ISS_06-07p310314.indd

Monday 31 March 2014
Feature Story
● Text : Agatha Yuen
● Photos : Hong Kong
g Airlines,, Agatha
g
Yuen
Soaring ambitions
A unique programme by Hong Kong
Airlines gives students first hand
experience of the industry with the
hope of bringing in new local talent
Vocabulary
M : Meaning
M: interest someone a lot
E: Science has always fascinated me.
▲Stud
ents le
arn how
in the c
to prep
atering
are me
service
als
station
.
A
2 extraordinary (adj) 非凡的
E: He told the extraordinary story of his
escape.
E: Her voice had an extraordinary, hypnotic
quality.
3 broadcast (n) 廣播
M: radio or television programmes
cockpit.
in the aircraft
ng
tti
si
e
nc
rie
Students expe
▲
E: The broadcast was seen live across Europe.
E: We watched a broadcast of the tennis
championship.
4 participate (v) 參與
M: to take part in an activity or event
E: Everyone in the class is expected to
participate in these discussions.
▲Electro
nic
▲Staff demonstrate how to wear a lifejacket during an emergency situation.
Putting theory into practice
YING Wa Primary School is the first school to join the aviation
experience programme. The principal of the school, Mrs Maria
Lam Woon-sum, said the school is delighted to participate in
this programme because she believes site visits are a good
way to learn. “Since our school is a boys’ school and boys
are usually more interested in aviation and machinery, this
programme provides a unique experience for them to learn
about the airline’s operations,” she says.
Coincidentally, the school’s theme this year is: Mission
Invaluable Life Education Scheme, abbreviated as ‘MILES’.
The focus is aviation. The school hopes to encourage
students to develop a deeper understanding of aviation history
and its operations. It also wants to nurture in the students the
correct attitudes for entering the airline industry in the future.
It seems the airline programme fits perfectly with Ying Wa’s
aims.
▲Ron Ng Cheuk-hei (left), an actor from Triumph in the Skies II , talks
to students about the airline industry.
E: Anything to do with planes and flying
fascinates him.
M: more impressive than usual
Seizing this opportunity to enhance Hong Kong students’
aviation knowledge as well as cultivate their interest in the
industry, Hong Kong Airlines has launches its new and
extraordinary aviation experience programme this month,
the ‘Triumph Sky High’ Junior Programme.
Mr Sun Jian-feng is the Vice President of Hong Kong
Airlines. He says the programme is actually inspired by the
TV drama Triumph in the Skies. “We received many enquiries
from both adults and children about how to become a pilot
after the broadcast of the aviation TV drama,” Sun says. “So,
I thought it would be great if we could offer children first hand
experience of our airline.”
E : Example
1 fascinate (v) 迷住
JOB in the aviation industry is the dream job for
many youngsters. The TV drama Triumph in the
Skies II made its mark on teens that have become
fascinated by the jobs such as pilot, aircraft engineer, flight
attendant and ground engineer.
The programme targets students from Primary 5 to
Secondary Form 3. It includes a one-day visit to the Hong
Kong Airlines catering service station to teach participants the
staff’s daily routine. Students are also invited to the ground
service department to observe their daily operations. What is
more, students can go into the cockpit to have a look at real
electronic devices, and learn about cabin services and how
to wear a lifejacket.
P07
“Through the airline programme today, students
understand the requirements of being a pilot. For example,
they must be on time, be responsible, be physically strong,
and be calm and smart when emergency situations happen,”
Lam says. “Students also learn the difficulties of being an
airline staff member. Some of my students told me that they
did not know the fruit, which is provided to passengers during
mealtime, has to be the exact same size.”
“I always believe that only by putting theory into practice
can students acquire real knowledge. Now that they have
been on a plane, worn a lifejacket and talked to a flight
captain, it is no doubt that they can start to understand the
operation of an aircraft,” she continues.
For the people, by the people
SOME students are big fans of aviation, and have been
dreaming of entering the airline industry. Choy Tung-chun
is a P6 student from Ying Wa Primary School. He says he
loves aircraft so much that he can remember the main details
of each type of aeroplane. “My dream is to set up an aircraft
devices in
side the a
eroplane
cockpit.
company, so today’s programme is really eye-opening,” he
says excitedly. “The most remarkable place I visited is the
aeroplane cockpit. All the devices look exactly the same as
the pictures I have seen!”
In the near future, Hong Kong Airlines will introduce a
new programme, which seeks to offer training to local people,
and one of their goals is to employ as many Hong Kong pilots
as possible.
“What we are doing in this Junior Programme is arousing
children’s interests and this is only the first step,” Sun explains.
“As a Hong Kong airline, we would love to have more local
pilots. So if the students are interested in entering the industry
in the future, we will have a programme to support them.”
Basic requirements to become a pilot
E: She never participates in any of the school
activities.
5 nurture (v) 培育
M: to help a plan, idea, feeling to develop
E: As a record company director, his job is to
nurture young talent.
E: She wants to stay home and nurture her
children.
6 attitude (n) 態度
M: the opinions and feelings that you usually have
about something
E: As soon as they found out I was a doctor, their
whole attitude changed.
E: He has a very bad attitude to work.
7 acquire (v) 得到
M: to obtain something
• Good eye sight – no colour blindness or blind spots
• Physically healthy
• Regular flight tests and written tests
E: I look on it as an opportunity to acquire fresh
skills.
E: The team has acquired a fearsome reputation.