PUBLIC ORDER
from the wrecked freighter Lian Gang. GFS and RAF crews were again involved in search and rescue missions during Severe Tropical Storm Becky on September 17. With winds in excess of 70 knots, many survivors were plucked from the rough seas and pitching decks of floundering vessels.
The Police Force and the Correctional Services Department made frequent use of helicopters for operational and training purposes. Helicopters also routinely took engineering staff to hilltops, to carry out maintenance and repair work on communication repeater stations. The Super King Airs supported both the Police and Customs in anti-smuggling operations, and were heavily employed by the Lands Department for aerial surveys, photography and map-making. The Fireflys provided pilot training for cadet pilots.
During the year, about 13 249 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.
During the dry season, the helicopters assisted in over 60 fire-fighting operations, dropping over 835 tonnes of water on bush and forest fires in areas inaccessible to conventional fire-fighting appliances.
Under the pilot localisation programme, three more cadets completed their training and were promoted to the rank of Pilot II, making a total of 10 Pilot IIs. Six cadets were still under training, while three more will start training in 1994.
An extensive engineering upgrade programme was undertaken throughout the year. This enabled the Civil Aviation Department to award the GFS the first Hong Kong Aircraft Maintenance Organisation Approval in accordance with the new legal standard known as Hong Kong Requirement 145, which permits the unit to service and maintain its entire fleet of aircraft. It expects to achieve ISO 9000 certification in early 1994.
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