SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 1980
THREE NEW HELICOPTERS FOR RHKAAF
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THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE TOOK DELIVERY OF THREE TWIN-ENGINED HELICOPTERS FROM FRANCE LAST WEEK.
THE THREE DAUPHINS 3650, COSTING ABOUT $27 MILLION, WERE ORDERED IN AUGUST LAST YEAR TO REPLACE ITS TWO SINGLE-ENGINED ALOUETTES.
ACCORDING TO WING COMMANDER R.G. PENLINGTON, COMMANDING OFFICER RHKAAF, THE 15-YEAR-OLD ALOUETTE HELICOPTERS ARE NO LONGER CAPABLE OF MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE RHKAAF WHICH, IN RECENT YEARS, HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY IN TERMS OF SIZE AND ITS MANY-FACETED ROLES UNDERTAKEN.
+ BESIDES PROVIDING THE QUICKEST AND MOST RESPONSIVE MEANS OF TRANSPORT FOR VARIOUS EMERGENCIES AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ROUND-THE-CLOCK, THE DEMAND FOR SURVEILLANCE FLIGHTS FOR ANTI- ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATIONS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS DRASTICALLY INCREASED THE HELICOPTERS' UTILISATION, HE SAID.
+THERE WAS, THEREFORE, AN URGENT NEED TO ADVANCE THE ALOUETTE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME WITH A MODERN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT WHICH COULD PRODUCE THE FACILITIES AND PERFORMANCES CAPABLE OF KEEPING PACE WITH THE RHKAAF'S EXPANDING WORKLOAD NOWADAYS,+ WING COMMANDER PENLINGTON SAID.
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BEING ONE OF THE LATEST AIRCRAFT TO ENTER THE MARKET IN RECENT YEARS. THE DAUPHIN IS MORE VERSATILE AND BETTER SUITED TO THE PRESENT REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF SEATING CAPACITY, LOAD-LADING, SPEED, RANGE AND SAFETY.
FULLY AIR-CONDITIONED, THE STREAMLINED DAUPHIN IS EQUIPPED
WITH THE LATEST AVIONIC (RÁDIO) AND AUTO-PILOT DEVICES.
IT HAS A MAXIMUM SPEED OF 170 KNOTS COMPARED WITH THE
ALOUETTE'S 113 KNOTS.
THE ADVANTAGE OF THE DAUPHIN, SAID MR PENLINGTON, IS THAT IT CAN CARRY 14 PEOPLE OR 1 400 KİLOGRAMS FREIGHT, OR BE EASILY MODIFIED TO HOLD FOUR STRETCHERS, WHICH IS TWICE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND STRETCHERS THAN THE ALOUETTE CAN HOLD.
THE DAUPHIN'S LOADING CAPACITY OF 3 400 KILOGRAMS IS 1 100 KILOGRAMS MORE AND ITS RANGE OF 420 KILOMETRES, NEARLY DOUBLES THAT OF THE ALOUETTE.
TO CARRY OUT ADVANCED TRAINING IN FLYING AND SERVICING OF THE NEW AIRCRAFT, THE RHKAAF SENT 21 AIRCREW AND TECHNICIANS TO FRANCE FOR FOUR WEEKS TRAINING PRIOR TO DELIVERY.
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