The Aviation Safety Council （ASC） held its chairman handover ceremony at 0930 am on July 4, 2018, in the ASC’s Conference Room, 11th of Joint Development Building in Dapininglin, Xindian District, New Taipei City.

Dr. Hwung-Hweng Hwung, former ASC Chairman, resigned from this post upon being appointed Chairman of the Ocean Affairs Council in late April 2018. Mr. Hung-I Liu was immediately appointed Acting Chairman of the ASC. Premier of the Executive Yuan appointed Dr. Hong-Tsu Young Chairman of the ASC on 4 July 2018.

The inauguration was hosted by Mr. Tsung-Tsong WU, Minister without Portfolio of Executive Yuan, he first indicated that the ASC started from scratch 20 years ago to become a professional and reputable investigative agency today due to the joint efforts of all former Chairmen, Board Members, and colleagues. He also reminisced that, together with Dr. Young, when Minister without Portfolio WU serving as Deputy Chairman of the National Science Council, he recommended Dr. Jingshown Wu and Dr. Hong-Tsu Young for the Chairman and Managing Director of the ASC, respectively. Consequently, they contributed to, and laid a solid foundation for, the development and workload of the ASC. Minister without Portfolio WU further remarked that, in view of the rapid development of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle （UAV）, UAV would be omnipresent very soon, so the ASC should pay more attention to this emerging agenda in aviation safety. He concluded by encouraging the ASC to further improve the accuracy of its report continuously based upon its tradition of independence, impartiality and professionalism, and to conduct investigations on multiple models of the railway, highway, maritime and Aviation Transportation Safety Board.

Chairman Young remarked first that it was really nice to be back to the ASC, where he worked 12 years ago after his appointment, to serve the aviation community again.

Chairman Young further remarked that, under the leadership of Dr. Hwung, his immediate predecessor, the ASC had already constructed professional capacity and set up a specialized black box laboratory in response to the mission required by this country－－to safeguard the peace and safety in the sky above Taiwan. Chairman Young thanked Dr. Hwung for having safeguarded the aviation safety of people in Taiwan comprehensively in a forward-looking spirit, and for preparing the foundation of a new Transportation Safety Board as indicator of a competent and responsible government.

Upon accepting the appointment for this post by Premier Lai of Executive Yuan, Chairman Young also indicated his commitment to ensure aviation safety and peace of mind for all air travelers, and to enable families of all passengers to enjoy freedom from anxiety.

The new Chairman indicated his full understanding of the enthusiasm and commitment of all ASC colleagues, as well as their sense of shared glory. In short, the ASC staff regarded their work as something more than a career; namely, a commitment. Looking to the future, preparing for full model, （aviation, railway, maritime, and highway） transport safety would create a new page in the history of Taiwan's transport safety; such comprehensive transport safety would not come true without the unity of all ASC staff. With a strong support by Minister without Portfolio WU, such idea should be achievable soon.

Finally, Chairman Young said that the date of July 4th was not meant to coincide with the Independence Day of USA; but to remind us that the USA established the National Transportation Safety Board fifty years ago to protect and take care of transportation safety for all Americans; this was a great institution by itself. Dr. Young urged all ASC staff to follow his leadership and work conscientiously and diligently, so as to enable Taiwan to reach the same level of comprehensive transportation safety as Europe and USA.

Sherry Liu, Engineer
Tel: 89127388-330 
Email:sherry@asc.gov.tw