The new West Kowloon Heliport, located at the southern tip of the West Kowloon Reclamation, is now available for domestic helicopter services, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) said today (December 7).
To facilitate the continuous development of commercial helicopter services following the closure of the Central Heliport, the Government has made this site at the West Kowloon Reclamation available as a temporary domestic heliport. Efforts to identify suitable sites for the development of a permanent domestic heliport continue.
Helicopters Hong Kong Limited was awarded development and management rights for the West Kowloon Heliport through an open tender exercise conducted earlier in the year. The heliport will initially be available up to the end of 2005.
Occupying an area of about 7,910 square metres, the West Kowloon Heliport comprises one landing/take-off pad and three parking pads. It can accommodate both single and twin-engine helicopters up to a maximum take-off weight of 5,500 kilograms and an overall length/width of 16 metres.
At present, domestic helicopter services in Hong Kong are mainly provided by two commercial operators - Helicopters Hong Kong Limited and Heliservices (Hong Kong) Limited.
In 2002/03, a total of 7,264 domestic commercial helicopter movements carrying 20,818 passengers were recorded at the Central Heliport.
"It has been the Government's long standing policy to facilitate the development of commercial helicopter services," the CAD spokesman said.
"It is believed that the development of domestic helicopter services will enhance Hong Kong's role as a regional and international aviation centre. It will also help in promoting Hong Kong as a tourist destination, enriching visitors' travel experience and enhancing Hong Kong's attractiveness," he said.
CAD Conducts Annual Search and Rescue Exercise
November 27, 2003
The Hong Kong Garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and various government departments joined hands to display their Search and Rescue (SAR) capability during a short range SAR demonstration today (November 27).
The event was organised by the Civil Aviation Department and took place at Tung O Wan of Lamma Island .
“The demonstration was part of an annual search and rescue exercise (SAREX) to provide continuation training and familarisation in SAR technique for SAR qualified air traffic controllers, aircrew and other units likely to be involved in such operations. A total of 12 units participate in the SAREX this year,?a spokesman for the Department said.
Today's exercise involved a joint mountain rescue demonstration by the Government Flying Service (GFS) and the Civil Aid Service (CAS) at the hillside of Tung O Wan, followed by a deck winching demonstration of a simulated survivor by a Eurocopter Super Puma AS332 L2 helicopter from GFS. A sea SAR demonstration by the diving unit from the Fire Services Department (FSD) followed immediately. The exercise ended with an aerial search demonstration by a Z9 helicopter from PLA.
The demonstration was observed by more than 100 SAR experts. They included representatives from the Mainland, Macau , the United States , Malaysia , Singapore , Japan , Korea , Thailand , Vietnam , Combodia , Mongolia , India and local observers from the Airport Authority Hong Kong, CAS, FSD, Marine Police, Marine Department and a number of airlines.
Before the activation of this short range demonstration, the SAR aircraft involved in this year's SAREX were on display at the Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (November 26). They included two C130 aircraft from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the United States Air Force (USAF), as well as a Eurocopter Super Puma AS332 L2 helicopter, a Eurocopter EC155 B1 helicopter and a Jetstream J41 aircraft, all from GFS. Also on display were the emergency facilities of the Airport Fire Contingent (AFC).
“As part of the annual event, a long range SAR exercise will be held tomorrow (November 28) to test the alerting procedures, coordination and communication facilities of the various participants.
“It will be activated this evening, simulating the scenario where an aircraft encounters an engine fire and ditches in distress about 80 nautical miles to the southwest of Hong Kong . A PLA patrol vessel will be dispatched to the area tomorrow morning to search and locate the targets (represented by rubber tyres) in the South China Sea ,?the spokesman added. Apart from the PLA, this exercise will also be participated by USCG, USAF and GFS.
SAREX 2003 began yesterday and will last until Saturday (November 29). Prior to the conduct of the exercise, an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) SAR Seminar officiated by Mr Albert Lam, Director-General of Civil Aviation was held successfully in Hong Kong on Monday (November 24) and Tuesday (November 25). Its objective is to refresh the awareness of the participants regarding States' responsibilities on SAR and to keep them informed of the latest development in SAR techniques, practices and supporting infrastructure. More than 30 representatives from 10 States attended the Seminar.
