. This task required interpersonal communication with supervisor and colleague

as I had to discuss with my colleague to complete the report.

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Since my supervisor had annual leave from 15 August to the end of August, he had

transferred me to his colleague, another manager of Infrastructure Management &

Coordination in week 6. My job was to mark down the number and position of electric

vehicle car chargers and present them on an aerodrome chart in week 6. I got the chance

to go around the apron so as to complete this task.

IA period and Total Hours

Company: Airport Authority Hong KongWorking Period: 13 July 2015 – 21 August 2015

Wk No. Week of D/M/Y

Working Hours / Day Off / Leave

Working Hours / Day Off / Leave

Working Hours / Day Off / Leave

Working Hours / Day Off / Leave

Working Hours / Day Off / Leave

Working Hours / Day Off / Leave

Working Hours / Day Off / Leave

Total P.E. Hours in the Week

e.g.13/07/15–

MonSick Leave

TueSick Leave

Wed9 hours

Thu9 hours

Fri9 hours

SatDay Off

Sun9 hours

36 hours

5

19/07/15

1. 13/07/15-19/07/15

Mon8hours 50mins

Tue8hours 50mins

Wed8hours 50mins

Thu8hours 50mins

Fri8hours 50mins

SatDay off

SunDay off

44.17 hours

2. 20/07/15-16/07/15

Mon8hours 50mins

Tue8hours 50mins

Wed8hours 50mins

Thu8hours 50mins

Fri8hours 50mins

SatDay off

SunDay off

44.17hours

3. 27/07/15-02/08/15

Mon 8hours 50mins

Tue8hours 50mins

Wed8hours 50mins

Thu8hours 50mins

Fri8hours 50mins

SatDay off

SunDay off

44.17 hours

4. 03/08/15-09/08/15

Mon 8hours 50mins

Tue8hours 50mins

Wed8hours 50mins

Thu8hours 50mins

Fri8hours 50mins

SatDay off

SunDay off

44.17 hours

5. 10/08/15-16/08/15

Mon 8hours 50mins

Tue8hours 50mins

Wed8hours 50mins

ThuSick Leave

Fri8hours 50mins

SatDay off

SunDay off

35.33 hours

6. 17/08/15-21/08/15

Mon 8hours 50mins

Tue8hours 50mins

Wed8hours 50mins

Thu8hours 50mins

Fri8hours 50mins

Sat Sun 44.17 hours

Total I.A. Hours: 256.18 hours

Linkage between the Job and Study

How I had applied knowledge from modules to work?

In Semester 1, I had no idea why IT Essentials – Services would be included as a module

in our programme. I did not think that IT and our programme (Airport Operations

Management) had connection. When I started the internship, I finally discovered that the

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module helped me a lot. I had to do a lot of documentary works in this internship and I

had applied some of the IT skills and knowledge learnt from that module. I found it

useful and now I realized the importance of learning the module. To be honest, I would

not have been able to handle some of the tasks if I had not taken the module.

English & Communication – Workplace Correspondence also helped me so much. I had

to reply to emails quite often. The lecturer of that module taught us how we should reply

to letters and e-mails properly and courteously. I had learnt proper format and when an

email should be formal or informal. I could apply most of the knowledge learnt from the

module to this internship.

I had studied Introduction to Ramp Operations in Semester 1, Airport and Airline

Operations in Semester 2 and Introduction to Air Cargo and Baggage Operations in

Semester 3. These three modules are basically about operations at the apron. Fortunately

for me, I had chances to go around the apron and I could recall my memory of the

knowledge of these modules. The notes in these modules are rather vague as I could not

imagine what exactly happened in those notes. However, when I went to the apron in

person, I finally caught on the contents of those notes. After this internship, I deemed that

those notes are important, however, only in-person experience and plus notes would be

the best. None of them can be excluded. Also, I could not disparage the importance of

these modules as it would influence the effectiveness of my internship to a certain extend.

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Personal Development

Since the jobs from my supervisor did not require technical and operational skills, I

would say that I acquired interpersonal skills. I had to report the development of different

airports to my supervisor occasionally and it requires communication skills. I am a shy

person who does not speak a lot when I face unfamiliar people. I realized this drawback

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when I was young, I cannot cure it though. My supervisor also realized this drawback and

encouraged me to speak more. I started to speak more after his encouragement. Although

I had an improvement, I could speak a lot more. My supervisor told me that speak more

would bring along more opportunities, however, I would miss those opportunities if I

speak less. From now on, I would speak more in order to grab those opportunities.

