Hong Kong Observatory Participates in CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2025 and Signs Letter of Intent to Strengthen Regional Aviation Meteorology Collaboration

The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) participated in the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) Asia Pacific Conference 2025, themed “Seamless APAC Airspace – Aviation and Meteorology Integration”, held on 8 December 2025 in Hong Kong. In a significant step towards regional coordination, Dr CHAN Pak-wai, Director of HKO, joined senior management representatives from the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (HKCAD), the Air Traffic Management Bureau of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the National Environment Agency of Singapore, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL), the Japan Air Navigation Services, the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation, the International Centre for Aviation Innovation, and CANSO in signing a Letter of Intent on Strengthening Aviation Meteorology Collaboration during the conference. This LOI provides a framework to enhance cooperation in mitigating weather impacts on air traffic management.

Mr CHAN Sai-tick, Assistant Director of HKO, delivered an invited talk in the Session titled “Navigating the Storm – The Science and Challenges of Weather”. He offered a regional perspective on forecasting challenges and highlighted HKO’s new Deep Convection Notification Service jointly developed with the HKCAD, as well as HKO’s integration of artificial intelligence and numerical weather prediction models to support timely, impact-based warnings for air traffic management.

CANSO represents the global voice of air navigation service providers (ANSPs). The conference brought together senior leaders from ANSPs, meteorological service providers, and international organisations to examine how closer integration between aviation and meteorology can enhance safety, efficiency and resilience in aviation operations across the Asia and Pacific region.

Dr CHAN Pak-wai, Director of the Hong Kong Observatory (third from the right), and senior management representatives of partner organisations signed the Letter of Intent on Strengthening Aviation Meteorology Collaboration at the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2025

Mr CHAN Sai-tick, Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, delivering an invited talk on aviation weather challenges and solutions