Speech by Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower, Mr Zaqy Mohamad for Singapore Youth Flying Club Private Pilot Licence Wings & Aviation Awards Ceremony

Introduction

MG Kelvin Khong, Chief of Air Force, and Chairman SYFC Board of Governors,

Distinguished Guests

Principals, Teachers and Parents,

Graduands and Students of SYFC,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good morning to all of you.

First and foremost, I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the 24 young graduands who have earned their Private Pilot Licences. It is no easy feat rising above the demands of the rigorous flying course while being a full-time student, and especially during this pandemic when it is not business as usual, but I am glad that all of you succeeded and have come this far. Well done!

To the parents and teachers of our newly minted young pilots, thank you for all your unwavering support. It is through your close partnership with the Singapore Youth Flying Club (SYFC) that has allowed it to continue to fulfil its core mission of promoting aviation and inculcating a strong passion for flying among Singaporean youths.

The Mission of SYFC – Inspiring Singaporean Youths to take up Flying

The SYFC was set up in 1971 by our first Minister for Defence, the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, under the name "Junior Flying Club". Singapore was a young nation then, and our pioneer generation of leaders recognised the need for pilots to build up and sustain our Air Force. To ensure a steady pipeline of pilots, an interest in flying had to be seeded among young Singaporeans. It was under this context that the Junior Flying Club began providing flying training for our young men and women, hoping to inculcate in them a passion for flying, and inspire them to take up the noble calling of serving in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to defend our skies. 51 years on, right now in 2022, this core mission of SYFC remains unchanged.

Today, the SYFC continues to provide flying training to young Singaporeans. Over 7,400 students have gone through its flying programme, some of them whom I personally know, and more than 1,200 of them attaining their Private Pilot Licence. SYFC also collaborates with the Ministry of Education to run a CCA programme that promotes interest in aviation among secondary school students. Since its implementation in 2001, more than 15,000 students across 130 secondary schools have learnt about aviation through SYFC CCA programmes such as aeromodelling, flying quadcopters and PC-based flight simulators.

SYFC has also been inspiring our youths in other ways. You may remember that during the RSAF Open House in 2021, SYFC showcased its very own virtual aerobatics team, the SYFC Virtual Black Knights. The Virtual Black Knights pilots were all former or current students of SYFC, either from the secondary school CCA segment or the flying course. Their team name was inspired by Singapore's very own aerobatic team, the RSAF Black Knights, which they aspire to become. For those who managed to catch the performance by these students, you would agree with me that it was indeed one that was inspiring.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend and thank the SYFC for your effort in inspiring and grooming the next generation of young aviators. On top of this, you achieved it with 51 years of accident-free flying operations, and that is really commendable. The SYFC Management Committee's strong emphasis on safety, the professionalism of the flying instructors, and the diligence of the students have all contributed to this proud safety record. I am also glad that SYFC was able to quickly adapt its operations during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep flying training going, while ensuring that relevant safe management measures were in place.

The Need to Continue Encouraging Singaporean Youths to Join the RSAF

Singapore is a small country with no strategic depth. We rely on a capable and operationally ready RSAF to overcome our geographical vulnerabilities. Over the years, the RSAF has grown from strength to strength. Today, it is a first-class Air Force, with dedicated airmen and women standing ever-ready, 24/7, to respond to any potential threat and to safeguard our skies.

We must never take Singapore's peace and security for granted. The lessons from the current conflict in Ukraine serves as a reminder that we must always be prepared to defend our home and our livelihoods that we hold dear. We must nurture and develop those with the right aptitude, and encourage them to become the next generation of airmen and women in the RSAF to defend Singapore's sovereignty and territorial integrity.I encourage our young graduands today to keep your passion for flying burning and consider joining the ranks of our airmen and women for not only an exciting and rewarding career with the RSAF, but also a meaningful one. The attainment of the Private Pilot Licence is a strong testament that you possess the skill, aptitude, and character to succeed.

Many RSAF pilots first learned to fly in the SYFC – some of whom are here today, including Chief of Air Force, Major-General Kelvin Khong. In fact, seven of our graduands today have applied to the RSAF for pilot training.

One of them is Marcus Tan, our top graduand today. Marcus shared in an article within SYFC's internal newsletter that his passion for aviation started in his childhood. I quote "Being a pilot was a dream for me and embarking on this journey with SYFC was the first step towards realising this dream" unquote. Marcus enrolled to study Aviation Management at Temasek Polytechnic and it was through an internship arrangement between the Polytechnic and SYFC that he found the opportunity to embark on flying training. Today, Marcus has completed the course and is a proud Private Pilot Licence holder. But he is not stopping there. He has set his sights on a higher goal – to become an RSAF pilot. It is heartening to see our youths daring to dream and pursue their passion. It is also encouraging to see our next generation stepping up to take on the responsibility of defending the nation.

Let me once again congratulate our graduands today for achieving a significant milestone in your flying journey. As Marcus aptly put it, this is your first step. Your journey does not end here. Work hard, persevere and chase your dreams. I am confident that all of you will be able to succeed and fly high. I wish you all the best in your future endeavours, and well done.

Thank you once again everyone for your unwavering support. I wish you all the best and have a wonderful day ahead.