Story ID: 421
RSAF Prepares For Golden Salute
By: Chen Chuanren
Caption: Singapore's air force birthday celebration includes a unique three-ship formation.
Word Count: 442
As part of the Singapore Airshow aerial display, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is putting together the world’s first combined flying display consisting of a Boeing F-15SG and a pair of Lockheed Martin F-16Cs.

The RSAF Flying Display Committee took about three months and more than 30 sorties to train for the 15 maneuvers, almost half of which are integrated between the two aircraft types. As there are no foreign teams to take reference from, the RSAF had to conduct its own studies to devise the new display routine.

“We have a certain level of expertise of our own, and hence we do not require consultation from the manufacturers," Said Colonel Sim Peng Shin, chairman of the Flying Display Committee.

RSAF’s core aerial display team is in fact made up of two teams with three pilots, an F-15SG weapon systems officer and two commentators each, and is led by Major Chang Haw Ning. He was the opposing solo pilot in the RSAF Black Knights aerobatics team that participated in Singapore Airshow 2014 and has in excess of 2,500 flying hours. All of the flying crew have more than 1,000 flying hours logged.

Chang said both fighter platforms have varying handling characteristics ranging from rate of turn, to power settings.

The team used simulators to study the energy state and performance of the aircraft in various settings, as well as spending time over the training areas in order to fine tune the maneuvers and the rest of the show sequence, which took about three weeks to stitch together.

With the various aircraft coming in from different directions and speeds, the weapon system officer (WSO) on board the F-15SG acts as a flying cue master for the formation.

“A three-ship formation takes a lot of coordination in terms of timing and precision, the WSO manages that and ensures the various timings at various datum points are met,“ said Captain Valentino Lacson, WSO from 149 Sqn. “We also cross-check the parameters, especially in the vertical maneuver, to make sure we recover at the correct altitude and time.”

Chang said a flat show is in place should unpredictable tropical weather come in, and he asked for attendees' understanding for a shortened sequence under those circumstances. The flat show is set at 1000 feet.

The flight display team will reduce its training tempo after the Singapore Airshow, although Chang aims to have the pilots remain current in low-level flying. They will again regroup for RSAF50@Marine Barrage, August 11-12, where they will performance a similar sequence.