內政部空中勤務總隊全球資訊網-英文網內政部空中勤務總隊全球資訊網-英文網

Today (27), the National Airborne Service Corps, MOI held the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the hanger shed at Songshan Base. Accompanied by Minister Lin Yu-Chang of the Ministry of the Interior, Premier Chen Chien-Jen of the Executive Yuan hosted the groundbreaking ceremony. Lin Yu-Chang expressed that the existing hanger shed of the Taipei Base of the National Airborne Service Corps is old, with the capacity of parking only two dolphin helicopters. The new base under construction is an important base and hanger shed for air rescue in northern Taiwan. It allows two different kinds of helicopters – 3 UH-60M black hawk helicopters and 2 AS-365 dolphin helicopters to park there. With the deployment of these helicopters, it makes the deployment more flexible, enhancing the rescue capacity of the country and upgrading the ability to carry out rescue missions in northern Taiwan and the northeastern waters. Lin Yu-Chang expressed that since the establishment of the National Airborne Service Corps in 2004, it had been responsible for the five major missions: air rescue, emergency rescue, air medical services, patrol and reconnaissance, and airmobile transportation. Especially in air rescue, the brave image of the corps has rooted deeply in people’s mind. In 2009, it was decided that the Ministry of Defense should transfer 15 black hawk helicopters for the prevention of disasters and rescue. To cope with the helicopters’ takeover mission, the National Airborne Service Corps began to construct new bases in different parts of Taiwan. Collaborating with the National Land Management Agency (previously Construction and Planning Agency), in recent years, the construction projects of Taichung base (2014), Kaohsiung base (2020), and Taitung base (2022) have all been completed consecutively. Lin Yu-Chang pointed out that the National Airborne Service Corps plays an essential role in the national disaster rescue system. Since its establishment in 2004, it is approaching its 20th anniversary. Insisting on professionalism, it has completed a number of rescue missions in dangerous mountains and waters. It has now completed 108,376 mission times, saving about 8,051 people and transporting 609,698 kilograms of supplies with competent achievements, winning people’s acclaim and respect. Especially after the lifting of the epidemic and the opening of the mountains and forests, there have been increasing demands for mountain rescue, increasing the rescue load. Therefore, we have to thank the crews of the National Airborne Service Corps for carrying out their mission despite the danger. Lin Yu-Chang also thanked the Executive Yuan for its value and support for the Airborne Service Corps. In this project, funding of NT 3.4 billion was approved to construct Songshan base. He would also like to thank the Ministry of Defense for its consideration to the whole country to provide the land and hanger shed in the format of “purchase with compensation, and demolishment and construction on behalf.” In addition to the construction of the Air Force’s hanger shed, the office, and barracks of the Airborne Service Corps, there will be spaces for the black hawk and dolphin helicopters to park there for rescue missions in northern Taiwan and northeastern waters. In the near future, the whole construction team, including Pan Asia Corp., YSL Architects & Associates, National Land Management Agency, Air Force Songshan AB Command, and National Airborne Service Corps will collaborate with each other dedicatedly with high team spirit to help complete the construction project in time with high quality. Working together, the Airborne Service Corps will endeavor to achieve the goal of having black hawk helicopters deploy on the base by the year 2028, to lay down the last piece of the puzzle. Constructing an important air rescue base in northern Taiwan, Kinmen, and offshore islands in the country, it is going to empower the people with the confidence that the National Airborne Service Corps will have the full capacity for disaster rescue. Finally, Lin Yu-Chang also expected the colleagues to insist on the ideal of “completing missions perfectly with safety first” to provide the people with more effective and safer real time services, demonstrating the government’s dedication to saving people’s life and property. The honorable guests that attended the groundbreaking ceremony today included Minister Lin Yu-Chang of the Ministry of the Interior, Legislator Wang Hung-Wei, Legislator Chen Yu-Chen, General Commander Ching Yen-Yuan of the National Airborne Service Corps, Director Wu Hsin-Hsou of the National Land Management Agency, Deputy Director Wang Te-Ben of the Ministry of Defense, local legislators, etc.

