National Day Parade 2014 Flypast: Behind the Afterburner

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Less than 10 seconds. 

That's all it takes, but it's enough to make everyone tilt their head upwards to the sky and look in awe. Covering of ears is optional.

Always a regular fixture for many editions of the National Day Parade (NDP), the 'A Salute to the Nation' flypast routine by F-15SG fighter jets has no doubt been a firm favourite of many.

But have you ever wondered the amount of hard work and preparation that goes into a flypast that lasts merely less than a 100m sprint? I did, which probably explained my joy in having the chance to go behind the scenes at Paya Lebar Air Base - home to Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) 149 SQN - to get a first-hand understanding of the immense preparations that the pilots undertake, as well as the thrill of witnessing the fighter jets take-off for last Saturday’s NDP combined rehearsal session.

Courtesy of Republic of Singapore Air Force, MINDEF

To the spectators on the ground, the fighter jets always appear to be in a flawless formation and spaced far apart. But did you know that they are in fact separated, wing-tip to wing-tip, by a heart-stopping distance of only just 0.9 metres???

Flying over Marina Bay at such high speeds and close proximity to each other, and still having to maintain the flight formation throughout, it is no wonder that nothing is left to chance.

Commanding Officer MAJ Nick Wong, who leads the display team, shared with us some of the major challenges the crew faced. Getting the timing right to the precise last millisecond is crucial and essential in having the execution of the Flypast done right. But given that delays may occur during the actual NDP - like the President taking a few extra seconds to wave to the spectators - the pilots need to make on-the-spot decisions and calculations while circling in the holding spot to respond to the changes in timing.

To achieve the 'wow' supersonic boom that thrills spectators, the jets' afterburners are deployed during the Flypast. Again, this poses a challenge to the pilots as the increase in thrust caused by the afterburners makes it even tougher for the jets to adhere to the formation lineup.

The photo above depicts a practice session 2 weeks ago and shows that Jet #5 is slightly out of position. Three seconds is one split second too many in a display of precision, and so trust the pilots to fine tune every single aspect of their routine come 9 August!

After the briefing, it was time for some action and for that, we got the chance to see the pilots kit up in preparation for their takeoff.

The entire kit that the crew piles on weighs a staggering 15kg! But it is absolutely necessary as the suit includes an anti-G suit which counters the effects of the G-Forces experienced by the crew during flight.

In total, 12 aircrew - six Pilots and six Weapon Systems Officer (Fighter) - participates in the Flypast. Yes, six aircrafts, even though the actual Flypast consists of five jets. The sixth jet serves as a backup, always ready to take over should any one of the other five jets require to abort its flight in mid-air.

Then the fun part began, as we were brought to the weather shed to witness the pre-flight inspection and start-up routine for the F-15SG aircraft.

With a display of this magnitude, stringent pre-flight checks by both the Air Crew and Flight Line Crew is both essential and critical.

The 149 SQN Flight Line Crew consists of Full-Time National Servicemen (NSFs) and Regular Air Force Engineers. They perform inspections and maintenance on the aircraft before and after flights. It is through theirdedicated efforts that the aircraft are maintained in tip-top condition for optimal flying performance, every time.

And then, it was time to ignite the engine and prepare for take off...

But not before inserting our ear plugs!

Courtesy of Republic of Singapore Air Force, MINDEF

Courtesy of Republic of Singapore Air Force, MINDEF

I certainly gained a better understanding of the herculean preparation and work that goes into the Flypast segment. It was very insightful and inspiring to have the opportunity to speak with some of the pilots too - their perspiration and passion that goes into wanting to put up a fantastic show for the Nation, never mind that it only lasts for a few seconds, is truly commendable.

So if you are at the Floating Platform this NDP, be sure to catch the F-15SGs streaking across Marina Bay and feel their thundering roar!

Golden Sands Resort Penang: Perfect for Families!

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And so, Penang! During the June School Holidays, we had the most fun getaway with our partners-in-crime (and the monkies' buddies) to the 'island of the areca nut palm', otherwise commonly known as Penang.

Theme parks, shopping, glorious hawker food (drool!), durians (double drool!) aside, one of the highlight of the entire 4-night vacation had got to be our stay at Golden Sands Resort.

Located on the north of Penang Island with Batu Ferringhi beach right at its doorstep, Golden Sands Resort is a good 45-60 minutes drive from Penang International Airport depending on traffic conditions. And because all of us had so much fun travelling together in a 10-seater Toyota Hiace van during our last Penang trip two years ago, we had no qualms bundling everyone into one this time around... with me assuming the mantle of 'school bus uncle' once again!

