XCC (89) 57
The Present Position
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Page
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The RHKAAF's expansion programme covers three areas
(a)
aircraft and related equipment,
(b) staff; and
(c)
accommodation.
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Aircraft
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In November 1986, we identified a requirement for a fleet of two twin-engined fixed-wing aircraft and at least ten helicopters, plus four single-engined training aircraft. This was based on an analysis of the requirements for search and rescue (S&R) tasks and internal security duties. We now envisage a slight ly smaller helicopter fleet, and int end initially to acquire eight Sikorsky S76A+ helicopters, of which three will be specialised S&R machines. The remaining five will be capable of moving a half company of the Police Tactical Unit in two waves, as opposed to the simultaneous lift envisaged in 1986. Both types of aircraft will perform other tasks, including training, casualty evacuat ion, fire fighting, passenger flying and, for the S&R aircraft certain specialised tasks in support of the Police.
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The fixed-wing fleet is already in place, with two Beech 200C Super King Airs now in service. These aircraft have sufficient range to cover Hong Kong's S&R area of responsibility and are equipped with forward looking infra red sensors for night operations. The Islander, which
which entered service in 1971 and was to be replaced by the second King Air, has been retained. Although it is largely obsolete for operational use, it still has a useful role to play as an economical means of training pilots on twin-engined aircraft.
Staff
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The planned establishment is 194 permanent staff and 54 volunteers.
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We intend that the RHKAAF should eventually become fully localised, although this will not be possible for at least ten years,
ten years, largely because of the time taken to train pilots to instruct or standard. We intend to recruit and train some 30 local pilot s over the next three to four years. Localisation has now become even more import ant because the worldwide boom in aviation has made it increasingly hard to recruit pilots and other st aff
overseas. Local competition for aviation staff has made
us reconsider pay levels for the RHKAAF.