WITH WINGS ON HER BACK

Female military pilots are a rare breed and PIONEER speaks to three such women to find out what flying is like as a career.

The secondary school boy who sniggered when his female classmate said she wanted to be an Air Force pilot didn't get the last laugh.

Determined to fulfil her dreams and prove him wrong, Major (MAJ) Lim Sing Hui badgered her parents for years to allow her to join the Youth Flying Club, but they objected to it as they thought it too dangerous.

They changed their minds about four years later, after she showed them a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) recruitment mailer, and gave them a long spiel about why she should sign up.

She recalled her dad's response then: "He told my mum this - 'Since she's been so adamant about it, let her give it a try, if not she'll grumble at us forever for not letting her try.'"

For the benefit of the boy who laughed, today, MAJ Lim is an Officer Commanding in 122 Squadron (SQN), and flies a C-130 Hercules Transport aircraft, which can carry up to 70 passengers.

Joining the military

Joining MAJ Lim's breed of female military aviators are Captain (CPT) Joyce Xie and CPT Khoo Teh Lynn, who fly the AH-64D Apache helicopter and F-16 fighter aircraft respectively, and they joined the military for different reasons.

CPT Xie was headed for a career in science, but did an about-turn after she graduated. She explained: "During the second year of my undergraduate studies in molecular and cell biology, I saw a documentary on humanitarian relief operations conducted by air force personnel. "

Said CPT Xie, who is from 120 SQN: "I was deeply inspired by it, so I signed on to be an RSAF pilot, even though I had no prior flying experience."

For CPT Khoo, currently a Staff Officer in the Air Intelligence Department, it was her fascination with what military jets could do that led her to sign on with the RSAF and she went on to become Singapore's first female fighter pilot.
"I wanted to fly high-performance aircraft," she said. The aircraft she handles, the F-16, is among the most sophisticated and advanced multi-role fighters in the world, and is equipped with a sophisticated radar, advanced avionics, a precision navigation system and a wide range of ordnance.

Said the seasoned aviator, who can pull up to 9Gs (nine times her weight) without expelling the contents in her stomach: "It's satisfying to be able to handle such aircraft, employ its weapons effectively, and carry out successful missions."

Doing what's meaningful

While flight suits with matching helmets and aviator shades are work attire that many covet, few understand the challenges that come with this job.

CPT Khoo explained the need for absolute mental alertness: "As a jet pilot, there isn't much time to cruise and enjoy the sights when flying because there are always checks to do. Once you get airborne, you need to be able to deal with dynamic situations."

Having firepower in her control is also a huge responsibility, according to CPT Xie, because such power is crucial for Singapore's defence.

She continued: "The AH-64D is an attack helicopter, and we're heavily armed with weapons such as a 30mm gun, rockets and Hellfire missiles... Being a military personnel, you must always be prepared to be activated for operations at any time."

Challenges aside, it is the meaningful things they do at work that keep these women soaring in their careers.

"When we do disaster relief and provide aid to people in need, we get first-hand experience of seeing how the things we do make a difference in their lives," said MAJ Lim, who was involved in planning relief missions to Christchurch, New Zealand, after an earthquake last February, as well as to flood-hit Thailand last December.

CPT Xie summed up what's best about her job: "I like the fact that I'm protecting the country, and I enjoy the view of Singapore from above. Looking at it makes me realise that this peace and tranquillity is not something that should be taken for granted."

Q&A with our pilots:

PNR: If I have a fear of heights, can I be a pilot?

CPT Xie: I don't dare to bungee jump, but I'm a pilot. G-force training is introduced to you gradually, and the Air Force will help to prepare you both physically and mentally for the flying environment.

What are some non-academic prerequisites to becoming a pilot?

CPT Khoo: Good reflexes, the ability to multi-task effectively, the ability to cope with dynamic situations, as well as to make decisions quickly and respond accurately to situations that demand your immediate attention.

MAJ Lim: As a transport pilot, you need good EQ (emotional quotient), because you need to be able to communicate effectively with your crew and take care of the people you transport.

How do you mitigate the risks in flying?

CPT Xie: Good preparation is needed from the pilots to the ground crew. If there's anything that I have doubts about, I will always sound it out.

CPT Khoo: We're drilled in executing emergency procedures and we practise on a very regular basis. In the event that something happens, we'll manage it by doing exactly what we discussed and practised during the simulator training.

Pilot training: Get off to a flying start