Traffic in Penang can be atrocious at times but thankfully, the kids were all able to benefit from one another's (noisy) company in the van. But still, it was a welcome relief for all of us - especially my ears! - when we reached the resort, which had a fresh look with an inviting, airy lobby and reception area.

Check-in was an absolute breeze. That's because if you are a Shangri-La Golden Circle member, you are able to check-in in the cool comforts of the aptly-named Cool Lounge.

Besides the obvious benefits of air-conditioned comforts, there are cartoons, board games and computer terminals to keep the children busy while the check-in process is ongoing. No wonder the kiddos did not want to budge even when we secured the keys to our rooms!

Speaking of rooms, our family was hosted in a luxurious Executive Suite that had the monkies go "waaaahhh...", the moment we stepped in.

The suite was pure bliss. Two rooms - one bedroom and one living room - each with an en-suite bathroom and an absolutely spacious balcony facing the Malacca Strait sea.

As for the living room, it came complete with a pull-down Murphy bed - essential for our family of five.

But what was probably more important was the insane amount of extra space, which made the living room the default meeting place for all of the kids when it came to chilling after a whole day's worth of outdoors fun.

Can I just say the I simply adored the dreamy view out to sea that the living room's balcony offered? And it was made even better by the spectacular sunset view come evening time.

I guess the awesome view must have contributed somewhat to the kids' crazy antics then.

Of course, the sight of the inviting swimming pools from our balcony only served to further increase the clamouring of changing into swimming attire. In the shortest time possible.

The resort is a kids paradise with two lagoon-shaped pools and a children's pool cum water slide. One of the lagoon-shaped pool has a shallow area for children, and comes shaded with a canopy. Perfect for keeping out the scorching sun's rays!

Predictably though, the water slide was the one which elicited the most and loudest screams from the kids!

There is a toddlers' pool beside the water slide too, ideal for kids below 3 years old.

For the adults, deck chairs are dotted around the resort lawns with complimentary water by the ice-cream bar.

As for the beach just beyond the resort compounds, it is pretty clean and decent but if you are thinking of clear blue waters, then it is best to look away. 

Rather than beach-goers tanning on the beach or frolicking in the sea, the beach was more of a hive of activity for beach sports and activities. In fact, the kids did not even step onto the beach at all as they were largely content with the swimming pools at the resort.

During our time there, various activities like pool volleyball and other pool games were organised by the staff of the resort. If you are feeling up to it, you can even sign up for the free Jungle Walk or Tai Chi exercise that the resort organises too! 

Kids need not feel left out too, as the Kids Club offers a host of activities for 5 to 12 year olds from craft-making to treasure hunts. Do note that while most activities are complimentary, some are chargeable too.

But nothing, absolutely nothing, could ever possibly trump this crowd favourite.

Adventure Zone is an Indoor Playground housed within Golden Sands Resort premises and one that promises to bring adrenaline levels to dizzying heights, literally.

If you thought you have seen tall and even taller slides, you ain't see nothing yet til you see these slides at Adventure Zone! The 10,300 square feet indoor play facility is home to a 3-lane Wave Slide, as well as 3 heart-stopping Drop Slides.

If it is your first time there, I recommend descending with the mildest slide of the lot - in gunny sacks down the colourful wave slide.

This must be one of the rare times where not only the children were screaming down the slides, the adults were also joining in the fun too! In fact, I lost count of the number of times we adults went on the Wave Slide. Considering that adults enter FREE with paying children, we definitely milked it for all that was worth.

Ready to up the adrenaline rush? Take your pick from the Blue and Red Drop Slides, which are definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Of the two, the blue slide has a gentler gradient at a lower height with a pool of plastic balls breaking one's fall.

Now the red slides are the ultimate ones in my opinion. They are vertical drop slides and trust me, they looked extremely intimidating from where I was standing. Still, there was no stopping the kiddos as every single one of them (excluding Ale) bravely had a go!

This was not the monkies' first attempt though. They went on the slide 2.5 years back and since then, they have been begging to be reacquainted with the Drop Slides at Adventure Zone!

An important point to note about the Drop Slides: long sleeve tops must be worn when using any of the Drop Slides.

On top of the slides, there are multiple sections of modular play equipment located around the massive perimeter of the drop slides as well.

For younger ones who cannot experience the thrill of the slides yet, there is a separate play area reserved for toddlers below 4 years old which is essentially a mini Indoor Play Gym that you would find in most Indoor Playgrounds here.

So expect it to come complete with climbing structures, slide and the perennial fave - a pit full of colourful plastic balls.

By the end of the kids' play session, I could tell how much fun they had by the sheer amount of perspiration on our heads. That, and how much sadness they felt when our 4-night stay at Golden Sands Resort came to an end.

