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14
Why I joined HAECO
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15
The apprentices
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16
MET flyer
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17
CV240
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18
Mistakes & even more mistakes
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19
Up in the air
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20
When boss calls
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21
Craftsmanship rules
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22
Package matters
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23
Seaplanes maintenance
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24
Reconfiguration
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25
Fixing the gas tank
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26
Tempting staff benefits
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27
New business
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28
747 inauguration
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29
New is not enough
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30
We rock the world
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31
Lufthansa incident
29
Cheung Kwok Kuen
HAECO Hangar No.4 was the largest in Southeast Asia, but it was found to be of insufficient parking capacity only in 1970 when the hangar was opened. It failed to house the entire 747, the latest model at that time. I remember the 747 of Northwest Airlines had stayed overnight without fully sheltered. Extension scheme was carried out a few years later, and it was only after the addition that Hangar No.4 could accommodate the entire 747.
When Hangar No.4 was opened, it was found that its parking space capacity was not enough to accommodate the entire body of 747. The plane had to park crossway, just half sheltered.
The earliest 747 maintenance requests came from clients such as Northwest Airlines and The British Overseas Airways Corporation.
After the extension scheme, the former frontage with the English name “Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co.” was veiled over. It was only to be found in the middle of the hangar’s ceiling.
The elevated part of Hangar No.4 with temporary support on the exterior wall was the extension built to house 747.