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

At the 20th anniversary celebration held at NASC Fleet Station at Taichung Airport by the National Airborne Service Corps, President Lai Ching-Te attended the ceremony in the company of Home Minister Liu Shyh-Fang to comfort and encourage the task force formed by NASC, NFA, and CGA to thank for their efforts and dedications in rescues at the cost of their lives regardless of extreme weathers, harsh terrains, tough marine conditions. Over the past 20 years, the NFAC has executed 28,911 missions to successfully save 8,343 persons. In support of the Executive Yuan, NASC will upgrade the AS-365 Dolphin Fleet in four years starting from 2025. After the upgrading, the AS-365 Dolphin helicopter can be deployed in Songshan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. By combining with the completion of the NASC Fleet Station at Songshan Airport in 2028, the AS-365 Dolphin will be teamed up with the UH-60 Black Hawk stationed at Songshan Airport for the first time to achieve the low- and high-altitude dispatch to executive all kinds of airborne missions without interruption. NASC also hopes to cooperate with the Ministry of National Defense to advance the completion of this important rescues base to strengthen the airborne rescue power in northern Taiwan and thereby increase the public trust in the government.According to Home Minister Liu Shyh-Fang, the preparatory office of NASC was formed established in 2004 by merging the Airborne Branch of National Police Agency, the Preparatory Office of the Airborne Fire Fighting Branch of National Fire Agency, the Aviation Team of Civil Aeronautics Administration of Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the Air Patrol Branch of the Coast Guard Administration. As Taiwan’s only authority taking charge of the dispatch and maintenance of government aircraft, NASC has the following five major missions: disaster relief, search and rescue, emergency medical, reconnaissance, and transportation. Through various fleet adjustment and updates, NASC continuously improves its capabilities in mission execution and flight safety.Home Minister Liu Shyh-Fang indicated, as the AS-365 Dolphin helicopters of NASC were transferred from the Airborne Branch of National Police Agency, and nine of them are 28 years old and have serviced for 70,000 hours, the Executive Yuan already approved the fleet upgrading medium-term project in 2024 to enhance flight crew safety and mission executability. According to the project, helicopters will be upgraded during 2025-2029 to lessen the aircraft operational burden of and reduce the mission risk for flight crew by functional upgrading alongside advanced search models.Home Minister Liu Shyh-Fang also presented trophies to eight model flight crew members and commended 46 NASC staff members for 20 years of service. Apart from recognizing the efforts, dedications, and contributions of these airborne rescue heroes, Home Minister Liu Shyh-Fang also thanked their family for their support that enables NASC staff to focus on disaster relief, rescue, and emergency medical services without worries. She also encouraged all to uphold the “Mission Accomplishment and Safety First” concept to accomplish every mission and continue to protect the safety of the life and property of nationals.

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.