NDP 2014 rehearsal

We spent nearly 11 hours at Ndp 2014’s first full rehearsal on Sat!
** read the full NDP 2014 review at this link **

Daddy still cannot believe how we survived the onslaught of activities.

DCIM102GOPRO

Early in the morning, and for those above 1.5m, we were dispatched on Singapore Navy’s RHIB! We went FIVE rounds over 90min! That was enough to make every adrenaline junkie happy.

Video : RHIB thrills and spills on GoPro (WET experience!)

We had an exclusive tour of SAF and Home Team’s assets, and Boon Kang wants to join the Special Tactics police. He says it is cool to stand outside the moving SUV πŸ™‚

We will reveal more after the media embargo expires on Wed πŸ™‚
But can you guess why Terrex is the most popular vehicle? (hint hot weather)

Milo van was always a welcome sight, due to the hot and humid weather.

Tickets for six please πŸ™‚
The sky threatens to rain a few times, but otherwise all of us enjoy NDP 2014 !

More details and photos will be shared next week.
This is part 2 of Mindef’s NDP bloggers invitation, part 1 is about 149 Squadron’s F15SG flypast!

NDP 2013 NE3 experience

ps..
– if you are looking for cheap carpark, try Suntec and Ritz Carlton (weekend $1.10 per hour)
– We do hope more people will enjoy NDP 2014 at Marina Bay Floating Platform as this might be the last year
– we are unsuccessful in balloting for NDP tickets for the sixth time (hope 2015 and 2016) will have better chance

** the full blog post is at this link

2014 NDP Preview of F15SG at Paya Lebar Airbase

Since 2010, F15SG has been a regular feature at National Day Parade (NDP flypast).

The Eagles are always a crowd favourite. Imagine our exhilaration when we were invited to Paya Lebar airbase, home of 149 Squadron (insignia Shikra). We will get to witness the team prepare their F15SGs for NDP2014 Flypast.

Major Wong sharing 149 Squadron’s Shikras formation for NDP flypast. The NDP crowd will wow at the overhead F15SG flypast for a few seconds, but the preparation behind leaves nothing to chance.

Manouvring their F15SG at a height of 1500ft, in close proximity and holding the flight formation, the pilots make it sounds so easy. We heard from the aircrew that the biggest challenge is the unpredictable weather.

Up there in the sky, the only constant is Change, which the experienced pilots take in their stride πŸ™‚

Officer Mess, 149 Squadron has a lot to be proud of.

We were given a tour of the “changing room”, and you can try to role-play as Iceman Maverick pilot too.

Paging for #SengkangBabies, our little pilots’ callsign πŸ™‚
Daddy told the boys they must first be super-fit and maybe go for lasik before they can join the “Above All” team.

Thank you Squadron 149 (and RSAF) for keeping Singapore Safe! We bid goodbye to the pilots as they proceed to prep their F15 Eagles.

You might notice there are 12 pilots. Each F15 Eagle is manned by a crew of two, and one extra F15SG will be available for any contingency.
F15 Singapore

Captain Shrek (his callsign and his build) briefing us on how pilots go through their pre-flight checklists. A competent ground crew is critical to maintaining RSAF’s readiness.


F15 fly past National Day Parade

In the cockpit, Daddy reminded the kids not to thug the Eject handle!

Daddy is intrigued with the multiple red ribbons.

Vents, air-intake, pods, we guys are always curious with the afterburners πŸ™‚

Before the F15SG turn on it’s twin powerplant, we quickly inserted our ear plugs!
Ear plug for fighter jet fly past

F15SG selfie πŸ™‚

Video (link) : RSAF’s F15SG preparing to scramble

Video : Catch Captain Max and Major Edwin on Cyberpioneer (part 1 and part 2), and also how RSAF protects Singapore’s air space.

The enthusiastic media group seizing every opportunity to snap the Shikras πŸ™‚


(image credit RSAF)

Six F15 Eagles preparing to scramble down the runway.

(image credit RSAF)

Thank you Mindef and SQ149 for hosting us !

Checkout our friends’ experience at Paya Lebar Airbase:
OurPrincessDana
Cheekiemonkies
Hpility

We had earlier gather at Air Force Museum. Do pop by our previous cycling and 2008 RSAF Open House experience in Paya Lebar.

Air Force Museum

More photos of our Paya Lebar airbase excursion has been uploaded to our Fanpage album. Sengkangbabies will bring you more NDP updates from the floating platform next week πŸ™‚

**updated 08Jul – We went for NDP 2014’s 1st rehearsal on 05th Jul