Hong Kong to Host International Air Traffic Controllers Conference 2004
October 26, 2003
Hong Kong will host an international conference with participation by more than 1,000 air traffic controllers from all over the world between March 22 and 26, 2004. Aspects concerning aviation safety in general and the air traffic control (ATC) profession in particular will be discussed at the five-day event.
?Hong Kong is honoured and delighted to have the opportunity to host the 43 rd International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Association (IFATCA) Conference and Technical Exhibition in 2004. It was confirmed at the last Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina in March 2003 that next year's event will be held in Hong Kong,?said Mr Peter Leung, Chairman of the Organising Committee IFATCA 2004 today (November 16).
“We are also very pleased to have the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (HKCAD) as the major sponsor of the event, which will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre,?Mr Leung added.
IFATCA is an independent non-government and non-political professional organisation representing about 40,000 air traffic controllers in more than 120 countries. The mission of the Federation is to protect and safeguard the interests of the ATC profession. Amongst its goals are to promote safety, efficiency, and regularity in international air navigation, to assist and advise in the development of safe and orderly systems of ATC and new procedures and facilities, to promote and uphold a high standard of knowledge and professional efficiency among air traffic controllers, to closely cooperate with international and national aviation authorities and institutions concerned with air navigation, and to sponsor and support the passage of legislation and regulations which will increase and protect the safety of air navigation.
The supreme authority of IFATCA is vested in the Annual Conference, at which the Member Associations decide on the organisation and policy of the Federation. The IFATCA Corporate Members are provided with the facility of a "Trade Fair" at the Conference where they can display their state-of-the-art products in communications, navigation and surveillence to the air traffic controllers and the many Directors of the air traffic services organisations.
Preparation for the 43 rd IFATCA Conference and Technical Exhibition has already started. This involves the identification of suitable venues for various functions related to the Conference, the arrangement of social activities, and the compilation of the Conference magazine, etc.
“I am glad that IFATCA has selected Hong Kong as the venue for the 43 rd Annual Conference. HKCAD is fully committed to working with the Hong Kong Air Traffic Control Association (HKATCA), and will render support and assistance to it and IFATCA to ensure the event is smooth and successful,?said Mr Albert Lam, Director-General of Civil Aviation.
“With Hong Kong 's excellent infrastructure, transportation network, hotels and conference facilities, I believe the 43 rd IFATCA Annual Conference and Technical Exhibition will be a success,?Mr Lam added.
Mr Lam and senior officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government are anticipated to be present at the opening ceremony scheduled on March 22 to demonstrate their support for the event.
Observers from international organisations such as International Civil Aviation Organization, International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations, International Air Transport Association, Airports Council International, and Eurocontrol Agency, etc are also expected to come to Hong Kong for the Conference.
The Organising Committee IFATCA 2004 has set up a web site to promote Hong Kong 's hosting of the 43 rd IFATCA Annual Conference and Technical Exhibition. The address of the site is http://www.hkatca.org/ifatca2004
Airlines offer more passenger and cargo services
October 26, 2003
Fifteen more scheduled passenger and cargo services will operate to and from Hong Kong on a weekly basis in the Winter Season of 2003/04 (October 26, 2003 to March 27, 2004).
Air traffic at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is back to, and has even exceeded, pre-SARS levels, the Civil Aviation Department said today (October 26).
In the new season, 128 additional scheduled passenger and cargo services are offered per week, but 113 services have been cancelled, thus making a net increase of 15. More than half of the additional passenger services operate between Hong Kong and the Mainland, notably Shanghai and Beijing. The two destinations have registered an increase of 25 and 10 weekly services respectively, taking the total frequencies to 165 and 101 per week. The surge can be largely attributed to the higher demand for air services to Hong Kong by individual Mainland travellers. With the addition of 54 services per week, the number of weekly air services between Hong Kong and the Mainland stands at more than 600, ie, over 1,200 flight movements.
Four airlines have launched new passenger services to and from Hong Kong. These involve the provision of 14 weekly services to Bangkok by Hong Kong Dragon Airlines, three weekly services to Beijing by Cathay Pacific Airways from December 2, three weekly services between Nairobi and Hong Kong via Bangkok by Kenya Airways, and a weekly service from Moscow by Transaero Airlines. Kenya Airways and Transaero Airlines are new passenger carriers serving Hong Kong, while Nairobi is a new destination.
