3
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1991
JOINED
"I HAVE BEEN FLYING ROUND THE WORLD SINCE 1965 WHEN I THE ROYAL AIR FORCE. THEN I CAME TO HONG KONG, AS I LOOK BACK, I HAVE NO REGRET AT ALL FOR MAKING THIS DECISION, MR HARRIS SAID.
TALKING ABOUT THE VARIETY OF HIS JOB, HE SAID IT TOUCHES ON MANY ASPECTS OF HUMAN LIFE, FROM TOWN PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENTS TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY RESCUE WORK.
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SURVEY AND MAPPING OFFICE OF THE BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENT, HE AND FOUR OTHER PILOTS REGULARLY CARRY OUT AERIAL SURVEYS ΤΟ PROVIDE REFERENCE DATA TO HELP GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS MAKE THEIR DECISIONS.
"WE TAKE THREE-DIMENSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF LAND BOUNDARIES, DIFFERENT LANDSCAPES, ROADS AND BUILDINGS FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN, WEATHER FORECAST AND PLANNING OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT, MR HARRIS SAID.
H
INFRARED PHOTOGRAPHS ARE ALSO TAKEN TO HELP DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF POLLUTION ON LAND AND ALONG COASTAL WATER, AS WELL AS FOR GEOLOGICAL AND FORESTRY STUDIES.
GUIDE QUIDES.
ANOTHER PURPOSE OF THE SURVEYS IS THE PRODUCTION OF THE POPULAR BOOK, "HONG KONG GUIDE STREETS AND PLACES", AND OTHER TOURIST
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DESCRIBING THE SURVEY FLIGHT AS AN EXTREMELY TIRING
JOB, HE SAID: "I CANNOT AFFORD TO RELAX FOR A MOMENT SO AS TO FLY EXACTLY ON THE SURVEY LINE. THIS MUST BE SO TO ENABLE THE LAND SURVEYOR TO TAKE 100 PER CENT ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS.
"I SOMETIMES FEEL EXHAUSTED AFTER THREE TO FIVE HOURS OF INTENSIVE CONCENTRATION ON THE FLIGHT, BUT ALL MY EFFORTS ARE WORTHWHILE IF IT IS A JOB WELL DONE, HE SAID.
WHILE THE AERIAL SURVEY CAN ONLY BE DONE IN A CLEAR BLUB SKY, THE PILOT CAN BE PUT TO TEST IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT KIND OF WEATHER.
AS HONG KONG IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CO-ORDINATION OF ALL MARITIME SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS WITHIN 400,000 SQUARE MILES OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, RHKAAF HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS AREA.
IN AN EMERGENCY RESCUE OPERATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER BAD, THE PILOTS MAY HAVE TO BATTLE AGAINST STRONG WINDS AND MAKE DO WITH LOW VISIBILITY TO SAVE LIVES.
IS
THIS WAS 30 IN THE OPERATION TO RESCUE CREWMEN FROM AN OIL BARGE WHICH SANK IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA LAST AUGUST.
"THAT
IS THE LARGEST SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION EVER MOUNTED IN HONG KONG. THE VERY BAD WEATHER MADE OUR WORK EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT.
"IT
THE
CAN BE QUITE DANGEROUS TO FLY IN SUCH WEATHER. BUT IN END WHEN WE SUCCESSFULLY RESCUED THE SURVIVORS, IT WAS HARD TO DESCRIBE THE SENSE OF SATISFACTION AND ACHIEVEMENT, HE SAID.
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