To implement the maintenance strategy and promote repairing skills, the National Airborne Service Corps, MOI conducted the 2022 retraining program of BEECH fixed-wing aircraft at AIR ASIA Company Limited in Tainan from March 16 to 18, 2022. In the program, sessions on the body, engine, avionics, and maintenance practice were offered. The trainees included maintenance staff and chief machinists from the First and Second Squad of the Second Brigade, National Airborne Service Corps, MOI. After the training, evaluations were conducted to test their maintenance and troubleshooting ability in the BEECH fixed-wing aircraft. Eventually, all the trainees passed the evaluation. Affected by the epidemic, the trainees conducted self-management and protection measures according to the guidelines of the Central Epidemic Command Center during the retraining. During the retraining, the instructors taught the trainees the knowledge, skills, and experiences concerning aircraft maintenance patiently. During the sessions, the trainees asked questions about ways for efficient troubleshooting from time to time. In the process of periodic maintenance and inspection, non-routine maintenance, and after receiving aircrafts, problems may appear. They conducted vivid discussions, exchanged ideas, and shared experiences regarding technical issues. They all learned considerably from the sessions. Promoted by the government regarding re-organization, the National Airborne Service Corps took over five major missions to support the air disaster relief, air rescue, emergent medical service, observation and patrol, and transportation. When receiving assignments, the personnel on duty have to check the details (such as weather, aircraft conditions, and capacity) with related units. Aircrafts will be dispatched in accordance with the priorities of life, degree of emergency, and remote islands. Then, suitable aircrafts in the nearest locations with the capacity to be mobilized promptly will be assigned to carry out the rescue missions. Now, there are fixed-wing aircrafts of AS-365, UH-60M, and BEECH. To ensure flight safety of the aircrafts, periodic inspections, system structure check, post-completion check, technical modification, technical report, and other maintenance items are conducted before, during, and after the air missions. To empower the maintenance quality, these items are required to be listed in the aircraft maintenance plans to be carried out by the maintenance and control department and re-examined by the personnel in the quality control department. The National Airborne Service Corps is responsible for five major missions, and it endeavors to carry out assignments in disaster relief, rescue, and emergent medical service by exploiting every second with the fastest possible speed. Only by upholding flight safety, it is able for them to complete missions smoothly. Likewise, it is essential to implement the aircraft maintenance strategy to maintain the flight safety policy.

A.Air response1.Response to fire：2 sorties.2.Response to flood：3 sorties.3.Response to major accident：11 sorties, 20 passengers, 50kg of material, equipment or fuel carried.B.Air rescue1.Search and rescue in the mountains：8 sorties, 3 people rescued, 2 passengers, 50kg of material, equipment or fuel carried.2.Search and rescue of drowning people：7 sorties, 3 people rescued.3.Search and rescue at sea: 215 sorties, 11 people rescued, 1 passenger.C.Medical assistance1.Medical evacuation：3 sorties, 3 people rescued.2.Organ transplant：32 sorties, 30 people rescued, 26 passengers.D. Observation and patrol1.Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol：61 sorties.2.Environmental pollution survey：6 sorties.E.Air transportation：1 sorties, 3 passengers.F.Preparation1.Exercise (drill)：27 sorties.2.Training flight：566 sorties.3.Test run：372 sorties.4.Joined duty training：19 sorties.5.Maintenance flight：533 sorties.

A. Air rescue 1. Search and rescue in the mountains:3 sorties, 1 passenger. 2. Search and rescue of drowning people: 7 sorties, 3 people rescued. 2. Search and rescue at sea: 37 sorties, 1 person rescued.B.Medical assistance1. Medical referral:17 sorties, 15 people rescued, 12 passengers.C.Observation and patrol 1. Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol: 18 sorties.D. Air transportation 1. Air transportation: 1 sorty, 3 passengers.E.Preparation 1. Exercise (drill):7 sorties. 2. Training flight:138 sorties. 3. Test run:92 sorties. 4. Joined duty training:3 sorties. 5. Maintenance flight:141 sorties.