As regards cargo services, about half of the additional services are operated to Shanghai, Singapore and Cologne. Cologne in Germany is a new destination served by cargo carrier United Parcel Service. Another new port added to the route network of HKIA is Novosibirsk; cargo services to the port are operated by Aeroflot Russian International Airlines.
A total of 69 airlines now offer scheduled passenger and cargo services from Hong Kong to about 130 destinations worldwide. With the additional number of scheduled services offered by airlines, the total number of flight movements at HKIA has increased to about 4,300 per week.
LegCo approves increase in air passenger departure tax to $120
October 8, 2003
The Legislative Council passed a resolution today (October 8) to increase the air passenger departure tax (APDT) from $80 to $120. The increase will take effect on January 9, 2004.
Today's resolution will put into effect the proposed increase in APDT announced in the 2003-04 Budget.
The tax increase will generate additional revenue of $400 million for the Government in a full year, easing the Government's fiscal deficit by providing an additional and stable source of recurrent revenue.
In moving the resolution, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Frederick Ma, said, "The increase in APDT will help relieve the deficit problem without affecting people's livelihood."
He noted that even with the tax increase, the ADPT is still a relatively small amount compared with the average price of an air ticket, and thus will not hinder the development of tourism.
The implementation of the proposal to raise the APDT was postponed because of the SARS attack earlier this year. The Government and the Airport Authority introduced a series of relief measures and initiatives to boost the aviation and tourism industries. With the concerted efforts of various sectors, the aviation and tourism industries have revived quickly.
DGCA chairs major international air navigation conference
September 28, 2003
Director-General of Civil Aviation Albert Lam was elected unanimously as the Chairman of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 11th Air Navigation Conference by the 529 delegates from 112 countries who are attending the conference in Canada.
It is the first time in half a century that such a significant international aviation conference has been chaired by a Chinese. Mr Lam was nominated by the United States as the Chairman and the nomination was seconded by Germany and Japan.
The conference, which is being held at the ICAO Headquarters in Montreal, Canada was convened on September 22 and will close on October 3.
The Conference is of extreme importance in establishing a roadmap for future air traffic management (ATM). It aims to discuss the development planning of the global ATM system in the coming 20 to 25 years, and will guide the development and implementation of an interoperable, seamless and global ATM system for the 21st century.
"In forging ahead the design of the future global air navigation system, the fundamental issues of safety and security will be the major concerns of the international aviation industry," said Dr Assad Kotaite, President of the Council, ICAO at the opening ceremony.
On his election as the conference Chairman, Mr Lam said: "It is indeed a great honour to me and to the People's Republic of China that I am elected as the Chairman."
The 18-member Chinese delegation was led by Mr Liu Shao-yong, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, with Mr Zhang Yao-kuan, Deputy Director of the Office of State Air Traffic Control Commission and Mr Lam as the deputy team leaders.
The Chinese delegation submitted working papers entitled "Views on ICAO Global ATM Operational Concept" and "Data Link Flight Information Services (DFIS) Applications" to the conference for deliberation.
From 1953 when the first ICAO Air Navigation Conference was convened to 1991, a total of 10 meetings have been held. This year's agenda items include the introduction and assessment of a global ATM operational concept, safety and security in ATM, ATM performance targets for safety, efficiency and regularity and the role of required total system performance in this respect, capacity-enhancement measures, aeronautical navigation issues, and aeronautical air-ground and air-to-air communications.
Transit passengers using cross-boundary ferry service exempted from airport departure tax
September 27, 2003
Transit passengers who arrive at Hong Kong International Airport via a new cross-boundary ferry service for direct onward travel by air will be exempted from the Air Passenger Departure Tax (APDT) under the APDT Ordinance (Amendment of Second Schedule) Order 2003.
The order was published in the Gazette today (September 27) and takes immediate effect.
The exemption is connected to the opening of the new airport cross-boundary ferry terminal on Monday (September 29). The terminal will enable passengers from Macau and certain Mainland ports to reach the airport directly by ferry for onward travel by air.
