2011 IACE- Hong Kong, China- Written By C/Col. Todd O'Brien, CAP

8/4/2019 2011 IACE- Hong Kong, China- Written By C/Col. Todd O'Brien, CAP

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 A few weeks ago I attended the

International Air Cadet Exchange as a delegate

to Hong Kong. This trip consisted of visits to all

parts of Hong Kong, Macau, and Conghua city in

mainland China. The event consisted of cadet

delegates and their escorts from 13 different

countries as well as a fantastic team of Hong Kong

 Air Cadets who led the 15 day program. The

program consisted of multiple tours/sightseeing

opportunities around the area, visits to

government organizations, and even the

opportunity to fly through the mountains of China

in a powered parachute.

The journey began with a 14 hour flight

across the Pacific from San Francisco, CA directly

to Hong Kong International. Soon after arriving

 we were met by a few local cadets who

graciously took our luggage off of our hands and

drove us right to the hotel. Before the night was

over, all of the cadets and escorts gathered for an

in-briefing where the next 15 days were laid out

for us. The next day, after trying to find some

place with English on the menu for breakfast, the

tours began.

 A few of the sightseeing opportunities in

Hong Kong included walking through the streets

of the main city, visiting the giant Buddha statue

on top of a mountain, looking over the city from

the highest mountain beside it, and taking a ferry

across the harbor to see a light show put on by

over twenty skyscrapers. We also visited several

government agencies including the weather

observatory, the Civil Aviation Department

(including a tour of the control tower at HKIA),

and the Government Flying Service (GFS). The

GFS visit included detailed tours of the facilities

and aircraft, and at the end of the visit we were

taken up over the City in one of their rescue

helicopters. Seeing the city from above was

amazing, and certainly an opportunity that atourist would rarely get.

 After our tours in Hong Kong, we took an

hour and a half ferry ride to Macau, which is

known as the Las Vegas of China for its casinos

and nightlife. Here we were guests of the Macau

Flying Eagle Association, a program very similar

to the CAP cadet program. We stayed in the

barracks on their training compound, enjoying a

bed of plywood with a thin “pad” on top. While

there we participated in some of their traditional

team building activities and got some exposureto Chinese calligraphy as well as other pastimes.

 After a few visits to zoos and museums we ended

our quick stay and headed on a bus for mainland

China.

 After two hours of customs and a four

hour bus ride we arrived in Conghua City. Here

 we met up in a hotel with about 40 other Chinese

university students who were all studying some

form of aviation science. Each of the IACE cadets

 was roomed with a student who may or may not

have spoken English, which made for an

interesting situation. We soon discovered that we

 were all taking part in a program called theChina International Conference on Teenager’s

Education, the purpose of which is to provide the

attendees an opportunity to fly in powered

parachutes over the mountains of China.

Following an opening ceremony that had over

2000 spectators the flights began. We were

assigned shifts and in between the rain storms

 we took to the sky! When it was my turn I

strapped in to the 4-wheeler looking vehicle and

 was soon airborne and flying through the

mountains low above the ground. It was a

fantastic experience, one of the best flights I have

ever had. Before the weekend was out all 80some participants had gotten their turn and a

closing ceremony filled with food and karaoke

finished off the weekend.

The following day we departed Conghua

City and headed back to Hong Kong. During the

12 hour journey we stopped at various

sightseeing places and saw our last bit of 

mainland China. After another customs visit we

 were back in Hong Kong and the Panda hotel that

 we had come to miss. Our final full day on the trip

consisted of last-minute souvenir shopping

followed by the farewell dinner. At the farewell

dinner all the delegates presented gifts to eachother, gave thanks, shared stories, laughed, and

cried in anticipation of the imminent departure.

The next morning after some difficult goodbyes

 we got on the bus for the airport and took the 12

hour hop over the Pacific once again, this time

landing back in good old America where English

 was heard everywhere and the food fried.

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2011 IACE AT HONG KONG, CHINA –   WRITTEN BY C/COL. TODD O’BRIEN, CAP 

8/4/2019 2011 IACE- Hong Kong, China- Written By C/Col. Todd O'Brien, CAP

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Overall the trip was extremely

memorable for the places and things I saw, but

definitely more so for the people I met. I became

really close friends with others my age from 13different countries, an experience I never

thought I would get. Having the chance to learn

about their cultures, see our similarities and

differences, and share our interest in aviation is

something I will cherish forever. All CAP cadets

should strive to attend IACE, it is without doubt

the best experience the cadet program has to

offer.

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2011 IACE HONG KONG CONTINUED