XN000022-1984-09-17 — Page 7

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1984

WOMEN VOLUNTEERS READY TO SERVE COMMUNITY,

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THE FIRST THREE WOMEN VOLUNTEERS RECRUITED BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE SINCE 1960 HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON.

THIS IS: THE IR LOVE OF AVIATION WORK AND THEIR DESIRE TO BE PART OF AN ESSENTIAL VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY SERVICE.

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THE THREE VOLUNTEERS ROSA CHAK SUK-CHING, EILLIE CHANG MI-FUN AND ADA TSE WAI-CHE WERE SELECTED RECENTLY FROM AMONG 190 APPLICANTS COMING FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

THE THREE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT FOR TWO TO FIVE YEARS.

ROSA IS AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER OFFICER, EILLIE AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ASSISTANT, AND ADA AN AERONAUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER OF THE CAD.

+THE IR PRESENT EMPLOYMENT AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF AVIATION MEAN THAT THEY CAN TAKE UP THE JOB EASILY,+ SAID A FLIGHT LIEUTENANT OF THE RHKAAF, MR KALID RAZACK, WHO IS THE FLIGHT COMMANDER OF THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SECTION.

+WE ALSO LOOK FOR APPLICANTS WITH AN OUTGOING PERSONALITY AND A KEEN INTEREST IN AVIATION. WE PROVIDE THE NECESSARY TRAINING.

+FLUENCY IN SPOKEN ENGLISH IS A REQUIREMENT AS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH PILOTS IN ENGLISH,+ MR RAZACK SAID.

HE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THE WOMEN VOLUNTEERS WOULD BE AS COMPETENT AS THE IR MALE COUNTERPARTS.

+THE RHKAAF IS NOT ONLY AN ORGANISATION PERFORMING FLYING TASKS BUT ALSO A DISCIPLINED FORCE THAT DEMANDS GROUP SPIRIT AND STRICT ADHERENCE TO RULES FROM ITS MEMBERS. AND I LIKE TO BE TRAINED IN THESE ASPECTS,+ SAID ROSA WHO HAD BEEN A GIRL GUIDE DUR ING HER SCHOOL DAYS.

BOTH E ILLIE AND ADA SAID THEY WERE WILLING TO PUT IN THE NECESSARY TRAINING TIME DURING WEEKENDS TO ATTAIN THE STANDARD OF PROFICIENCY REQUIRED.

THE THREE OF THEM ARE NOW BEING TRAINED IN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, OPERATIONS AND RADIO COMMUNICATIONS, AND ATTEND AN EVENING LECTURE EVERY THURSDAY.

+THEY WILL SOON BE DEPLOYED TO WORK ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS AT THE SHEK KONG AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER,+ MR RAZACK SAID.

ROSA, WHO IS ALREADY A LICENSED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING A SAFE, ORDERLY AND EXPEDITIOUS FLOW OF AIR TRAFFIC AT SHEK KONG.

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/DURING PEAK