May 2015 - Seletar Airport

MAY 2015
Newsletter
SELETAR
Issue 04
Commissioning of Aircraft Fire Training Ground
Interview with EVP of ST Aerospace
www.seletarairport.com
Issue 04
SELETAR INSIGHT
02
CONTENTS
03
FEATURE
STORY
COMMISSIONING OF AIRCRAFT
FIRE TRAINING GROUND
04
A SAFE Seletar
Airport for
Everyone
05
@ SELETAR
06
UP CLOSE
AND
PERSONAL
Editorial Team:
Khoh Su Lim, Deputy General Manager, Seletar Airport, CAG
Julia Jemangin, Manager, Corporate & Marketing Communications, CAG
FOREWORD
Dear partners and friends, I am happy to introduce
you to the fourth issue of Seletar Insight.
The past few months have been exciting for many of
us as we witnessed the successful testing our new
state-of-the-art Ground Run-up Enclosure (GRE). In
April 2015, we commissioned our new Aircraft Fire
Training Ground, which will enhance the training
capabilities and overall operational readiness of
our Airport Emergency Services team. We have also
completed construction of our new airport security
fencing, and additional aircraft parking stands at
North-East Apron. With such new infrastructure
in place, we have indeed enhanced our airport
capabilities, to better serve all our airport users.
Aerodrome safety remains a top priority, and we
firmly believe that safety requires a collective
effort by the entire airport community. From this
issue onwards, we have dedicated a safety column
to reinforce the safety message, and to keep the
Seletar community updated of new safety initiatives
undertaken by CAG. As an added incentive, we
encourage readers to keep a look out for our safety
quiz, which will give you the chance to win NTUC
vouchers!
In conjunction with the Lunar New Year, CAG
organised a Chinese New Year celebration to
thank our airport partners for their services and
contributions to Seletar Airport. We are encouraged
by the positive feedback, and will strive to organise
more of such get-together activities to bring the
community together. We look forward to your active
participation and support for such events!
We hope you find this issue interesting and
beneficial. We welcome your suggestions and article
contributions to make Seletar Insight even better
and more interesting.
Regina Tee, Senior Associate, Seletar Airport Planning, CAG
Contributors:
Mark Adam Collins, AES Duty Officer, Seletar Airport, CAG
Jess Law, Assistant Manager, Seletar Airport Operations, CAG
Seletar Insight is published biannually.
Designed by ADtitude Pte Ltd
Subscribe to Seletar Insight by emailing to regina.tee@changiairport.com
and stay up-to-date on Seletar’s latest developments.
Please visit our website www.seletarairport.com for more information
about Seletar Airport.
SEE SENG WAN
General Manager, Seletar Airport
Issue 04
Feature Story
SELETAR INSIGHT
03
FEATURE STORY:
COMMISSIONING
OF AIRCRAFT FIRE
TRAINING GROUND
On 9 April 2015, Seletar
Airport Emergency Services
(AES) organised its official
commissioning for the new
Aircraft Fire Training Ground
(AFTG).
The ceremony was held at
the new AFTG site, located
at Seletar Airport North-East
Apron. Officiating the ceremony
as the Guest-of-Honour was
Chief Executive Officer, Changi
Airport Group, Mr Lee Seow
Hiang. Mr Lee unveiled the
commemorative plaque,
formally naming the
AFTG as the Supermarine
Southampton.
During the event, the
attendees were treated to
a surprise when there was
a loud explosion heard at
the AFTG. All eyes immediately
turned to the mock-up aircraft,
which was lit up with four jets
of fire shooting up two metres
into the air. The crowd looked in
anticipation as the foam tender
Striker 1 responded swiftly onscene and started to douse the
flames. The AES crew skilfully
extinguished the fire with ease
using the foam tender’s water
monitors.
Looking back, the new AFTG
began its journey in the first
quarter of 2013 and construction
work began later that year.
Modelled after the Boeing 757,
the aircraft mock-up features
seven burn sectors and one
engine fire simulator. Within
the plane, you will be able to
find a cockpit, galley, luggage
compartments, lavatories,
seating for economy class and
even a business class section!
One of the unique features of
the AFTG is the control room,
which is the first-of-its-kind in
South East Asia. The control
room controls the fuel that is
pumped to the burn sectors
and the cooling down system.
The cooling system is a fine mist
spray that serves two functions.
