XN000022-1974-11-25 — Page 4

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1

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'FLYING AMBULANCES' HE TSY YEAR

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HONG KONG'S OWN AIR CORPS

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THE R.AL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE -- HAS HAD A BUSY TIME THIS YEAR, AIRLIFTING MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE REQUIRING URGENT MEDICAL ATTENTION FROM REMOTE AREAS TO HOSPITALS IN THE CITY.

WITH THREE HELICOPTERS AND A GROUP OF +ALWAYS-READY AND WILLING+ VOLUNTEERS, THE FORCE HAS CARRIED OUT SUCH MERCY MISSIONS MOSTLY FOR INJURED OR SERIOUSLY ILL PEOPLE FOR YEARS.

CN MARCH 3 ALONE, THE RHKAAF RESPONDED TO FOUR CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE, THE HIGHEST IN A DAY THIS YEAR.

MARKING THE FLYING AMBULANCES+ OF THIS MINIATURE AIR FORCE IS A COLLINATION OF VOLUNTEER AND FULL-TIME AIRCREW WHO OFTEN FOREGO THEIR EVENING ENTERTAINMENT IN ORDER TO BE ON 'STANDBY AT HOME. FA, AS ALWAYS, THEY ARE READY FOR DUTY AT ANY HOUR OF THE DAY AND LIGHT, AND GET THEMSELVES AIRBORNE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER A CALL.

INDEED, ANSWERING AN ELEVENTH-HOUR PLEA ON A COLD MISTY EVELING WITH AN OVERCAST SKY IS BY NO MEANS UNUSUAL TO THE AIRCREW OF THE RHKAAF.

+CHALLENGING AS IT OFTEN IS, AN EMERGENCY FLIGHT IS PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS DURING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS,+ COMMENTED WING COMMANDER SIMON ELLIS, COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE.

ON ONE OCCASION, HE SAID, A HELICOPTER OF THE FORCE ENGAGED IN A MERCY ERRAND HAD TO MAKE A LANDING ON THE BEACH AT A REMOTE CUTLYING ISLAND BECAUSE OF POOR WEATHER AND LOW VISIBILITY TO WAIT FOR AN IMPROVEMENT BEFORE IT WAS POSS, LE TO CONTINUE TAKING THE PATIENT TO HOSPITAL.

+IN FACT,+ WING COMMANDER ELLIS ENT ON, +IN THE DARK AND MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS OF HONG KONG, NIGHT-FLYING ITSELF CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR EVEN THE BEST OF PILOTS. HOWEVER, ARMED WITH EXPERIENCE, AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT LIFE MAY BE AT STAKE, OUR CREWS WILLINGLY FACE THE HAZARDS INVOLVED.+

THE RHKAAF MAINTAINS THE EMERGENCY SERVICE DURING WORKING HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

BUT TO EXTEND THE COVERAGE TO TWENTY-FOUR HOURS, THE OVERNIGHT DUTY IS SHARED WITH NO. 28 SQUADRON, ROYAL AIR FORCE, EACH UNIT STANDING BY IN ALTERNATE MONTHS. THUS A HELICOPTER IS ON CALL FOR THIS SERVICE ALL THE TIME.

+IT IS CLEAR THAT THE TIME ELEMENT IS CRUCIAL IN SAVING THE LIFE OF ONE SUFFERING FROM ACUTE ILLNESS OR ACCIDENTAL INJURY IN A PLACE FAR AWAY FROM HOSPITAL, AND THIS IS WHERE OUR SERVICE COMES IN, WING COMMANDER ELLIS SAID.

/HE ADDED THAT