The Hong Kong Aviation Club is an aviation club which offers training on both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter to Private Pilot Licence Level. It was established in 1982 upon the amalgamation of the Hong Kong Flying Club, the Aero Club of Hong Kong and the Far East Flying Training School.

History

The predecessor, Hong Kong Flying Club was formed in the late 1920s when the governor, Sir

Cecil Clementi Sir Cecil Clementi (; 1 September 1875 – 5 April 1947) was a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of Hong Kong from 1925 to 1930, and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Straits Settlements from 1930 to 1934. Early lif ...

, presided over the inaugural meeting on 20 December 1929. Flight training commenced at

Kai Tak Kai Tak Airport was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 until 1998. Officially known as Hong Kong International Airport from 1954 to 6 July 1998, it is often referred to as Hong Kong International Airport, Kai Tak, or simply Ka ...

in the second half of 1930 and followed by commercial services six years later with the arrival of Dorado from Malaysia on 24 March 1936. It formerly held most of its activities at

Kai Tak Airport Kai Tak Airport was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 until 1998. Officially known as Hong Kong International Airport from 1954 to 6 July 1998, it is often referred to as Hong Kong International Airport, Kai Tak, or simply Ka ...

, where it had hangars and other facilities. The club moved most of its aircraft to

Shek Kong Airfield The Shek Kong Airfield (ICAO: VHSK), formerly Royal Air Force Station Sek Kong or Sek Kong Airfield, is an airfield ( airbase) located in Shek Kong, New Territories, Hong Kong. The base currently houses air force units of People's Liberation A ...

in 1994 after the hours for general aviation at Kai Tak were sharply reduced, to two hours per morning, as of July 1 that year. Kai Tak closed to fixed-wing traffic in 1998. The club ended its helicopter activities at Kai Tak on 9 July 2017.Hong Kong Aviation Club responds to media enquiries
" Hong Kong Aviation Club. 27 May 2017. Retrieved on 18 April 2018
Chinese version
The Kai Tak location, which it was able to use all days of the week, meant that helicopter training took less time compared to fixed-wing training, as usage at Shek Kong is restricted to weekends.

The club today

Today, the Aviation Club remains as the only Kai Tak heritage and history of the former Kai Tak Airport. Part of the Administration building, located at 31

Sung Wong Toi Road Sung may refer to: *Sung, Cambodia, commune in Samlout District, Battambang Province *Singing (past participle of the verb "to sing") Chinese history *Song (state) (宋) (11th century BC – 286 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, a ...

is used for the headquarters of the

Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps The Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps () is a voluntary uniformed group (although employees working at headquarters are paid) subsidised by the Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong government and is registered under the Societies Ordinance as a non-pro ...

through the courtesy of the Aviation Club. Hong Kong Aviation Club is also the home to the 1661st Scout Group and the Hong Kong Aviation Club Foundation, a charity organisation which promote General Aviation in Hong Kong to the youth. The Hong Kong Aviation Club remains the only organisation in Hong Kong which offers training on both

fixed-wing aircraft A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air flying machine, such as an airplane, which is capable of flight using wings that generate lift caused by the aircraft's forward airspeed and the shape of the wings. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinc ...

and

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...

Private Pilot Licence A private pilot licence (PPL) or, in the United States, a private pilot certificate, is a type of pilot licence that allows the holder to act as pilot in command of an aircraft privately (not for remuneration). The licence requirements are dete ...

Level, including all required ground course subjects. The club is also the only organisation in Hong Kong where such a licence can be kept current. The club's fleet of seven Cessna planes and five Robinson helicopters is available for both training and leisure flying. All flying activities take place at

. Full-time qualified engineers are employed to maintain aircraft of the club as well as members' aircraft. Hangar facilities are both located at Shek Kong Airfield and

. General aviation aircraft are not permitted at Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok without prior approval from the Civil Aviation Department and the Hong Kong Airport Authority. Since 2003, the Aviation Club has organised a number of cross country flight into Macau and Southern China with departure from Chek Lap Kok. The club is a member of the

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale The (; FAI; en, World Air Sports Federation) is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight. It was founded on 14 October 1905, and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It maintai ...

(FAI), and is the local authority representing the FAI to issue Sporting Licences for Hong Kong participants as well as the National Sports Association (NSA) for Hong Kong in Aviation.

Membership

The club offers two major levels of membership: Full Membership (Flying) and Non-flying Membership. Full Membership provides individuals with access to flight training and leisure flying. General membership provides Non-Flying members with the opportunity to access to General Aviation activities and dining facilities of the club. Membership is open to all Hong Kong residents.

Fleet

* Cessna 172P *

Cessna 152 The Cessna 152 is an American two-seat, fixed- tricycle-gear, general aviation airplane, used primarily for flight training and personal use. It was based on the earlier Cessna 150 incorporating a number of minor design changes and a slightly ...

Aerobat *

Beagle Aircraft Beagle Aircraft Limited was a British light aircraft manufacturer. The company produced the Airedale, Terrier, Beagle 206, Husky and the Pup. It had factories at Rearsby in Leicestershire and Shoreham in Sussex. The company was dissolved ...

Beagle Pup The Beagle B.121 Pup is a 1960s British 2–4 seat single-engined training and touring aircraft built by Beagle Aircraft Limited at Shoreham Airport and Rearsby Aerodrome. Design The Pup was designed as a single-engined all-metal two-seat ae ...

(retired) * Cessna 172N * Cessna 172R *

Cessna 182 The Cessna 182 Skylane is an American four-seat, single-engined light airplane built by Cessna of Wichita, Kansas. It has the option of adding two child seats in the baggage area. Introduced in 1956, the 182 has been produced in a ...

Robinson Helicopter The Robinson Helicopter Company, based at Zamperini Field in Torrance, California, is a manufacturer of civil helicopters. Robinson produces three models – the two-seat R22, the four-seat R44, both of which use Lycoming piston engines, and t ...

R22 R22 may refer to: Roads * R22 road (Belgium) * R-22 regional road (Montenegro) * R22 highway (Russia) * R22 (South Africa) Vessels * , a destroyer of the Royal Navy * , an aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy * , a submarine of the United ...

and R44

Footnotes

References

External links

* {{coord missing, Kowloon Aviation in Hong Kong Clubs and societies in Hong Kong Flying clubs Grade III historic buildings in Hong Kong Kowloon City District Ma Tau Chung Kowloon City 1929 establishments in Hong Kong