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PUBLIC ORDER
Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force
The Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (RHKAAF), based at Kowloon Bay, provides a variety of flying services for the government. It operates a fleet of 15 aircraft: two twin-engined Beech Super King Airs, a Britten-Norman Islander, four Slingsby Firefly trainers and eight Sikorsky helicopters. Two Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopters were delivered in January 1993 to provide specialist flying support to the police. With an establishment of 226 permanent staff and 47 part-time volunteers comprising aircrew, engineers and administrative staff, the RHKAAF can operate round-the-clock for seven days a week during an emergency. Over 6 152 hours were flown during the year.
In 1992, the RHKAAF responded to 898 requests for emergency medical evacuation and rescue. Some of these came from the local fleet of about 5 000 fishing boats, many of which now have high-frequency radios enabling them to call for assistance when necessary. A total of 127 search and rescue operations were carried out, involving helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. During the dry season, the helicopters assisted in 113 fire-fighting operations and dropped over 1 345 tonnes of water on bush and forest fires in areas inaccessible to conventional fire-fighting appliances.
The Police Force and the Correctional Services made frequent use of helicopters for training and operational purposes. Helicopter flights were routinely provided to transport engineering staff to hilltops to carry out maintenance and repair work at communications repeater stations. During the year, about 6 768 government officers were flown to various areas in the course of their duties. Flying services were also provided to give official overseas visitors an overview of the territory. Helicopter flying services were provided daily to the police for border patrol duty.
The Super King Airs maintained regular offshore patrols in connection with anti-illegal immigration operations and were also heavily employed in support of the Buildings and Lands Department's continuing need for aerial surveys, photography and map-making. The Fireflys and Islander provided pilot training for the squadron's cadet pilots.
The Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, one of Her Majesty's Commonwealth Air Forces, disbanded on March 31, 1993 and on April 1, 1993 was re-established as the Hong Kong Government Flying Service and become a full-time civilian disciplined Force providing flying services to the Hong Kong Government under civil aviation legislation.