Also, five of us from Airfield Department (me, Dicky, Tim, Issac and Katherine) had a

chat with some seniors and they were willing to share their experience to us. We knew a

lot regarding the development of Hong Kong International Airport. They also shared their

view on HKIA that we have never thought. We could learn their mode of thinking as we

would be narrow-minded sometimes. Chatting with seniors can promote my level of

maturity both personal-wise and career-wise.

Evaluation of Industrial Attachment

The most beneficial aspects in this IA would be having chances to go around the apron

and learning communication skills in the workplace. Actually, I had been absolutely

lucky to be assigned to the Airfield Department as I got more chances to go around the

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apron than some of my classmates. Most of them had only gone around the apron for

once.

Going around the apron is fun, though it is not the focal point. What I would like to stress

regarding going around the apron is that we can observe the operations of the apron by

going around. We cannot imagine the whole operation process by reading notes or even

listening to lecturers’ explanations. First-hand experience would be a complement to let

us fully comprehend the operations of apron.

For example, I have learnt some technical terms and understand certain part of operation

process. However, I do not understand most of the operation process. First-hand

experience would help me complement the whole operation process right away.

Another beneficial aspect was to learn communication skills in the workplace. I did work

for a part-time job before, it was not formal though. I could not learn communication

skills in the workplace there. However, working in AAHK is much more formal and I can

contact more colleagues so it would help me learn communication skills in the

workplace.

Like what I mentioned previously, there could be more opportunities to let students go

around the apron. It helps me so much to better comprehend the daily operation of the

apron. Students who work for other departments might not have many chances to go

around the apron to observe the operations and so they could not deeply understand it.

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Career Aspiration

Before the internship, I wanted to work for AAHK after the graduation. However, some

colleagues told us that we had better work for other companies such as Cathay Pacific

Catering Services, Hong Kong Airport Services Ltd, AVSECO etc. before working for

AAHK. They told us that we should gain as much experience as we can before working

for AAHK. They also shared their experiences to us. For example, one of the colleagues

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worked for a ground handling agent. He told us that working for a ground handling agent

can widen our horizons as we can experience every incident no matter it is a small or

large case so as to obtain experience. They also told us that working in the office is kind

of boring and as a youth, we had better attempt different types of aviation-related jobs to

get familiar with the whole operations of an airport deeply. This would be an advantage

of working for AAHK.

I met some management trainees in this internship and they all have high education

background. Most of them were graduated from University of Hong Kong, Chinese

University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology or even

University of Cambridge. Frankly speaking, I felt I was rather negligible at the moment.

In order to have an opportunity to enter a university, I have a determination to study

harder in Semester 4 and 5 so as to strive for better results. If I successfully graduate from

a university, I would work for other aviation-related companies first to gain as much

experience as I can. Then, I would probably apply for AAHK and I believe that I would

get a senior position because of my rich experience and education background.

ConclusionHonestly, six weeks of internship were not enough for me as Airfield Department is fun.

Colleagues in this department are all talkative and nice. They treated us so well and I do

not want to leave this department. Also, we did not have generation gap though some of

them are older than us by 40 years. Airfield Department is rather easy-going and it

made me relaxed. I thought the atmosphere of all departments in AAHK would be

serious before I worked here. It was totally opposite. I could hear laughter almost every

moment and it precipitates me that I would like to join AAHK.

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I made new friends from this internship as well. They joined the internship from June

and left in mid-August. Although we have only known each other for a month, we have

already been close. We played badminton, bowling and snooker at the time and we still

keep in touch now.

My supervisor is a kind and patient person. In spite of the fact that he was very busy, he

would still meet and chat with us. When he knew that I love aircrafts and engines, he

found a book regarding aircraft characteristics and gave it to me right away. The book

includes the length of aircrafts, maximum takeoff weight and thrust etc. of aircrafts

from different manufacturers like Boeing, Airbus and McDonnell Douglas etc. I was

absolutely surprised as I have never thought he would give me that book and I wanted

that kind of book for such a long time. I would treasure that book and put lots of effort

into the book. He also welcomes me to ask him any questions at any time.

The internship has helped me build up the network and I have grown a lot through this

placement. I would pursue my dream of working for aviation industry.

Appendices

A ULD in the Baggage Hall

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Baggage handling system

ULDs were being loaded

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Cargo Apron

CX’s B747-8

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SQ’s A380

Chargers for electric vehicle cars:

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View from the ATC Tower:

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Back-up workplace for Airfield Department on the Air Traffic Control Tower

A photo of me and my supervisor

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Data for the task

Report completed:

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Reference

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1. 3RS Infokit

http://info.threerunwaysystem.com/pdf/en/3rs_infokit.pdf

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