The observatory at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) is to reopen tomorrow after nearly two years of renovation, the Civil Aviation Administration said yesterday.
The civil aviation authority made the announcement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend after Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) visited the renovated facility yesterday morning.
Chen said he loved watching planes fly overhead in Taipei’s Binjiang Street, adding that he was particularly impressed by the childcare room as well as the futuristic-style entrance to the observatory.
Photo: CNA
Taipei International Airport Office is conducting a final inspection of the observatory today and tomorrow before reopening it to the public on the first day of the long weekend, office director Cheng Chien-chung (鄭堅中) said.
The observatory will be open daily from 9am to 9pm and can accommodate up to 600 visitors at a time.
The observatory opened to visitors in 2011 and immediately emerged as a popular destination in northern Taiwan for aviation fans, with annual visitor numbers peaking at 450,000, Cheng said.
However, the airport office decided to change the solid wood flooring on the deck in October 2023 due to damage from long-term use, he said.
“While replacing the wood flooring, the construction team also found that part of the waterproofing structure had deteriorated and required more thorough work. We then decided to expand the construction by rebuilding the groundwork and upgrading the facilities,” Cheng said.
The construction was completed last month after nearly two years of renovation, he said.
The revamped observatory features several new facilities. To enhance visitors’ safety, the wood flooring has been replaced by more durable and slip-resistant wood-plastic composite flooring, the office said.
Near the observatory’s entrance is a 3D wall designed around the theme of aviation and the future, and visitors can take pictures with the airport’s three mascots at the wall: an orange fairy named Luchengcheng (綠橙橙), a flying squirrel dressed as female captain named Aichiang (愛將) and another squirrel dressed as a male captain named Songsang (松桑).
The observatory is equipped with accessible restrooms and a childcare room to meet the potential needs of elderly travelers and families with young children, as well as a coffee shop operated by the Seoul-based Caffe Bene.
In related news, Songshan airport yesterday advised travelers to closely monitor potential flight changes next week as the airport has been instructed to assist the military in rehearsing for the aerial show for the Double Ten National Day celebrations.
The airport must also assist with the full-force rehearsals on Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning, it said.
The airport’s international and domestic flights could be affected, it said.
Songshan airport is a joint military-civilian facility, accommodating commercial flights and military operations.
The observatory at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) is to reopen tomorrow after nearly two years of renovation, the Civil Aviation Administration said yesterday. The civil aviation authority made the announcement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend after Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) visited the renovated facility yesterday morning. Chen said he loved watching planes fly overhead in Taipei’s Binjiang Street, adding that he was particularly impressed by the childcare room as well as the futuristic-style entrance to the observatory. Taipei International Airport Office is conducting a final inspection of the observatory today and tomorrow before reopening it
Taiwanese scientists have engineered plants that can capture about 50 percent more carbon dioxide and produce more than twice as many seeds as unmodified plants, a breakthrough they hope could one day help mitigate global warming and grow more food staples such as rice. If applied to major food crops, the new system could cut carbon emissions and raise yields “without additional equipment or labor costs,” Academia Sinica researcher and lead author the study Lu Kuan-jen (呂冠箴) said. Academia Sinica president James Liao (廖俊智) said that as humans emit 9.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide compared with the 220 billion tonnes absorbed
TEST RUNS? The site’s improved accuracy shows Beijing intends to use it to train PLA forces in conducting strikes against Taiwan’s leadership in the zone, an official said The military has deployed multiple medium and close-range air defense missile and artillery systems, anti-drone countermeasures and combat unit to defend Boai Special District (博愛特區), a defense official said yesterday. Boai District is home to the Presidential Office Building, the Ministry of National Defense and many other government buildings. The official made the remarks after Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun in a report on Wednesday said China has expanded its military training mock-up of government buildings in Taipei, which includes the Presidential Office Building, by almost 300 percent since 2020. Satellite images obtained by think tank Japan Institute for National Fundamentals of the
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
RSS