400009 1 P.R.H. 7
RECEN DIN
REGISTRY No.51
- 8 JAN 1970
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
INFORMATION
SERVICES
DAILY INFORMATION
BULLETIN
၆၃
Wodnosday, December 17, 1969
HELICOPTERS IN HONG KONG SERVICE
HKKIO/
High Level Of Serviceability Maintained
There was no general dissatisfaction with the Whirlwind Mark 10
halicopters in service with the 28 Royal Air Force Squadron in Hong Kong,
and modifications because of local weather conditions had been made to them
by a team from Rolls Royce.
Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, the Colonial Secretary, said this in the
Legislative Council today in reply to a question by the Hon. Y.K. Kan.
Mr. Kan asked: "In a rocont question in the House of Commons, it
was alloged that helicopters used by the Royal Air Force now stationed in
Hong Kong are very old, and that the R.A.F. has great difficulty in keeping
them flying regularly.
"Will Government remind the U.K. Government that since Hong Kong
makes an annual Dofenco Contribution of £5 million, we have a right to
expect that in the interest of our internal security those helicopters
should be maintained at their maximum serviceability and efficiency at all
times?"
*
Sir Hugh replied:
"The Whirlwind Mark 10 which is in service with No. 28
Squadron in Hong Kong is in world-wide service and is indeed the mainstay
of the inshore Search and Rescue Servico in the United Kingdom. The sorvico-
ability rate of the Whirlwind in Hong Kong is comparable with that anywhore
also where Whirlwinds are oporating.
/"In fact