"Under the existing ADPT Ordinance, direct transit and connecting airside transit passengers are exempt from the Air Passenger Departure Tax," a Government spokesman said. "Therefore, it is consistent with Government policy to exempt from the tax all transit passengers arriving at Hong Kong International Airport by cross-boundary ferry."
"The arrangement will assist and encourage passengers from the Mainland and Macau to make use of the airport and further Hong Kong's development as a regional and international aviation hub," the spokesman said.
Preliminary Report on GFS Helicopter Accident Released
September 25, 2003
In accordance with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations, an Inspector's investigation is in progress to determine the circumstances and causes that relate to the accident on the Eurocopter EC155B1 helicopter of the Government Flying Service over Tung Chung Pass, Lantau Island, near Hong Kong International Airport on August 26, 2003.
A Civil Aviation Department spokesman today (September 25) said: "The preliminary report contains facts relating to the accident as determined up to the time of issue and must be regarded as tentative.
"More in-depth investigation and analysis work remain to be done before a conclusion can be drawn on what caused the accident. The final report is expected to be completed within one year."
"This preliminary report is published for general information," he added.
The following is the content of the full preliminary report:-
Chief Inspector of Accidents
Accident Investigation Division
Civil Aviation Department
46th Floor
Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway
Hong Kong
25 September 2003
Accident Bulletin 1/03
Aircraft type: Eurocopter EC155B1
Registration: B-HRX
Year of manufacture: 2002
Number and type of engines: 2 Arriel 2C2 turbines
Date and time of accident: 26 August 2003 at 22:32 hours local time (14:32 UTC)
Place of accident: Tung Chung Pass, Lantau Island, near Hong Kong International Airport
Nature of Accident: The helicopter departed at 22:29 from Hong Kong International Airport, having been tasked with a Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) mission. The helicopter took the route across the high ground of Lantau Island via the Tung Chung Pass. After three minutes into the flight the helicopter impacted with terrain while crossing the Pass and was destroyed.
Type of flight: CASEVAC
Persons on board: Crew: Two Passengers: nil
Fatalities: Two
Commander's licence: Airline Transport Pilot's Licence
Commander's age: 34 years
Commander's experience: 3,900 hours (of which 150 were on type)
Other crew: One air crewman
Sources of information: Site investigation and interviews
EC155B1 Accident - 26 August 2003
All times are in local time
1. On the late evening of 26 August 2003, a Eurocopter EC155B1 helicopter operated by the Hong Kong Government Flying Service (GFS) departed at 22:29 from the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), having been tasked with a CASEVAC mission to pick up a patient from Cheung Chau. The helicopter took the route across Lantau Island (highest point 3,066 feet above mean sea level (AMSL)) via Tung Chung Pass (approximately 1,100 feet AMSL).
2. Approximately three minutes after take-off, at 22:32, whilst in level flight the helicopter impacted with terrain at an elevation of 1250 feet AMSL that sloped gently upwards both ahead and to the west of the Pass. The combined Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorder (CVFDR) ceased to record at this point of time. The helicopter fuselage continued travelling forward in close ground contact for a further 50 metres. Main rotor blades were severed within the first few metres through contact with small trees and rocks, and the underbelly and right side of the fuselage were damaged substantially.
3. As the terrain falls away moderately sharply at the end of the 50 metre run, the helicopter became airborne again and travelled a horizontal distance of approximately 100 metres whilst falling through a vertical height of some 100 feet before impacting with terrain for a second time in a nose high attitude at an elevation of 1150 feet AMSL. The main body of the wreckage finally came to rest after travelling forward for a further 30 metres. The pilot and the air crewman were killed. There was no post-impact fire.
4. The flight was conducted under Special Visual Flight Rules, which require the pilot to remain clear of cloud and in visual contact with the surface. At the time of the accident the weather at HKIA (the cloud base was around 1200 feet and visibility was 10 km) was within GFS limits for single pilot operations at night.
5. Recordings from the CVFDR gave no indication of any aircraft system failures during the flight and no emergency call was made by the crew. Neither Air Traffic Control nor the GFS received any distress call from the helicopter.
6. Examination of the wreckage trail indicated that substantial damage was inflicted on the aircraft, in particular the main rotor blades, within the first few metres after initial impact. At the point of the second impact there was much debris from the tail fenestron and the antenna of the Automatically Deployable Emergency Locator Transmitter (ADELT) installed at the tail of the helicopter, suggesting a touchdown in a nose high attitude.
