h e l i c o p t e r sBuying powerAnd its all in the name of saving lives.How do you persuade your bosses topart with US$93 million to buy newhelicopters when the ones you havealready are modern, in excellent shape andapparently adequate for the job in hand?No problem, said Captain Brian Butt, Controllerof the Hong Kong Government FlyingService (GFS), which is about to start takingdelivery of three Eurocopter AS 332 L2 SuperPumas and five Eurocopter 155 B1 machines.They are to replace the current GFS fleetof three Sikorsky S70 Blackhawks and sixSikorsky S76’s, which are familiar sights inHong Kong skies in roles ranging from casualtyevacuation, search and rescue, firefightingand police operations to flying VIP visitors onsight-seeing trips above Hong Kong’s spectacularskyline.Replacing the powerful Blackhawks,which were bought new in 1994 and eachhave a mere 3,000 hours or so on the clock,may seem a particular extravagance. But theyhave their drawbacks for their particular rolesin Hong Kong, said Butt. The main one is that,versatile and effective as they may be while inthe air, they cannot float, which restricts theiruse over water.“The Blackhawk has been very useful tous, but we want to expand our search andrescue capability from 100 nautical miles to200 nautical miles,” he explained. Hence theSuper Pumas, which in addition to flotationgear have avionics enabling them operate atnight and in all weathers.Another difficulty is that the Blackhawk,basically a military machine, is embargoedfrom Mainland China, and while the embargodoes not affect Hong Kong – even after Chinaresumed sovereignty of the territory fromBritain in 1997 – problems do arise.“When we want to have spare parts, wehave to go through a lot of procedures andthis creates inconvenience for us,” said Butt.Under the rules, even parts that have becomeunserviceable have to be sent back to theUnited States for disposal. “Since the handover(to China) we have to be even more careful.”As for the present fleet of S76’s, themain shortcoming cited by Butt is a limitedpower margin, which curbs their ability to, forexample, land on hospital roof helipads. WithController of the Hong Kong GovernmentFlying Services, Capt Brian Butt:expanding search and rescue capabilitythe new helicopters, Butt wants to introduce aservice in which his pilots can land on highwaysto rescue victims of traffic accidents.Butt said that once these points in favourof the new equipment were put to the pursestring holders, there was little difficulty ingetting the go-ahead for the purchases.Two GFS aircraft that are not due tobe replaced are fixed-wing machines, BAEJ41’s, whose major responsibilities lie withsearch and rescue operations. But they alsohave a more unusual role: pinpointing illegalpager operations in Mainland China that affectflight safety by creating radio frequencyinterference.GFS, which Butt said is the biggest government-runcivilian operation of its type in theregion, currently has 30 pilots – almost all ofthem locals and including one woman – for its24-hour services, in which saving lives takes absolutepriority over all other duties, includingthose in support of police operations. Butt sayshe has advertised for two more pilots – andreceived no less than 700 applications.That would seem to be a generous talentpool, but in a three-month selection processabout half get rejected for failing eyesighttests. Others get weeded out for lack of leadershipabilities.“Leadership is a very important element inour selection, and unfortunately the educationin Hong Kong does not train people in goodleadership,” says 47-year-old Butt, who wasonce rejected by Cathay Pacific Airways andserved as a police inspector before flyingfull-time with what was then called the RoyalHong Kong Auxiliary Air Force.There is also a cultural problem in findingthe right recruits. “Parents want their childrento become doctors, lawyers, engineers orbusinessmen. No one wants them to be a pilotbecause they think it is very dangerous.”But of those accepted by GFS, very fewchoose to leave, partly because of pay scalescomparable to those in the private sector and– a big incentive in expensive Hong Kong – freeaccommodation.Training continues during the career– including a six-month stint flying in therugged environment of the North Sea.Pilots also receive training in Singaporeon underwater escape techniques in whichthey practise on a sunken mock-up aircraft,including white-knuckle drills with traineesblindfolded.<strong>Orient</strong> <strong>Aviation</strong> will feature helicoptersstories from the region on a regular basis. Ifyou have a heli-service in region and have astory to tell call us on (852) 2893 3676One of the Hong Kong bound Eurocopter AS 332 L2 Super Pumas on show at the Paris Air34 | <strong>Orient</strong> <strong>Aviation</strong> | September 2001
S p e c i a l R e p o r tAIRPORTSThailand • Hong Kong • New Zealand • South KoreaChina • Australia • Macau • The Philippines • JapanAirports Council International chiefoffers an olive branch to the airlines ...Rising aeronautical charges are a constantirritation to airline managements,who have seen fees at new and modernisedairports hit their hip pockets hard.But the world’s airports believe carriersare way off beam with their complaints.TOM BAL-LANTYNE talks to the directorgeneral of Airports Council International(ACI), Jonathan Howe.Jonathan Howe is puzzled. He understandsconsumers in the street aregoing to complain about the price ofgasoline, but he does not see why airlinesare constantly complaining about the levelof airport charges.“I have never understood why this issueshould be one where they have divergentinterests.“To me their interests should be identicalto the airport because the alternative is thateither the airport goes out of business or theairline pays a hundred percent, a lot more thanthey are paying now,” he said.The ACI represents more than 1,260airports around the world and Howe arguedairlines are “sophisticated” users and shouldbe able to understand the essential equation;if airports do not diversify their revenue base,airlines will end up paying the entire cost ofoperating an airport.“This diversification of revenue worksdirectly to the airlines benefit because it holdsairline costs down, assuming the airlines areinterested in modernising, expanding, capitalimprovement and all these type of things,”he said.That diversification was highlighted inLET’S PULLTOGETHERACI director general Jonathan Howe: airlines and airportsshould ‘not have divergent interests’September 2001 | <strong>Orient</strong> <strong>Aviation</strong> | 37
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