25 · Through thick and thin | Aircraft engineer: Safe flights impossible without efforts of 'unsung heroes' behind scene

Fung Kwok-wai has been serving Government Flying Service (GFS) for 25 years since he joined the service in September 1997, the year of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. In this position, he has worked diligently and dedicatedly and has been involved in the maintenance of almost every GFS aircraft.

Behind every successful rescue operation are the "unsung heroes" of the engineering department. "Well, this is an overstatement," he laughed. "Every colleague in the engineering department works quietly behind the scenes and does his or her job well in the hope that frontline colleagues will perform their duties without distraction. We are honored by their success in carrying out the task."

As an aircraft enthusiast, Fung first joined the GFS because of the opportunity to be exposed to different types of aircraft. "I'm interested in studying aircraft structure, and there are few jobs in HK where you can often get in touch with fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters at the same time," he said.

Twenty-five years ago, after a four-year apprenticeship in aircraft maintenance, Fung noticed a job opening for the Flying Service and immediately applied.

An aircraft engineer is like a doctor and nurse of an aircraft who is always concerned about the health of the aircraft and the safety of its crew.

Flight safety is no small matter. A crack, even as small as a hair, in an aircraft's engine fan blade can damage the engine structure and cause an airborne flameout, resulting in incalculable consequences. Fung told us that focus, care, patience, responsibility, and teamwork are all essential to this job.

Fung said his department has two fixed-wing aircraft for long-range search operations that can reach most of the South China Sea, as far as 1,300 nautical miles south of HK, and the GFS can provide safety protection for vessels sailing in this area by providing search and rescue, dropping lifeboats and contacting nearby vessels for assistance.

"We help maintain the safety and stability of the waters of the South China Sea," Fung said, adding that the safety and stability of the South China Sea allow foreign vessels to navigate the waters with peace of mind and facilitate shipping and commercial trade.

One of the most impressive operations since he joined the service, was his participation in the rescue work of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Southwest China. He recalled, "After the earthquake, HK people were shocked and saddened by the disaster."

The GFS also organized a rescue team within a short period of time and dispatched a helicopter to Wenchuan for disaster relief. Fung and his colleagues immediately went to work to prepare the aircraft maintenance manual, related books and documents, maintenance tools, and aircraft parts. "If anything was missing, it would bring down the whole rescue operation, so the engineering department had to make sure everything was in order."

After the rescue operation, Fung remembered that Vice President Xi Jinping came to GFS headquarters to commend them. "The whole department was very excited and encouraged," he added.

Having personally witnessed the handover of HK in 1997, Fung has the most profound feeling that more and more opportunities are emerging in HK. Fung described the city as a "blessed place" and hoped everyone would cherish and care for this home.

"I believe that with the diligence and hard work of HK people and the strong support of our country, we will continue to progress and develop steadily," he said.