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NEW HELICOPTERS FOR RHKAAF
*
FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1990
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, TODAY (FRIDAY) ATTENDED A CEREMONY TO MARK THE BRINGING INTO SERVICE OF THREE NEW HELICOPTERS BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE (RHKAAF).
MR ASPREY SAID THE RHKAAF WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING A NEW FLEET OF AIRCRAFT, TWO TWIN-ENGINE BEECH 200 SUPERKING AIR AND FOUR SINGLE-ENGINE SLINGSBY TRAINING AIRCRAFT HAD ALREADY ENTERED SERVICE.
THE THREE EXISTING DAUPHIN HELICOPTERS ARE BEING REPLACED BY THREE SIKORSKY S 76 AIRCRAFT NOW, AND FIVE OTHERS WOULD
ADDED BY
MID-1911.
BE
MR ASPREY SAID
HELICOPTERS
THE DAUPHIN
WERE BEING RETIRED WELL FOR 10 YEARS, FLYING 16,500 HOURS,
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
SEARCH AND
AFTER SERVING HONG KONG
AND EVACUATIONS CARRYING OUT RESCUE FLIGHTS, AND CARRYING SOME 60,000 PASSENGERS.
NEW
3,600
TECHNOLOGY IS
ALSO
BEING
INTRODUCED
THE то
RHKAAF,
INCLUDING ADVANCED NAVIGATION AND AVIONICS SYSTEMS AND INFRA-RED NIGHT
FOR USE IN SEARCH AND SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT
RESCUE OPERATIONS. PROGRAMME FOR THE TRAINING OF CONNECTED WITH THIS IS AN EXTENSIVE STAFF, BOTH AIR CREW AND GROUND CREW, TO OPERATE THE NEW EQUIPMENT.
A
TRAIN FIVE
NEW STAFF ARE ALSO BEING RECRUITED AND TRAINED, AND THERE IS PROGRAMME TO LOCALISE THE RHKAAF'S PILOTS. THE INTENTION WAS TO
STANDARD OPERATIONAL
OVER THE NEXT UP TO 30 CADET PILOTS TO YEARS.
MR ASPREY ALSO SAID NEW ACCOMMODATION WAS BEING TWO NEW FACILITIES AT SEK KONG AND KOWLOON BAY DUE FOR THE NEAR FUTURE.
PLANNED, WITH COMPLETION IN
BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A FULL-TIME THE RHKAAF IS DISCIPLINED SERVICE. THIS
LEGISLATION,
ORGANISATIONAL OPERATING REQUIREMENTS.
NEW WILL REQUIRE STRUCTURE AND COMPLIANCE WITH
NEW
LICENSING
CIVILIAN A NEW AND
TASKS
A
THE NEW ORGANISATION WILL BE REQUIRED INCLUDING
COMMITMENT TO
PROGRESSIVELY TAKE
GREATER SEARCH AND MUCH PROVIDING AIR SUPPORT FOR THE
THE OVER FROM
RESPONSIBILITY
ARMY
TO TAKE ON ADDITIONAL
ROLE RESCUE
AND A
THEY
FOR BORDER
AS POLICE
PATROL DUTIES.
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