7. The take-off weight of the helicopter was 3,843kg, approximately 1,000 kg below the maximum approved gross weight for the EC155B1 helicopter (4,850kg). The aircraft was within both longitudinal and lateral centre of gravity limits.
8. The pilot held a current Airline Transport Pilot's Licence (Helicopters and Gyroplanes) and a valid Class One medical certificate. He had 3,900 hours of operating experience. The pilot's conversion to the EC155B1 helicopter type was conducted in Hong Kong during January and February 2003, by technical and flying instructors from Eurocopter, the helicopter manufacturer. His initial Licensing Flight Test and Operator Proficiency Check were carried out on 6 February 2003. The pilot was in current flying practice on both the AS332L2 Super Puma and EC155B1 as aircraft commander.
9. The Chief Inspector of Accidents has ordered an Inspector's Investigation into the cause of the accident in accordance with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations. The investigation is being conducted by the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department with the participation of investigators from the Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses pour la Securite de l'Aviation Civile of France. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the United Kingdom was requested to assist in the retrieval of data from the CVFDR of the accident helicopter.
10. The accident investigation team conducted interviews with a number of pilots who were airborne at around the time of the accident, the police and fire crews who were first to attend the scene of the accident, Air Traffic Control officers on duty at the time and members of the GFS.
11. During the course of the investigation, should safety recommendations be considered necessary, they will be promulgated to the parties concerned before the report is published.
_____________________________________________________________________
This Bulletin contains facts relating to the accident as determined up to the time of issue. The information must necessarily be regarded as tentative and subject to alteration or correction if additional evidence becomes available.
Air traffic surge expected during Golden Week
September 21, 2003
Flight movements at Hong Kong International Airport on the first day of National Day Golden Week (October 1) are expected to rise more than 16% over the current daily rate, bringing the number to 634, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Department said today (September 21).
The anticipated surge in demand for air transportation can be attributed to more individual travellers coming to Hong Kong from the Mainland, and local residents spending their holidays overseas during National Day Golden Week.
As at today, eight airlines have submitted slot requests to operate 88 additional scheduled and ad-hoc charter flights (a total of 176 flight movements) from tomorrow (September 22) to October 7, with most applications falling between October 1 (the first day of the National Day Golden Week) and October 5 (Sunday). All requests received so far have been accepted.
Among the additional flights, 65% will operate to and from Mainland destinations, while 27% and 8% will be between Hong Kong and Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia respectively.
Notably, the majority of the extra services are flights between Shanghai and Hong Kong, accounting for almost 60% of the total. Phuket and Bangkok in Thailand are also among the more popular destinations from Hong Kong in the period.
At present, there are an average of 545 daily flight movements at the airport. The figure represents more than 90% of pre-SARS level.
Last year, 36 additional scheduled and ad-hoc charter flights (a total of 72 flight movements) were operated around the National Day Golden Week period (September 22 to October 7, 2002), with Guilin, Taipei and Sapporo being the most preferred choices of air travellers.
Hong Kong to host regional civil aviation conference in November 2004
September 12, 2003
The 41st Conference of the Directors General of Civil Aviation, Asia and Pacific Regions, coordinated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), will be held in Hong Kong from November 1 to 5, 2004.
This year, the 40th DGCA Conference was held in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, from September 1 to 5. Mr Albert Lam, Director-General of Civil Aviation, who was elected Vice-Chairman of the conference, attended the event with seven other representatives of the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (HKCAD) as part of the Chinese delegation.
Following spirited discussions of the theme proposed by the HKCAD for next year, the DGCA Conference adopted "Partnership in Achieving a Safe, Secure and Efficient Air Transport System Through Effective Safety Oversight" as the theme of next year's gathering.
In its theme proposal, the HKCAD noted the need for closer co-operation and partnership as the world moves towards globalisation and aviation enters a new era of rapid technological development, bringing with it new safety, security and facilitation challenges. The scope for co-operation and partnership has also been extended and a much wider area is covered, including many matters related to safety and efficiency. Indeed, all areas addressed by the 18 Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation are covered. The form of co-operation may include consultation, information/experience sharing and joint efforts between the private sector and government authorities, between governments on a bilateral basis and among governments on a regional or international basis.
