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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1993
AND NO ONE COULD GUARANTEE WHETHER THEY WOULD BE FOUND AGAIN IN THE DARK WHEN THE HELICOPTER RETURNED.
**USUALLY
IT
TAKES ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES ΤΟ PULL OUT A STRETCHER, STRAP AN INJURED PERSON ON IT AND WINCH HIM BACK ONTO A HELICOPTER.
"I
COULD NOT AFFORD ANY DELAY. WITH ALL MY STRENGTH I MANAGED TO STRAP THE SURVIVOR ONTO THE STRETCHER IN A FRACTION OF THE TIME IT USUALLY TAKES. THE PATIENT RECOVERED SOON AFTER RECEIVING MEDICAL TREATMENT IN HOSPITAL," THE ELATED CREWMAN SAID.
HOWEVER,
HE QUICKLY PUT THE SUCCESS DOWN TO TEAM WORK. "IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN CLOSE AND CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE PILOT AND THE CREWMAN.
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"THE PILOT IS IN COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE CREWMAN IS HIS RIGHT-HAND MAN," HE EXPLAINED. "WE WORK HAND IN HAND.
DURING EVERY FLIGHT, CLOSE AND ESSENTIAL CREW CO-OPERATION IS MANDATORY AND EVIDENT.
FOR MOST OF THE TIME CREWMEN WORK IN PAIRS. ONE MAY GO DOWN ON THE "WIRE" AND THE OTHER STAYS ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT TO CONTROL THE OPERATION OF THE WINCH AND TO LOOK FOR THE LANDING SITE AND GIVE DIRECTIONS TO BOTH HIS PARTNER AND THE PILOT.
ANOTHER QUALITY THAT MAKES A GOOD CREWMAN IS HIS THOROUGH GRASP GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES. NAVIGATION TECHNIQUES AS WELL AS THE FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
OF
DESCRIBING HIS JOB AS GRATIFYING BUT HARD WORK, HE SAID: "IT IS GREAT THAT I CAN DO SOMETHING SPECIAL AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
"P
"AND WHAT IS MORE, I CAN OFTEN TAKE A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF BEAUTIFUL HONG KONG."
BUT ELTON ADMITTED THAT THE PHYSICAL EFFORTS THE JOB REQUIRED AND THE POSSIBLE DANGER DID WEAR HIM OUT AT TIMES.
"THE DANGER IS VERY REAL, HE SAID.
** I ONCE TOOK PART IN A SHIPWRECK RESCUE UNDER A NO. 8 TYPHOON SIGNAL. WHEN I WAS WINCHED DOWN, THE CHINESE FISHING VESSEL WAS PITCHING AND ROLLING IN THE HUGH SEAS. I CRASHED INTO THE VESSEL BUT LUCKILY I ONLY SUFFERED SEVERE BRUISING.
Tr
RESCUE FLIGHTS ASIDE, ELTON AND HIS TEAM ALSO HELP IN FIGHTING BUSH FIRES DURING THE DRY SEASON AND TRANSPORTING GOVERNMENT STAFF FOR VARIOUS DUTIES.
HE INVITED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT JOINING THE TEAM.
"IT'S AN EXCITING AND VARIED CAREER AND A CHANCE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY," HE SAID.
THE BASIC ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS OF AIR CREWMEN ARE FIVE PASSES IN THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION. HAVING A FIRST-- AID CERTIFICATE WOULD BE AN ADVANTAGE BUT NOT ESSENTIAL AS TRAINING COURSES WILL BE OFFERED.
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