Okay okay, so the adults were pretty much inconsolable as well.

Not that it should come as any surprise as we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Golden Sands Resort. Not only were its staff friendly, helpful and fun, the location of the resort is perfect for families with children in tow. We could easily step outside of the resort and wander along the road to shops, restaurants (including McDonald's directly opposite) and hawker food centres. Plus, there is a pasar malam (night market) that stretches along the road outside the resort every night.

Kids-friendly attractions such as Penang Butterfly Farm, Escape Theme Park (By the way, this theme park is da bomb! But more on it in a later post.) and yummy dining options like seafood restaurants and durian farms are located a short drive away from the resort. If you are not driving, the resort also offers a free shuttle into George Town daily. But good luck in trying to drag your kids away from the pools, Kids Club and Adventure Zone though!

Simply put, if you are planning on a stay at Batu Ferringhi and looking for an easy, family-friendly break with the option of mixing sightseeing in Penang together with relaxing in a resort your kids will love, then Golden Sands Resort is THE family hotel to go to.

For us, we will definitely be back... sooner rather than later!

View more photos of our Golden Sands Resort stay in our Facebook Album HERE.

Useful Details

Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La

Batu Feringgi Beach, Penang, 11100, Malaysia

Tel: (60 4) 886 1911

Email: gsh@shangri-la.com

Website: www.shangri-la.com/penang/goldensandsresort

Adventure Zone

Golden Sands Resort, Penang

Opening Hours: 9.30am to 9pm

Admission Fees:

For resort guests: Kids pay RM44 for half-day package, or RM22 per two-hour session

For Local visitors/Non-registered guests: Kids pay RM33 per two-hour session

*Adults enter free of charge with paying children 

*Rates are subject to the prevailing government tax.

Dress Code: Socks must be worn when on the play equipment, and long sleeve tops must be worn when using any of the Drop Slides.

Encouraging Creative Play in Kids - A Dad's Perspective

You have probably noticed that all children love to play. The thing is, children spend so much time on watching or swiping screens these days that it possibly robs them of creating the skills necessary for imagination. Definitely, not all play is created equal.

A child is constantly exploring, adapting, engaging, responding and re-adapting to everything he/she encounters. That explains why toys and activities that promote creativity has to remain open-ended. Open-ended toys can be enjoyed by boys and girls, appeal to a wide age range, and don’t need adult demonstrations.

And while I do not profess to be an expert on the topic of creative play, I believe having three monkies had taught me something about getting creative when it comes to playing with them. After all, I did naturally transition into pretend mode as they went through that whole role-play phase - dress up, robot battles, cars, serving tea, trains, you name it. Those, and my new-found ability to truly pretend when it comes to music - "WOOT! Let’s listen to that Frozen song, kids! AGAIN! Yippee!”

So let’s get practical now. What if we want our children to be able to play more creatively, but don’t know where to start?  Here are some of my tips to encourage creative play:

Concede a Little Mess
With creativity comes a mess. Set up a dedicated Mess Area so that there is minimal worry of a mess mushrooming in random places of your home. Stock up on those art supplies: crayons, markers, paints and coloured pencils. Throw in a recycling box consisting of tissue boxes, cereal boxes, toilet rolls and milk cartons, complete with glue and watch the most creative expression come alive.

Storytelling
Oral storytelling is best because it encourages children to create their own images in their minds. They need experiences from which to build these pictures, so begin with stories about their own adventures.

Open-Ended Playthings
You can’t do better than a good supply of basic building blocks, is what I have always advocated ever since I became a Dad. Provide toys that can be used in a variety of ways and need a child’s interaction. Dress-up clothes and hats, cars and trains, dolls and animals, LEGOs and building block sets are just some of the toys that require a child’s essential input to make them come to life.

Go Outdoors
Experiences in the outdoors develop curiosity and a sense of wonder, so trips to the parks and playgrounds further aid in a child’s visual and auditory stimulation. In addition, playing with other children outdoors will allow them to learn how to interact, and also, practice their ability to adapt to the surrounding environment and learn how to respect another’s opinion.

Ask Questions that Require Decision-making
With young children, sometimes a few questions requiring response help boost creative play. If your kids begin making up a game, join in. Ask questions that require them to make up the next step, like “So when I place these blocks here, what do I do next?” The kids are still creating, and you are just providing more opportunities for them to create.


At the end of the day, creativity is not something that I can put a score to. The process is more important than the final product. Let us not impose our adult consciousness onto our little ones when it comes to something as important as our child’s play. So the next time your child is busy slaying Decepticons or having tea with Queen Elsa, let them truly indulge. All together now, let it go, let it go.