A.Air response 1. Response to flood:3 sorties.B. Air rescue 1.Search and rescue in the mountains:1 sorty, 1 person rescued. 2. Search and rescue at sea: 62 sorties, 3 people rescued, 1 passenger.C.Medical assistance1. Medical evacuation:2 sorties, 2 people rescued.2. Medical referral:3 sorties, 3 people rescued, 2 passengers.D.Observation and patrol 1. Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol:14 sorties.E.Preparation 1. Exercise (drill):4 sorties. 2. Training flight:166 sorties. 3. Test run:94 sorties. 4. Joined duty training:10 sorties. 5. Maintenance flight:159 sorties.

A.Air rescue1. Search and rescue in the mountains:3 sorties, 1 passengers.2.Search and rescue at sea:7 sorties.B.Medical assistance1. Organ transplant:11 sorties, 10 people rescued, 8 passengers.C.Observation and patrol 1. Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol:6 sorties.D.Preparation1. Training flight:66 sorties.2. Test run:33 sorties.3. Maintenance flight:44 sorties.

A.Air rescue1. Search and rescue of drowning people:7 sorties, 3 people rescued.2.Search and rescue at sea:13 sorties.B.Observation and patrol 1. Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol:6 sorties.C.Preparation1. Exercise (drill):7 sorties.2. Training flight:50 sorties.3. Test run:29sorties.4. Joined duty training:2 sorties.5. Maintenance flight (factory flight test):34 sorties.

A. Air rescue 1. Search and rescue at sea: 19 sorties, 2 people rescued, 1 passengers.B. Medical assistance 1. Medical evacuation: 1 sorties, 1 people rescued.C. Observation and patrol 1. Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol: 4 sorties.D. Preparation1. Exercise (drill) : 4 sorties.2. Training flight: 46 sorties.3. Test run: 37 sorties.4. Joined duty training: 4 sorties.5. Maintenance flight (factory flight test): 49 sorties.

A. Air response 1. Response to flood: 3 sorties.B. Air rescue 1. Search and rescue at sea: 19 sorties, 1 people rescued.C. Medical assistance 1. Organ transplant: 2 sorties, 2 people rescued.D. Observation and patrol 1. Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol: 6 sorties.E. Preparation 1. Training flight: 62 sorties. 2. Test run: 20 sorties. 3. Joined duty training: 5 sorties. 4. Maintenance flight (factory flight test): 59 sorties.

A. Search & rescue 1. Search and rescue in the mountains: 1 sorties, 1 people rescued. 2. Search and rescue at sea: 24 sorties.B. Emergency medical 1. Medical evacuation: 1 sorties, 1 people rescued. 2. Medical referral: 1 sorties, 1 people rescued.C. Reconnaissance 1. Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol: 4 sorties.D. Preparation 1. Training flight: 58 sorties. 2. Test run: 37 sorties. 3. Joined duty training: 1 sorties. 4. Maintenance flight (factory flight test): 51 sorties.

A. Disaster relief 1. Response to fire: 2 sorties. 2. Response to major accident: 11 sorties, 20 passengers, 50 kg of material, equipment or fuel carried.B. Search & rescue 1. Search and rescue in the mountains: 4 sorties, 2 people rescued, 1 passengers, 50 kg of material, equipment or fuel carried. 2. Search and rescue at sea: 64 sorties, 4 people rescued.C. Emergency medical 1. Medical evacuation: 1 sorties, 1 people rescued. 2. Medical referral: 12 sorties, 12 people rescued, 12 passengers.D. Reconnaissance 1. Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol: 29 sorties. 2. Environmental pollution survey: 6 sortie.E. Preparation 1. Exercise (drill): 16 sorties. 2. Training flight: 262 sorties. 3. Test run: 186 sorties. 4. Joined duty training: 6 sorties. 5. Maintenance flight (factory flight test): 233 sorties.

A. Disaster relief 1. Response to major accident: 7 sorties, 20 passengers, 50 kg of material, equipment or fuel carried.B. Search & rescue 1. Search and rescue at sea: 64 sorties, 4 people rescued.C. Emergency medical 1. Medical referral: 4 sorties, 4 passengers.D. Reconnaissance 1. Maritime (coastal) aerial patrol: 15 sorties. 2. Environmental pollution survey: 6 sortie.E. Preparation 1. Exercise (drill): 12 sorties. 2. Training flight: 127 sorties. 3. Test run: 98 sorties. 4. Maintenance flight (factory flight test): 118 sorties.