ICAO has expended great efforts to promote partnership in many areas, and various co-operation programmes have been developed, implemented and enhanced. To supplement these efforts, it is considered desirable for the conference to focus discussion next year on a subject that would help promote partnership and co-operation and enhance safety, security and efficiency through effective safety oversight.
It is hoped that the topic will attract papers to convey experience, ideas, comments or suggestions on the ways and means of co-operation being practised in the region or elsewhere. This includes any existing or planned programmes, or any new initiatives in any form of co-operation or partnership that could help achieve a safe, secure and efficient air transport system. It is also hoped that through the presentations and discussions, the next Conference will gain an insight into the recent development in co-operation practices/programmes in respect of safety, security and efficiency through effective safety oversight; review any relevant practices or programmes and discuss ways of enhancement as appropriate; discuss and agree on new co-operation initiatives and strategies for the region; and formulate action items for the implementation of agreed programmes/measures.
This year's DGCA Conference in Mongolia, whose theme was "Human Factors and Safety Culture in Safety Management Systems to Enhance Safety, Security and Efficiency through Close Cooperation", was well attended, with 154 representatives from 36 Asia/Pacific States, Administrations and three International Organisations. Mr Albert Lam acted as moderator of the session on the theme during the second day of the conference.
A total of 93 discussion/information papers were submitted for the conference. Besides the theme topic, items discussed included air navigation planning and implementation, Satellite-based Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) implementation activities, aviation safety, aviation security, air transport and technical cooperation.
The HKCAD submitted five papers covering the latest CNS/ATM systems developments in Hong Kong, regulation of air traffic services in Hong Kong, emergency escape provisions - doors and escape slides deployment programme, backup air traffic control centre and tower at the Hong Kong International Airport, and the proposed theme topic for next year.
HKCAD representatives participated actively in the conference by taking turns to comment on various aviation subjects and update the delegates on the activities and achievements of the department. The Federal Aviation Administration of the United States recognised Mr Lam's practice to encourage colleagues to speak up at the conference.
Prior to the conference, Mr Lam made a brief stop in Beijing and met Captain Yang Yuan-yuan, Minister of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) and Mr Liu Shao-yong, Vice Minister of CAAC. The major purpose of the visit was to exchange views with the CAAC regarding issues to be discussed at the ICAO 11th Air Navigation Conference to be held from September 22 to October 3 in Montreal, Canada. Mr Lam will be the deputy team leader of the Chinese delegation to the conference.
Agenda items include introduction and assessment of a global air traffic management operational concepts, safety and security in air traffic management, air traffic management performance targets for safety, efficiency and regularity and the role of required total system performance in this respect, capacity-enhancement measures, aeronautical navigation issues, and aeronautical air-ground and air-to-air communications.
Mr Lam also discussed a wide range of issues with the CAAC Minister. These included the impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome on the aviation industry and the latest developments in Hong Kong and the Mainland, as well as the operations of Hong Kong-based airlines, etc. The discussions helped to promote CAAC's understanding of civil aviation activities in Hong Kong, and were beneficial to the future development of the aviation sectors in the Mainland and Hong Kong.
Security Bureau responds to media enquiries
August 29, 2003
Following is a statement by the Security Bureau in response to media enquiries about the procurement of Eurocopter EC155 B1 helicopters by the Government Flying Service today (August 29):
In response to a Chinese newspaper article today (August 29) alleging that the procurement of Eurocopter EC155 B1 Helicopter was related to the lobbying over visa-free arrangements for SAR passport holders, a spokesman for the Security Bureau pointed out that the procurement of Eurocopter EC155 B1 helicopters by the Government Flying Service was done in accordance with the Government's established tendering procedures. The procurement was carried out through a worldwide tendering exercise consistent with the World Trade Organisation government procurement agreement. In fact, the EC155 B1 helicopters are the most modern and advanced amongst similar types.
French aviation experts arrive to help with helicopter crash investigation
August 29, 2003
Two aviation experts from France arrived in Hong Kong today (August 29) to assist in the investigation of the August 26 crash of Government Flying Service Eurocopter EC155 B1 on a hillside near Pa