January 1999

Flying High!

     Flying high in the sky is no longer a tale in One Thousand and One Nights. Ordinary people can now have a taste of it.

     Mr. Wilson Au-Yeung, aged over 60, is one of them.

     "I felt excited when I see aircraft models," said Mr. Au-Yeung, a project manager of a design and rennovation company.

     The desire to fly in the sky and his immense interest in aircraft motivated him to start 'flying' four years ago.

     He started to fly in his 50s when he met a part-time aviation instructor at the Hong Kong Aviation Club. He then began learning to fly a light aircraft at the HKAC.

     "At first, I thought I was too old to learn driving a plane. But I decided to do so after being a passenger on a light aircraft."

     He later became more and more interested in flying light aircraft.

     "It is really amazing to fly an aircraft by myself in the sky," Mr. Au-Yeung said happily.

     "I get the real taste of freedom and can stay away from the worries and stresses in daily life," he added.

     "Although much time and effort were needed to solve the difficulties involved, the satisfaction is indescribable. Flying is very different from other leisure activities."

     "The activity costs quite a lot, but this satisfaction cannot be derived from elsewhere."

     Mr. Cren L. H. Kwok, secretary of the HKAC, said, "The biggest obstacle in flying is that the activity demands much resolution, time and effort."

     But he stressed that flying an aircraft is not as difficult as most people perceive.

     One of the chief aims of the HKAC is to provide aviation training courses for individuals who want to obtain the Private Pilot License.

     The flying course consists of both lectures on theory and practical training.

     The course comprises at least 40 flying hours, in which for 10 hours, each student must perform the so-called 'Solo-Fly' -- flying as a Pilot-In-Command by oneself. The rest of the hours are called 'Dual-Fly', which one must pass a medical test prior to 'Solo-Fly'. Then a Student Pilot's License is issued which is valid for two years for those aged under 40, and year otherwise.

     Also, there are six written examinations, namely, Aviation Law, Flight Rules and Procedures, Radio Telephony, Airframes and Engines, Technical Part II, Navigation and Meteorology as well as Human Performance and Limitations.

     The final examination is a general flying test. All the written tests are conducted by the Civil Aviation Department.

     Normally, it takes one year to complete the course and a lifetime Private Flying License will be issued.

     Other than being a pastime, flying light aircraft is also a step towards being a pilot.

     "Anyone who wants to be a pilot must be physically fit. He should not have any problems with his ears or heart and must also not be colour-blind," said Mr. Kwok.

     "There is no upper limit on age in flying a light aircraft." added Mr. Kwok.

     Many people believe that flying is the privilege of the wealthy class, especially foreigners.

     It is a misunderstanding. The HKAC has about 1,000 members from all walks of life.

     Mr. Kwok said, "We do have very rich members, but there are also ordinary employees and students."

     "In 1960s and 70s, our members are mainly foreigners. However, with the increased income level, more local people joined us.      "Though flying is somehow dangerous, there are no specific safety rules for pilots," Mr. Kwok said.

     "We teach private pilots to have good pilot-ship, that is the best means to be safe," he added.

     He admitted, "Our members had a few accidents, but involved no casualties."

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