Disaster reliefResponse to fire: 2 sorties.Response to major accident: 4 sorties.Search & rescueSearch and rescue in the mountains: 4 sorties, 4 people rescued, 2 passengers.Search and rescue at sea: 52 sorties, 3 people rescued.Emergency medicalMedical evacuation: 1 sorties, 1 people rescued.Medical referral: 8 sorties, 8 people rescued, 8 passengers.ReconnaissanceMaritime (coastal) aerial patrol: 14 sorties.PreparationExercise (drill): 4 sorties.Training flight: 135 sorties.Test run: 88 sorties.Joined duty training: 6 sorties.Maintenance flight (factory flight test): 115 sorties.

Three fires broke out in the forests and the National Airborne Service Corps dispatched four fleets on the firefighting missions.The 81st forest compartment at Qishan, Kaohsiung burst into flame just before nightfall on Mar 2 2020. The remote location made it difficult for anybody to get in. As an effort to save the precious forests, Pingtung Forest District Office in charge of these forests asked the Service Corps for help. The sun was almost down when NASC received the phone call. The mission dispatch made a split-second decision to scramble the AS-365 Dolphin (NA-104) of the 2nd branch, Third Brigade at Xiaogang Airport, Kaohsiung to carry the firefighters of Forest Bureau for an aerial survey. As the AS-365 Dolphin (NA-104) arrived at the site at 16:36, multiple fires were spotted and spreading across a vast area. To make things more difficult, there were the power towers and cables of Taiwan Power Company near Laonong River where the firefighting water is located, and also several poles on which lifelines and buoys were attached. Seeing this, the crew reported back to the HQs. The dispatch on duty gave the heads-up to the crew of UH-60M Blackhawk (NA-709) of 3rd branch, Third Brigade stationed at Fongnien Airport, Taitung for the firefighting at day break, NA-709 took off at 06:57 on Mar 3 for the firefighting. Another Blackhawk, NA-704, was called in for support due to the difficulty in extracting water and fighting the fire.Around 07:20, another warning was received from the Chukou Station of Forest Bureau in Chiayi indicating more fires breaking out at the Tanayiku Natural Ecology Park. The UH-60M Blackhawk (NA-705, 2nd branch, Third Brigade at Taichung International Airport), which was ready to fly the Qishan mission, was redirected to the park for the firefighting. Arriving at the site at 09:32, NA-705 also spotted multiple fires and, therefore, requested another Blackhawk, NA-702, for backup.Just as both birds were dumping water on the fires, Nantou Forest District Office called and said a fire broke out at forest compartment 9 of Danda District at 14:23. The dispatch on duty scrambled the AS-365 Dolphin (NA-110) of 1st branch, Second Brigade at Taichung International Airport for an aerial survey. The UH-60M Blackhawk (NA-707) of third branch, first Brigade at Hualien Airport took off for the firefighting mission at 16:16. As the helicopter arrived at the site, the firefighters of Forest Bureau took over on the ground since it was difficult to scoop water from nearby water sources. Therefore, the air crew was put on standby. As NA-707 was on its way back to base, a call was received from Nantou County Police Department saying there was a hiker lost somewhere in the hills. NA-707 was immediately redirected for this assignment and headed to Taroko National Park for the search and rescue mission.As the fire spread very rapidly across a large area of Danda forest in Nantou and became difficult for the ground crew, the Corps took over the firefighting on Mar 4 by sending the UH-60M Blackhawk (NA-707) of third branch, First Brigade, taking off at 07:25, and the UH-60M Blackhawk (NA-709) of third branch, Third Brigade, taking off at 07:44, for a joint firefighting mission.As pointed out by the Corps, it is recommended that hikers travel in groups and have an experienced guide to help them for better safety. It is dry out there in the wild recently and hikers are advised to be careful with fire while cooking. It is all about preventing forest fire and protecting the precious woods. There are lots of steep mountains in Taiwan and the terrains are very dangerous. Fighting fire from the ground is very difficult in the case of forest fire. Oftentimes, it relies heavily on helicopters to fire forest fires. However, there are plenty of power towers, power cables, cableways and sky-pointing trees, all of which pose risks to helicopters to extract and dump water. The Corps urges all citizens to love your country and avoid wasting the precious resources.

