SINGAPORE PAYA LEBAR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (Development)

Mr L. P. Rodrigo asked the Minister for Communications what preparatory, renovating or developmental work is being undertaken at the Singa pore Paya Lebar International Airport to prepare it as a major international civil aviation centre in this part of the world.

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: May I begin my reply to the Member for Serangoon Gardens by stating that although Paya Lebar International Airport is already a major international civil aviation centre in this part of the world, yet every effort is being made to maintain and develop our airport to keep pace with the fast changing modern developments in aviation today.

The following projects have already been completed:

(i) The air-conditioning of the arrivals block in our Passenger Terminal Building;

(ii) The redevelopment of an existing hangar to accommodate Boeing 707 aircraft of Malaysia-Singapore Airlines, of which there are three in number at present.

(iii) The construction of eight additional new airline offices;

(iv) The construction of a new car park to accommodate an additional 200 cars, making a total of 380 parking stands, not for free but for a charge;

(v) The installation of an Airfield Location Beacon.

The following projects are now in progress:

(i) The extension of the existing runway from the present 9,000 feet to 11,000 feet to cater for the larger types of aircraft that will be put into service through Singapore in the near future. In addition, there is re-surfacing of the entire length of the runway to strengthen it for heavier aircraft like the Boeing 747 (better known as the Jumbo jet). This project is scheduled for completion by the middle of next year.

(ii) Installation of a Radar Training Simulator in the Departmental Training School which will be completed before the end of the current year;

(iii) An instrument landing system has been contracted for and is scheduled for operation by August 1969;

(iv) An existing hangar is being modified for the use of the Boeing 737 of Malaysia/ Singapore Airlines. There will be five coming by next year. And the hangar is scheduled for completion by the end of January 1969, i.e., two months from now;

(v) A new High Capacity Foam Tender has been ordered and is due for delivery in 1969;

(vi) Land has been acquired and a site prepared for the installation of approach lighting for the extended runway.

Finally, a firm of consultants have also been appointed from the United Kingdom under the Colombo Plan, namely, Messrs. Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick & Partners, to conduct a survey and prepare a detailed Master Plan for the development of our International Airport, in phases up to 1990.