MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1984
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AUXILIARY AIR FORCE GEARED FOR BUSY YEAR
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THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE FLEW 481 EMERGENCY MISSIONS LAST YEAR, NEARLY 60 PER CENT MORE THAN THE 308 FLOWN IN 1982.
AND IT IS GEARED FOR A GREATER CALL ON ITS SERVICES THIS YEAR, ITS CHIEF STAFF OFFICER, SQUADRON LEADER J.G. SHAWCROSS, SAID TODAY.
ONE REASON FOR THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN ACTIVITY IS BECAUSE MORE LOCAL FISHING VESSELS ARE BEING FITTED WITH RADIO COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT.
ANOTHER IS THAT MORE ACCIDENTS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR WITH THE INCREASE IN OIL DRILLING OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, INVOLVING OIL RIGS AND DRILLING VESSELS, HE EXPLAINED.
OF THE 481 EMERGENCY MISSIONS CARRIED OUT LAST YEAR, 88 WERE ON SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS, MOSTLY FOR LOST VESSELS, HIKERS AND MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS. AND IN THESE OPERATIONS, 62 WERE CARRIED OUT BY HELICOPTERS -- AGAINST 9 SUCH FLIGHTS IN 1982, AND 26 WERE DONE BY FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT, AGAINST 6 THE YEAR BEFORE.
THE OTHER EMERGENCY MISSIONS WERE FOR CASUALTY AND MEDICAL EVACUATION, WITH 256 CASES, AND FOR FIRE-FIGHTING PURPOSES, COVERING 137 CALLS.
THE RHKAAF HAS A LEET OF FOUR FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT AND THREE DAUPHIN HELICOPTERS.
+OWING TO TYPHOONS AND THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, SHIP WRECKS WERE PARTICULARLY FREQUENT LAST YEAR, THE SENIOR OBSERVER CREWMAN, MR LEN LEUNG SAID.
THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING CREW OF THE BARQUENTINE +OSPREY+ AFTER TYPHOON ELLEN STRUCK HONG KONG IN SEPTEMBER LASTED SIX DAYS.
+ THE SEARCH WAS THE BIGGEST AND THE LONGEST OPERATION CARRIED OUT BY THE FORCE IN WHICH 32 SORTIES WERE MADE, TOTALLING 82.55 FLYING HOURS. THE ENTIRE FLEET WAS INVOLVED IN THE SEARCH AROUND THE WAN SHAN CHUN TAO, + MR LEUNG SAID.
FIRE FIGHTING CALLOUTS WERE ANOTHER MAJOR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.
LAST YEAR THE AUXILIARY FORCE MADE 137 FLIGHTS TO HELP PUT OUT HILL FIRES, NEARLY DOUBLING THE NUMBER IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND DUMPING ABOUT 2 400 TONS OF WATER.
+ THE INCREASE IN THE CALLOUTS REFLECTED NOT ONLY A RISE IN THE NUMBER OF HILL FIRES LAST YEAR, BUT ALSO THE GROWING PREFERENCE FOR THE HELICOPTER AS A MEANS FOR BATTLING FIRES IN THE INACCESSIELE REGIONS ON HILL TOP AND IN COUNTRY PARK,+ MR LEUNG EXPLAINED.
/+THE METHOD,