TNAG-0061-FCO40-97-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 11

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CINCFE 3031/6130/12 Dated 24th September 1968

The Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

12.

The Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (HKAAF) is not similar to auxiliary arms of other air forces, and the following paragraphs give a very brief resume of points appropriate to this study.

13. The HKAAF is an organisation maintained by the Colony Government, and is equipped with Auster light aircraft and Alouette helicopters. Except for certain station services appropriate to the support of a small lodger unit, the Officer Commanding RAF Kai Tak has no continuing overall responsibility for the HKAAF. In normal times, the Commanding Officer HKAAF reports directly to the Defence Secretary, Hong Kong, but when the Governor calls out the auxiliaries for an emergency, the HKAAF is placed under the operational control of the Officer Commanding RAF Kai Tak.

Air

14. Normal Routine. The normal routine for the HKAAF is to stand-down on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and to work through the remaining five days. activities over the weekend generally relate to the training of the auxiliary pilots, and, on the other working days the air activities generally relate to flying tasks required by the Colony Police or by other Government authorities.

15.

Personnel. The personnel complement consists of three elements:

a. Three RAF members are on loan (two pilots and one NCO aircraft fitter). The RAF pilots undertake the training of the auxiliary pilots during the weekends, and, on other working days fly those tasks called for by the Police or Government authority. The RAF NCO undertakes the training and supervision of HKAAF tradesmen.

There is an element of the HKAAF whose members are truly auxiliaries in that they have ordinary civilian employment in the community during the week, but attend Kai Tak for auxiliary training during the weekonds (as well as attending other training periods/camps).

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The permanent staff of the organisation are also members of the HKAAF, but instead of having outside civilian employment in the community during the woek, are employed as pensionable Government servants: they work in the organisation at Kai Tak as civilians for the five working days. At engagement they undertake to serve in the HKAAF, and are thus also liable for auxiliary training and service.

16. Technical Standards. At present, the permanent staff of the HKAAF servicing flight consists of the RAF NCO and 21 Chinese technical tradesmen. Experience has shown that these are capable first-line technicians, but do not measure up to RAF standards as supervisors. They could be equated to the junior technician skill levels and are considered as unsuitable, at least initially, for second-line servicing of even the relatively simple aircraft now on strength.

17. Recruiting. No difficulty has ever been experienced in obtaining tradesmen for the permanent staff. A recent requirement for three technicians brought responses from over 200 qualified applicants.

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