The first fully Licensed PPL Gyrocopter Flight in Hong Kong

At a time when private helicopter flying was NOT allowed in Hong Kong, at 12:30 p.m. the Chin Brothers Dominic Io Chong Chin and Francis Yiu Cheong Chin made the first Campbell Cricket  gyrocopter flight in Hong Kong at the Kai Tak International Airport marking the first officially licensed rotary wing  private pilots flying rotary wing aircraft in the aviation history of Hong Kong along side with huge Boeing 747s. Their tiny single-seat gyrocopter, also known as gyroplane or autogiro, with Hong Kong Registration VR-HGV, had a modified 1,600 c.c. twin-carb Volkswagen Beetle boxer engine and wooden propeller, was similar to the type flown by the legendary British agent 007 James Bond in the movie "You Only Live Twice", the 5^th film of the James Bond movie series in 1967. The South China Morning Post first reported the Chin Brothers' historical flight on the front page with picture on 1 April 1972 and copies of the South China Morning Post and other newspapers is available at the City Hall archive library and the Public Records Office of the Hong Kong Government.

The Chin Brothers were members of the Aero Club of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Flying Club.  Dominic and Francis are holders of Private Pilot's Licence (H) No. 2 and No.3 respectively.  It was told that Private Pilot's Licence (H) No. 1 was never issued.

The Hong Kong rotary wing Private Pilot Licence Nos. of the Chin Brothers are:

Dominic: PPL(H) No. 2
Francis : PPL(H) No. 3

(H) denotes helicopter & gyroplane, both are classified as rotary wing heavier than air flying machines.

Francis was said to intentionally submit his application one day later so as to make sure his elder brother got a number before him. An old Chinese tradition.