Singapore Youth Flying Club: Difference between revisions
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===Aircraft=== |
===Aircraft=== |
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The Junior Flying Club initially operated a fleet of eight [[Cessna 172]]Ks, a Cessna 172H and a [[Cessna 150]]H, all handed down from the Air Force. The Club has also operated [[Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co|Falke]] motor gliders, the [[Scheibe Falke|Scheibe Falke SF25B]] and the [[AESL Airtourer]]. In 1989, the |
The Junior Flying Club initially operated a fleet of eight [[Cessna 172]]Ks, a Cessna 172H and a [[Cessna 150]]H, all handed down from the Air Force. The Club has also operated [[Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co|Falke]] motor gliders, the [[Scheibe Falke|Scheibe Falke SF25B]] and the [[AESL Airtourer]]. In 1989, the club upgraded its entire fleet to 12 [[Piper Cherokee|Piper Warriors (PA-28-161)]], of which five were still in use in January 2011.<ref name="singreg"/> |
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To offer [[aerobatics]] the club selected the [[PAC CT/4|CT/4E Airtrainer]] |
To offer [[aerobatics]] the club selected the [[PAC CT/4|CT/4E Airtrainer]], with two examples delivered.<ref name="singreg"/> |
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To replace the Piper Warriors the club selected the [[Diamond DA40]] with deliveries scheduled for late 2010.<ref name="example web reference">[http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20100401-207943.html Sat, Apr 03, 2010 The Straits Times].</ref> |
To replace the Piper Warriors the club selected the [[Diamond DA40]] with first deliveries scheduled for late 2010, as of January 2011 13 have been delivered.<ref name="example web reference">[http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20100401-207943.html Sat, Apr 03, 2010 The Straits Times].</ref><ref name="singreg">[http://www.caas.gov.sg/caas/en/About_CAAS/Our_Strategic_Thrusts/Safety_Oversight_x_Promotion/Singapore_Registered_Aircraft/List_of_Aircraft_on_Singapore_Register/index.html list of aircraft registered onSingapore Register]</ref> |
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==The SYFC Flying Alumni== |
==The SYFC Flying Alumni== |
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Revision as of 04:01, 16 February 2011
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (February 2011) |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2011) |
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| Type | Military program |
| Founded | December 1971 |
| Headquarters | Seletar Airport, Singapore |
| Membership | Students |
| Field | Flight training |
| Number of Members | |
| Key Personnel | |
| Website | www.syfc.sg |
The Singapore Youth Flying Club (SYFC), headquartered at Seletar Airport, was established in December 1971 as the Junior Flying Club the then newly-formed Singapore Armed Forces to introduce aviation and provide flight training to the youth of Singapore. It provides aviation-training through its aeromodelling courses for secondary-school students and flying training for tertiary students. The program is intended to motivate recruiting the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
History
Background
The British announced in January 1968 that they would withdraw all their armed forces in Singapore by the end of 1971. Singapore, newly independent in 1965, had been building up the Singapore Armed Forces and depending on the British for air support. The Singapore Armed Forces did not have any aircraft, pilots or flying instructors in 1968. The Royal Air Force (RAF) agreed to share facilities and services at the RAF airfield in Seletar to aid in the transition, which would later be the home of the Junior Flying Club.[citation needed]
Qualified flying instructors came from Airwork Services Limited, a British company specialising in defence services. They trained Singaporean pilots on two Cessnas hired from the civilian Singapore Flying Club. By August 1969, Mr Lim Kim San, Minister for Interior and Defence, inaugurated the Flying Training School at RAF Tengah, now Tengah Air Base. The school received another eight Cessna 172s, which would later be the Junior Flying Club's first aircraft.[citation needed]
The first batch of pilot trainees was quickly selected and those who passed the medical screening went on to basic-flight training for the Private Pilot's Licence. Next they were dispatched to the United Kingdom for jet training. The first group of six pilots left for the United Kingdom in August 1968, just eight months after the British announced their earlier withdrawal. By September 1968, the Singapore Air Defence Command was established.[citation needed]