It protects the airplane mock-up
from the intense heat generated
from the fire burning on the burn
pad, and also lowers the amount
of black smoke going into the
atmosphere.
Some of you may be wondering
why the AFTG was named the
“Supermarine Southampton”. The
reason was that the Supermarine
Southamptons were the first
planes to arrive at Seletar Airport
on 28 February 1928. These were
British two-engine biplane flying
boats and were mainly used
for reconnaissance missions by
the British Royal Air Force.
The name holds historical
significance, reminding us of
Seletar Airport’s origins as an
air force base, and also ties in
with the rich aviation history
of Seletar Airport.
The new AFTG will serve
as a key training facility for
AES personnel, providing
them with the best opportunity
to simulate Aircraft Rescue
Fire Fighting under controlled
conditions, and equipping them
with real-life fire fighting and
rescue skills.
Issue 04
A SAFE Seletar Airport For Everyone
SELETAR INSIGHT
04
SELETAR AIRSIDE
RISK AWARENESS
BRIEFING
With effect from 1 Aug 2014,
Changi Airport Group (CAG)
introduced a new airside risk
awareness programme, with the
aim of enhancing airside safety
for all Seletar Airport users.
Under this new safety initiative,
all Seletar Airport Pass applicants
will have to attend a mandatory
airside risk awareness briefing
as part of the pass application
process. The objective of the
briefing session is to familiarise
all airport pass holders with
the potential risks within the
airside and enhance their
safety awareness while working
within the restricted area of the
Airport. Over 1400 personnel to
date have attended the airside
risk awareness briefings. The
strong support and constructive
feedback provided during
these sessions have helped
CAG streamline and improve
the content and delivery. CAG
would like to thank the Seletar
community for your support, and
let’s continue to strive for a SAFE
Seletar Airport For Everyone.
GROUND SERVICE
PROVIDERS
ORGANISATIONAL
SAFETY AUDIT
Since 2014, CAG has been
pursuing efforts to strengthen
our safety assurance programme
for activities within the
airfield. We have made good
progress, and embarked on the
implementation of the new
safety assurance programme
with our airport partners. In
February 2015, CAG introduced
a new organisational safety audit
involving all our Ground Service
Providers (GSPs), which include
Ground Handling and Refuelling
Organisations at Seletar Airport.
The key objectives of the safety
audit are to validate the GSPs’
organisational safety systems
and procedures, and to ensure
alignment
with safety
requirements on
airside ground
handling activities.
To prepare and
align expectations
of all GSPs
for the safety
programme,
CAG held a preaudit forum to
engage with key
operational and safety personnel
from all the GSPs at Seletar
Country Club on 16 February
2015. The safety audit proper
has commenced since April 2015,
and thanks to the strong support
of the GSPs, the audit team has
been making good progress.
CAG will continue to collaborate
with all our GSPs to improve
and to refine our safety audit
programme, and to make airside
safety our key priority.
INTRODUCTION
OF NO WALKING
SIGNAGE
Entry into the manoeuvring
area without authorisation is
considered a serious offence, and
has potential adverse disruption
on aircraft operations. Signages
have been installed to prevent
unauthorised entry into the
manoeuvring area. CAG would
like to remind airside community
to look out for the signage
and to adhere to the safety
requirements.
Issue 04
@ Seletar
SELETAR INSIGHT
05
SELETAR AIRPORT USHERS IN THE YEAR OF THE GOAT
On 26 February 2015, CAG invited a lion dance
troupe to celebrate the Lunar New Year. 2 majestic
lions performed the “cai qing” ceremony, which
literally means “plucking the greens”, whereby they
plucked the auspicious lettuce in front of the Seletar
Airport Passenger Terminal Building. This traditional
dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune
to the airport community. After the lion dance, all
invited guests, such as Immigration and Customs
Authority officers, Certis CISCO officers and CAG
contractors, were presented with mandarin oranges
to wish them a prosperous new year and thank
them for their contributions to Seletar Airport.
SAFETY QUIZ:
What is the commencement date of the implementation of the new requirement of the airside
risk awareness briefing for all Seasonal pass applications and renewals at Seletar Airport?
First 10 personnel with the correct entry sent in to safety.seletar@changiairport.com will
receive a $10 NTUC voucher each. Each email should be a single entry with details including,
name, designation, and organisation.
The quiz will close on 29 May 2015.
Terms and conditions:
1. The safety quiz is open to persons holding a valid Seletar Airport Seasonal Pass except the non-eligible persons as stated in point 3.
