HONG KONG, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Government Flying Service (GFS) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) unveiled Tuesday the exhibition of a retired search and rescue plane at a park converted from Hong Kong's old airport, giving the public an accessible keepsake of the city's aviation history.
The Jetstream 41 fixed-wing aircraft, which served with the GFS from February 1999 to March 2016 in missions including long-range search and rescue, anti-crime patrols and meteorological measurements, has now been settled on the lawn of Kai Tak Runway Park for a long-term exhibition.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, the HKSAR government's Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung said the exhibition echoed the theme of the park, which was converted from the Kai Tak International Airport that served Hong Kong from 1925 to 1998.
He hoped the exhibition would deepen public understanding of the work of the GFS, as well as the history of Hong Kong's aviation, Cheung said, adding that he also hoped it would arouse youngsters' interest in joining the aviation sector.
Apart from displaying the physical aircraft, the GFS has set up a new website to boost interest in the exhibition and enhance its educational purpose. By scanning a QR code at the exhibition, visitors can enter the website and enjoy a virtual reality tour of the interior and exterior of the aircraft to understand the various features and their functions.
This is the first public exhibition of a retired aircraft from the GFS.
GFS Controller Michael Chan said he felt the retired plane was "given a new life" with its new role of educating the public.