The Junior Flying Club
As the Singapore Air Defense Command was built up, it became clear that more had to be done to prepare suitable candidates for pilot training. By 1970, the Flight Training School's Cessnas were being replaced by a more suitable basic trainer for combat pilots - the Siai-Marchetti SF 260. It was decided that the Cessnas would be used to introduce flying to students to create a wider base of pilot applicants and, in 1971, the Junior Flying Club was established. The Junior Flying Club also gave less-affluent students a chance to take up an activity that would have otherwise have been prohibitively expensive.[citation needed]
Initially student pilots flew from Sembawang Airfield, now Sembawang Air Base. The Club's Aeromodelling and Recruitment Centre was located on Harding Road in Tanglin, near the Ministry of Defence and the Central Manpower Base. The Centre ended operations at Tanglin in 1999. Aeromodelling and recruitment activities moved to the Air Force School at Paya Lebar that year. The model construction carried out in a workshop, with model flying conducted at the sports complex of the Air Force School.[citation needed]
Singapore Youth Flying Club
The SYFC was initially part of the Air Force's Singapore Air Defence Command and later the Republic of Singapore Air Force. In 1980 it was renamed the Light Aircraft Squadron, and 151 Squadron in 1982. By 1988, the Club's mission had broadened from just encouraging flying to careers in any part of the aviation industry. As a result it was renamed the Youth Flying Club.[citation needed]
In September 1990, the club was separated from the Air Force and became a civil operation, allowing its members to participate in activities outside Singapore, and get in touch with flying clubs in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.[citation needed]
By 2001, flying was included in Singapore's secondary school's Co-Curricular Programme. School-based Youth Flying Clubs were set up and affiliated with the national Youth Flying Club. To reflect this national role the name was changed to the Singapore Youth Flying Club.[citation needed]
As part of its growth and role evolution a new modern facility was built for the SYFC, with groundbreaking on June 23, 2001 and completion on May 17, 2003. The new building houses all of the SYFC's activities including flying and modelling.[citation needed]
In 2000 the SYFC embarked on a modernization program. Named YFC21, this program intends to introduce a new Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) to secondary schools, add computerized ground school, procure new aircraft with aerobatic capabilities and advanced avionics, add a flight simulator and a customized building. The SYFC CCA programme commenced in five secondary schools and is designed to take a student through four years of training. Today, almost 22 secondary schools in Singapore list SYFC as one of their CCAs.[citation needed]
On June 24, 2006, in conjunction with its annual PPL Wings and Aviation Awards Ceremony, SYFC celebrated the 35th anniversary since its establishment in 1971. SYFC also commissioned a history book, Flying Colours, written by former club member Colin Cheong.[citation needed]
Aircraft
The Junior Flying Club initially operated a fleet of eight Cessna 172Ks, a Cessna 172H and a Cessna 150H, all handed down from the Air Force. The Club has also operated Falke motor gliders, the Scheibe Falke SF25B and the AESL Airtourer. In 1989, the club upgraded its entire fleet to 12 Piper Warriors (PA-28-161), of which five were still in use in January 2011.[1]
To offer aerobatics the club selected the CT/4E Airtrainer, with two examples delivered.[1]
To replace the Piper Warriors the club selected the Diamond DA40 with first deliveries scheduled for late 2010, as of January 2011 13 have been delivered.[2][1]
The SYFC Flying Alumni
The SYFC Flying Alumni was inaugurated in 1993 and is made up of pilot graduates of SYFC. The pilot graduates continue to maintain their relationship with the SYFC by serving in the Alumni. The Alumni have an on-going role and provide mentoring to student pilots.[citation needed]
References
- Cheong, Colin (2006), Flying Colours: Singapore Youth Flying Club, SNP International Publishing, ISBN 978 981 248 111 5
External links
- Singapore Youth Flying Club
- Republic of Singapore Air Force
- Full transcript of speech by RADM (NS) Lui Tuck Yew at SYFC's Aviation Awards Ceremony 2007