2. Changi Airport Group (CAG) reserves the absolute discretion to determine the eligibility of any person who is interested to participate in the safety quiz. Such
determination is final and conclusive and CAG is not obliged to give any reason for disqualifying any person from participation.
3. The following persons shall not be eligible to participate in the safety quiz:
• Employees and immediate family of Changi Airport Group and its subsidiaries, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, and any other persons involved in organising, promoting and or conducting the promotion. Immediate family refers to spouses, children, parents, parents-in-law and siblings.
• Person below age of 18 as of the date of publication of the newsletter.
• Any other person or class of persons deemed ineligible or notified by CAG as being ineligible from time to time.
Issue 04
Up Close and Personal
SELETAR INSIGHT
06
ST AEROSPACE,
EXPANDING
HORIZONS
An exclusive interview with
Mr Goh Yong Kiat, Executive
Vice President, Aviation &
Training Services, ST Aerospace
ST Aerospace started as a
maintenance depot to support
the Republic of Singapore Air
Force in 1975. Today it has grown
to become a full service facility
that supports a global clientele in
commercial and military aircraft.
What are some of the key success
factors?
While ST Aerospace first started
out to serve our national defence
needs, it became clear that the
company needed to venture into
the commercial aviation space
to grow our service offering and
capabilities beyond our shores.
With the strong foundation ST
Aerospace has built from our
military MRO roots, it was a
natural progression to develop
a full suite of commercial
engineering and MRO services
in airframe, components and
engines.
ST Aerospace’s growth was made
possible through the following
key success factors – strong
engineering pedigree, dedicated
and skilled workforce, excellent
customer relations, and a great
tripartite relationship between
the Government, union and the
company.
Can you tell us more about the
new Aviation Centre inaugurated
last year?
Recognising the dynamic
growth in the airline industry, as
evidenced by a strong demand
for pilots and skilled technical
manpower
accompanying
the aircraft fleet
growth, ST
Aerospace
invested in
the pilot
training
business
in 2007. ST Aerospace is now a
leader of the Multi-Crew Pilot
Licence (MPL) training concept in
the Asia Pacific region. To date,
we have obtained approvals
from more than eight civil
authorities. Besides pilot training,
ST Aerospace has an in-house
technical training centre that
has produced Licensed Aircraft
Engineers and Technicians to
support our MRO business.
certificates for aircraft types that
will suit the airfreight market. For
pilot training, we will be looking
into expanding our footprint in
the Americas and to champion
the growth of MPL in emerging
markets.
The housing of all our training
and air charter offering in the
new Aviation Centre in Seletar
enables us to synergise and
better support our customers.
With these services under one
roof, the Aviation Centre boasts
a fixed-base and full-motion
A320 simulators, as well as our
air charter services, which flies a
range of aircraft from the Learjet
to the Gulfstream 550, for air
ambulance services and VIP air
charter.
In the 1930s, many aviation
pioneers passed through Seletar.
Among them were Charles
Kingsford-Smith and Amy Johnson,
the first woman to fly solo from
England to Australia. Before
Kallang Airport was commissioned
in June 1937, RAF Seletar (as it
was under the military then),
served as Singapore’s first
international airport, linking flights
from Europe to Asia and beyond
to Australia.
What future business plans do ST
Aerospace have in the next five to
ten years?
ST Aerospace will continue to
tap on the highly educated and
skilled local workforce to move up
the value chain, in areas such as
cabin interiors engineering design,
cabin refurbishment, airline
passenger seats design, as well as
a FBO set-up in Seletar. Freighter
conversion, which is our core
competency, will also continue
to be our key focus areas, as we
develop new supplemental type
We understand that you are an
aviation enthusiast with a deep
appreciation of the history of
Seletar Airport. Any less-known
historical tidbits to share about
Seletar Airport?
Seletar was the very first
aerodrome built on our little
island, firstly as a base for a
squadron of RAF flying boats and
later a major airbase for RAF front
line operational squadrons and
heavy maintenance units.
After independence, Singapore
was assigned the 9V civil
registration by ICAO in 1966.
The first aircraft to be registered
9V was a Singapore Flying Club
Cessna 172 based in Seletar.
I do hope that in the further
development of Seletar Aerospace
Park, the rich history of Seletar
can be told in a delightful
way, integrated into the new,
relating the past, and how it has
influenced the present and paved
the way for the future.