XN000022-1977-01-23 — Page 4

SUNDAY, JANUARY 23, 1977

THE SENSE OF DUTY AND DEDICATION OF THESE +FLYING AMBULANCEMEN+ HAVE NOT GONE UNNOTICED, FLT. LT. B.C. SPIKINS, WHO WAS HELICOPTER INSTRUCTOR OF THE UNIT ON LOAN FROM THE ROYAL AIR FORCE BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1973 AND MID 1976, WAS AWARDED THE QUEEN'S COMMENDATION FOR VALUABLE SERVICE IN THE AIR (Q.C.V.S.A.) IN THE NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST.

+ IN ADDITION TO HIS INSTRUCTING ROLE, HE VOLUNTARILY TOOK PART IN THE UNIT'S EMERGENCY DUTIES AND CARRIED OUT 16 NIGHT AND 54 DAY TIME CASUALTY EVACUATIONS DURING HIS TWO-AND-A-HALF-YEAR TOUR, SEVERAL OF WHICH INVOLVED FLYING SKILLS OF THE VERY HIGHEST ORDER,+ FLT. LT. SHAWCROSS SAID.

APART FROM THE MORE WELL-KNOWN MERCY FLIGHTS, THE UNIT'S FLEET OF THREE HELICOPTERS WERE ALSO ENGAGED IN A HOST OF ROUTINE FLYING SERVICES FOR OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

THESE INCLUDED THE FLYING DOCTOR+ AND +FLYING DENTIST+ SERVICES TO OUTLYING VILLAGE COMMUNITIES TRAFFIC SURVEYS COMMUNICATIONS, SURVEILLANCE OF SUSPECTED ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS NARCOTICS SMUGGLING, AND CARRYING VISITING DIGNITARIES.

FLT. LT. SHAWCROSS SAID ONE UNUSUAL TASK CARRIED OUT LAST YEAR WAS HELPING WITH THE INSTALLATION OF TRANSMISSION AERIALS ON REMOTE HILL TOPS FOR THE POLICE BEAT RADIO SCHEME.

+THE JOB INVOLVED FLYING BUCKETS OF READY MIXED CONCRETE, EACH WEIGHING 1,000 POUNDS, TO THE HILL TOPS OF MOUNT PARKER, MOUNT DAVIS, BRICK HILL, AND GOLDEN HILL FOR BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE AERIALS.

+MORE THAN 260 TONS OF MIXED CONCRETE WERE AIRLIFTED DURING THE OPERATION WHICH TOOK SOME 50 HOURS' FLYING TIME,+ HE SAID.

APART FROM THE HELICOPTERS, THE UNIT'S FIXED WING AIRCRAFT THE ISLANDER AND THE MUSKETEER ALSO CONTINUED TO PROVIDE VALUABLE SERVICES.

DURING THE YEAR, THE TWIN-ENGINED ISLANDER, EQUIPPED WITH SOPHISTICATED AERIAL SURVEY CAMERA, HELPED THE P.W.D. UPDATE ALL EXISTING MAPS AND PLANS, INCLUDING THOSE OF THE RAPIDLY DEVELOP ING AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES. PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM THE ISLANDER ARE USED FOR VOLUMETRIC ANALYSIS IN THE MANY PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS

INVOLVING EARTH MOVING AND RECLAMATION.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ROLE OF THE ISLANDER IS TO CARRY OUT LONG RANGE SEARCH AND RESCUE FLIGHTS FOR DISTRESSED VESSELS AND SURVIVORS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. EIGHT SUCH FLIGHTS WERE CARRIED OUT DURING THE YEAR.

CO-OPERATION WITH THE POLICE NARCOTICS BUREAU TO SHADOW TRAWLERS SUSPECTED TO BE ENGAGED IN DRUG SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES ALSO CONTINUED.

IN A.DITION,