RUNWAY REPAIR

Actions
https://www.mindef.gov.sg/web/wcm/connect/pioneer/81fa860d-bc1e-4d40-a4c7-b16338749a72/KF3-1.jpg?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_1QK41482LG0G10Q8NM8IUA1051-81fa860d-bc1e-4d40-a4c7-b16338749a72-mc.olOh /web/wcm/connect/pioneer/81fa860d-bc1e-4d40-a4c7-b16338749a72/KF3-1.jpg?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_1QK41482LG0G10Q8NM8IUA1051-81fa860d-bc1e-4d40-a4c7-b16338749a72-mc.olOh /web/portal/pioneer/article/feature-article-detail/people/2018-q1/runway-repair
runway-repair /web/portal/pioneer/article/feature-article-detail/people/2018-q1/runway-repair
01 Oct 2017 | PEOPLE

RUNWAY REPAIR

Ethan, 8, and his sister Emily, 12, the children of Military Expert (ME) 2 Oliver Nunis, find out what he does as a rapid runway repair instructor.

Photos // Chai Sian Liang

My father explaining to me and my sister what he and his trainees are going to do. The hole was huge and deep!
Melayu 华文
English Melayu

When my sister and I first entered Paya Lebar Air Base, the place seemed a bit scary as there were many gates and soldiers. We had to go through a pass office to check if we had any weapons. The airbase was enormous.

The first location we went to was a two-storey green building. We went up to the second floor so that we could see the runway clearly. We saw both the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15SG fighter planes and army-coloured planes called the Hercules C-130. I found out later that the C-130s were mainly used to transport people and goods.

We also headed to the ground so that we could watch the F-15SGs take off. I felt very excited even though the sound was very loud.

My sister and I watching the F-15SGs take off. They were really loud!

GETTING RUNWAY-READY

Next, we went to my father's squadron. His job is to repair damaged runways so that the planes can take off and land smoothly. He showed us two of the machinery that he operates - the wheel loader and the motor grader. My sister and I took turns to ride in both vehicles as my dad explained their uses.

After dinner, he gave a 15-minute briefing to 11 of his trainees. My father told them to be careful when driving and to put on a reflective vest as the runway was going to be very dark. He also told them to watch out for the big vehicles and not to go behind any of them.

We took a long time walking on the runway as it was huge and long. When we reached the training site, there was an enormous deep hole. There were big rocks and sand all around.

Soon, the vehicles arrived. My father explained that first, the wheel loader will push in the loose rocks. Next, the milling machine will cut the ground to make the hole square-shaped so that the materials can bond better. More rocks and sand will then be added into the hole from the dump trucks.

After the wheel loader spreads the materials into the hole, a 10-ton vibratory roller will go over the layer to compact the material. The motor grader will then make the runway solid so that the RSAF planes can take off and land on it. As his trainees fixed the hole, the ground shook really hard!

My father gave us masks to use in case there was too much sand flying around. I asked my father why he did not use cement to fill the hole and he told me cement would take a long time to dry and cannot take the weight of an aeroplane. The repairs were so loud, I could not hear my sister or myself when I was speaking to her!

I was very excited to ride in the wheel loader!

FIT TO FLY

When our father was giving instructions to the trainees, he used several different hand gestures and it looked like he was dancing. But he was doing serious stuff!

Although my sister and I were really tired because we had been at the airbase for seven hours, we refused to go back as it was very interesting to watch.

When they put black sand (hot asphalt) on top, it means the runway repairs have been completed. The black sand made the runway look like a runway and covered up everything.

When the repairs were done, we were amazed. It looked like the damage was never there.

We were very sad when the repairs ended as it might be our first and last time at the runway.

I also understood that my father plays an important role in the RSAF. It may seem like a small part, but it helps Singapore a lot.

If terrorists ever bomb the base, my father and his team will be the ones fixing the runways so that the planes can fly.

Thank you for your service, Daddy

Suggested Reading
MOULDING SOLDIERS INTO SHAPE Feature
MOULDING SOLDIERS INTO SHAPE
PEOPLE
01-Oct-17

His passion for figurines doesn't just stop at collecting them. It's led 3rd Sergeant (3SG) (NS) Caleb Lin to create his own line of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) miniatures.

Taking PRIDE in innovations Feature
Taking PRIDE in innovations
TECHNOLOGY
01-Oct-17

This year's Ministry of Defence PRIDE (PRoductivity and Innovation in Daily Efforts) Day projects brought about cost savings of more than $197 million while improving operations and productivity. We take a look at two award-winning projects and how they helped to save manpower, time and money.

MARCHING ON Feature
MARCHING ON
PEOPLE
01-Oct-17

Aysha Raihanna Binte Abdul Razak, 9, takes on a late-night route march, walking hand-in-hand with the graduating female recruits of Scorpion Company.

HUNTER GAMES Feature
HUNTER GAMES
OPS & TRAINING
01-Oct-17

Catch the action as the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and United States (US) Navy spent two weeks in the waters off Guam for Exercise Pacific Griffin.

FLYING THE SEABIRDS Feature
FLYING THE SEABIRDS
OPS & TRAINING
01-Oct-17

Meet the first batch of NSFs trained on the Navy's ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), in the last of our series on lesser-known National Service (NS) vocations.

IT'S GETTING HOT IN HERE Feature
IT'S GETTING HOT IN HERE
OPS & TRAINING
01-Oct-17

Can journalist Benita Teo survive the heat at the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives (CBRE) familiarisation training in 39th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (39 SCE)?

GREEN STAMP OF APPROVAL
Cover story
GREEN STAMP OF APPROVAL
TECHNOLOGY
01-Oct-17

As Singapore gears up towards being more environmentally conscious, check out how the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have been doing their part.

DADDY'S BUOY Feature
DADDY'S BUOY
PEOPLE
01-Oct-17

Ryan Tay, 10, follows in the footsteps of his father, Military Expert (ME) 3 Terence Tay, as he learns the ropes of life on a frigate with the Republic of Singapore Navy's 185 Squadron.

UNDER HIS WINGS Feature
UNDER HIS WINGS
PEOPLE
01-Oct-17

Behind every fighter pilot is an instructor who taught him or her. That's the job Major (MAJ) Wang Kee Yong executes with passion.