Government Flying Service (Hong Kong)

Infobox Government agency
agency_name = Government Flying Service
abbreviation = GFS
logo =
logo_width =
logo_caption =
formed = 1993
preceding1 = Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (RHKAAF)
jurisdiction = Hong Kong
headquarters = Hong Kong International Airport
employees = 225
budget =
chief1_name = MCP Chan
chief1_position = Controller
department = Security Bureau
child1_agency =
website = [http://info.gov.hk/gfs Government Flying Service official website]

The Government Flying Service (GFS) is a disciplined unit of the Government of Hong Kong SAR. It was established on April 1, 1993, when Hong Kong was under British rule. It then took over all the non-military operations of the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (RHKAAF), which was an auxiliary unit of the United Kingdom Royal Air Force. After Hong Kong was handed over to the People's Republic of China in 1997, the GFS remains as a government unit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and is responsible for search and rescue (SAR), air ambulance, firefighting and police operations.

The service operates from the southwestern end of Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok. Before the opening of the Chek Lap Kok airport in 1998, it operated from the old Kai Tak Airport (i.e. the former Hong Kong International Airport). GFS patrols a 400 nautical mile radius of Hong Kong's Maritime Search and Rescue Region, as well as the Hong Kong Flight Information Region (FIR), which covers most of the South China Sea basin.

In 2007, the former dispersal in the old Kai Tak Airport was re-opened as a sub-base, providing refueling and other supporting services for GFS's helicopters.

Chinese
t=政府飛行服務隊
s=政府飞行服务队
j=zing3 fu2 fei1 haang4 fuk6 mou6 deoi6
p=zhèngfǔ fēixíng fúwùduì

Operations

GFS is broken down to operational sections:

* Operations Section - day-to-day core functions (i.e. Search and Rescue)
* Training and Standards Section - professional standards and development
* Engineering Section - maintenance of GFS equipment
* Quality Section - compliance to operational standards
* Administration Section - administration, human resources, finance, supplies, etc...
* Helicopters can land on 5 highways in Hong Kong to attend to road related recovery operations

Fleet

The fleet currently comprises:

The fleet has previously included:

Aircraft paint scheme is white and orange. Prior to 2002, the fleet colours consisted of:

* white and orange
* blue, white and red - mostly the S-76
* two tone grey - mostly the S-70A

Gear

* Flight suit or jumpsuit
* Life jacket
* Helicopter helmet

Personnel

GFS employs 238 personnel and they are comprised of:

* 178 commissioned/disciplined personnel
* 60 civilian personnel

Most of the pilots in the GFS were localised prior to the handover in 1997, as former RAF and other British military personnel departed Hong Kong.

The GFS is lead by a controller, who reports to the Secretary for Security. The current controller is Captain Michael CP Chan.

Other senior officers of the GFS are:

* Departmental Secretary
* Chief Operations Officer
* Chief Training and Standards Officer
* Chief Aircraft Engineer
* Manager (Operations)
* Manager (Quality Assurance)
* Manager (Quality & Flight Safety)
* Senior Aircrewman Officer (Operations)

Rank

Ranking of personnel of the GFS are as follows:

* 1 Bauhinia and 1 Laurel Wreath with Crossed Feather
** Controller
* 1 Bauhinia and 2 Pips
** Chief Pilot
** Chief Aircraft Engineer
* 1 Bauhinia and 1 Pip
** Senior Pilot
** Senior Aircraft Engineer
** Senior Aircrewman Officer
* 1 Bauhinia
** Pilot I
** Aircraft Engineer
** Aircrewman Officer I
* 3 Pips
** Pilot I
** Aircraft Engineer
** Aircrewman Officer I
* 2 Pips and 1 Bar
** Pilot II
** Aircraft Engineer
** Aircrewman Officer II
** Chief Aircraft Technician
* 2 Pips
**Pilot II
** Chief Aircraft Technician
** Senior Aircraft Technician
** Aircrewman Officer III
* 1 Pip
** Cadet Pilot
** Senior Aircraft Technician
** Aircraft Technician
** Aircrewman Officer III

Controllers

List of past controllers of the GFS:

* Captain Brian Butt

GFS in the media

*The service's official theme song, "Wishing You Well So Much" (多想你好), was sung by Andy Lau.
*The TVB drama "Always Ready" was filmed inside GFS HQ and starring Ekin Cheng.

Incidents

* Eurocopter EC 155B1 crashed on a hill in Tung Chung on Lantau Island on August 26, 2003 killing two aircrew (Pilot Pang Fu-kwok and Airman Chan Man-tik).

ee also

*Hong Kong Disciplined Services
*Hong Kong Police Force
*Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force
*Hong Kong Fire Services Department
*Correctional Services Department
*Customs and Excise Department
*Immigration Department
*Civil Aid Service
*Auxiliary Medical ServicesOther
*Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

External links

* [http://info.gov.hk/gfs Government Flying Service official website]
* [http://www.yearbook.gov.hk/2002/ehtml/e16-12.htm Government Flying Services as described in Hong Kong Yearbook 2002]
* [http://www.hkdsc.com/ Hong Kong Disciplined Services]