Three forest compartment lands have been on fire and NASC dispatched four fleets to fulfill the fire extinguishing mission.Forest compartment land No. 81 located in Chishan, Kaohsiung was on fire on March 2, 2020 in the evening. As the fire scene is located in a remote area that is difficult to reach by foot, Pingtung Forest District Office in charge of the forest compartment therefore applied to NASC, Ministry of the Interior to extinguish the fire from the air in order to protect the precious forests. When NASC received the mission application, it was nearly the end of dusk. The staff in charge of dispatching personnel therefore immediately dispatched AS-365 Dauphin (No. NA-104) of Squadron 2 of the 3rd Wing stationed at Kaohsiung Siaogang Airport to firstly transport firefighting personnel of the Forestry Bureau to the fire scene for aerial survey. Upon reaching the forest compartment at 16:36, the AS-365 Dauphin (No. NA-104) helicopter immediately reported to the Center that there were a number of fire ignition points; the burning area was rather extensive; and the water fetching point located in Laonung River had not only many TAIPOWER’s electric towers and cables, but also some pillars with ropes and life buoys. The personnel on duty therefore inform the UH-60M Blackhawk (No. NA-709) of Squadron 3 of the 3rd Wing stationed at Taitung Fengnien Airport to extinguish the fire in the next morning. On the 3rd, NA-709 took off around 6:57 to implement the fire extinguishing mission. However, due to the difficulty of fetching the water and extinguishing the fire, NA-709 requested the Center to dispatch another Blackhawk NA-704 to support the mission. At this time, around 7:20, Forestry Bureau’s Chiayi Chukou Station immediately notified NASC of the forest fire occurred at Tanayiku Ecological Natural Park. The UH-60M Blackhawk helicopter (No. NA-705 of Squadron 2 of the 3rd Wing stationed at Taichung Ching Chuan Kang Airport) had its mission changed to extinguish the fire at Tanayiku Ecological Natural Park. Upon arrival of the fire scene at 9:32, NA-705 also found a number of fire ignition points and requested the Center to dispatch another Blackhawk NA-702 to support the mission.When these two Blackhawk fleet was implementing the water fetching and fire extinguishing mission, Forestry Bureau’s Nantou Forest District Office notified NASC of another fire occurred nearby forest compartment land No. 9 of Danda Working Circle at 14:23. The personnel on duty immediately dispatched AS-365 Dauphin (No. NA-110) of Squadron 1 of the 2nd Wing stationed at Taichung Ching Chuan Kang Airport to implement the aerial survey mission. Later at 16:16, UH-60M Blackhawk (No. NA-707) of Squadron 3 of the 1st Wing stationed at Hualien Airport took off to implement the fire extinguishing mission. As it was difficult to fetch water at the fire scene, Forestry Bureau’s ground firefighters were appointed to control the fire, whereas NASC was standby to support the ground firefighters. During its trip back to the station, NA-707 then received a mountain rescue mission request from the police office of Nantou County Government. NA-707 then immediately changed its mission to search and rescue the suspected victim at Taroko National Park.As the burning area of Nantou’s Danda Working Circle was rather extensive and the ground firefighters suffered difficulties in controlling the fire, on March 4, NASC then dispatched UH-60M Blackhawks NA-707 of Squadron 3 of the 1st Wing (took off around 7:25) and NA-709 of Squadron 3 of the 3rd Wing (took off around 7:44) to jointly implement the forest fire extinguishing mission.NASC pointed out that it was important and safer for hikers to hike in a group under the leadership of an experienced guide; and that, due to the recent dry season, hikers were highly suggested to pay attention to the fire when cooking. After all, it is difficult to plant and preserve precious tree species. Also, as Taiwan has a steep and rough terrain in mountainous area, it is extremely difficult to extinguish the fire, if any, and helicopters are often required to implement the fire extinguishing mission. Furthermore, electric towers, cables, transport cages and giant trees in mountain areas also result in a high level of risk to helicopters in water fetching and dropping missions. NASC therefore remind all citizens to love the lands of our country and not to waste the country’s limited resources.