Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung launched the first public exhibition of a retired aircraft from the Government Flying Service today.

The Jetstream 41 fixed-wing plane served GFS for 17 years and will serve as an educational display in Kai Tak Runway Park.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Mr Cheung said the exhibition has added an attraction to the park while echoing its aviation theme and deepening public understanding of the work of GFS.

He said he hoped the installation will help visitors recall the brilliant legacy of Kai Tak Airport and arouse youngsters’ interest in joining the aviation sector.

He thanked the Energizing Kowloon East Office, GFS, the Architectural Services Department and the Leisure & Cultural Services Department for their collaboration on the project.

Apart from displaying the physical aircraft, GFS has set up a new website to boost interest in the exhibition and enhance its educational purpose.

The public can scan QR codes on the poles around the aircraft for a virtual reality tour of the interior and exterior of the aircraft.

The plane was part of the GFS fleet from February 1999 to March 2016.

It carried out search and rescue missions, anti-crime patrols and meteorological measurements in and outside Hong Kong. 

Following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the plane frequently flew between Hong Kong and Sichuan to support GFS’s Super Puma helicopter and its crew in rescue and relief efforts.