20 Jul 2007 | COMMUNITY
RED LIONS OVERCOME NEW CHALLENGES TO TAKE THE PLUNGE
STORY // Malcolm Tay
PHOTO // Chua Soon Lye
PHOTO // Chua Soon Lye
Second Warrant Officer (2WO) Krishnan Pakrisamy has taken part in about 14 National Day Parades (NDP) as a parajumper but this year, the 46-year-old will lead a team of five in a night free fall.
The popular Red Lions last skydived at night at the parade about seven years ago, and 2WO Krishnan feels "it's more difficult than any display jumps we've done".
"There are many safety issues, as we're surrounded by water, buildings and other obstacles," said the Free Fall Warrant Officer at the Special Operations Tactical Support Centre.
"And because it's dark, it's harder to see where the other jumpers are and where you're going to land; and you have to feel for your equipment."
These are just some of the various challenges that the new parade venue in Marina Bay holds for the Red Lions, including a landing area that is 40 per cent smaller than what the National Stadium had provided in past years.
The night divers, in particular, have to carry extra devices and two 12-volt batteries to power their LED-lighted red-and-grey suits.
Their helmets are mounted with halogen lamps that will illuminate their parachutes, and a strobe light on the suit serves as a visual indicator and safety measure.
Jumping from a height of 5,000 feet, they will time their aerial stunts and landings with the show segment of the parade.
The Red Lions have been training since April. Due to the complexity of this year's display dives, all of them have clocked at least 500 jumps thus far.
Among them are NDP newcomers such as Captain (CPT) Clarence Chua, a member of the quintet that will free-fall in the day.
As the least experienced parajumper of the group, he has benefited from the guidance given by his more seasoned colleagues, especially in such matters as canopy flying.
"At a certain height, you must be able to assess the wind conditions so that you ensure you don't come in too early or too late," said CPT Chua, an Officer Commanding at the Special Operations Tactical Support Centre.
"If you're too early, you will be too high to land onto the platform; if you're too late, you may land short."
He had trained as a parajumper while he was in the National Cadet Corps in 1992, and this NDP experience has brought him full circle.
"Today, I'm training with some of the instructors who taught me in my school days, so it's indeed an honour to be taking part in this," said the 31-year-old.
The popular Red Lions last skydived at night at the parade about seven years ago, and 2WO Krishnan feels "it's more difficult than any display jumps we've done".
"There are many safety issues, as we're surrounded by water, buildings and other obstacles," said the Free Fall Warrant Officer at the Special Operations Tactical Support Centre.
"And because it's dark, it's harder to see where the other jumpers are and where you're going to land; and you have to feel for your equipment."
These are just some of the various challenges that the new parade venue in Marina Bay holds for the Red Lions, including a landing area that is 40 per cent smaller than what the National Stadium had provided in past years.
The night divers, in particular, have to carry extra devices and two 12-volt batteries to power their LED-lighted red-and-grey suits.
Their helmets are mounted with halogen lamps that will illuminate their parachutes, and a strobe light on the suit serves as a visual indicator and safety measure.
Jumping from a height of 5,000 feet, they will time their aerial stunts and landings with the show segment of the parade.
The Red Lions have been training since April. Due to the complexity of this year's display dives, all of them have clocked at least 500 jumps thus far.
Among them are NDP newcomers such as Captain (CPT) Clarence Chua, a member of the quintet that will free-fall in the day.
As the least experienced parajumper of the group, he has benefited from the guidance given by his more seasoned colleagues, especially in such matters as canopy flying.
"At a certain height, you must be able to assess the wind conditions so that you ensure you don't come in too early or too late," said CPT Chua, an Officer Commanding at the Special Operations Tactical Support Centre.
"If you're too early, you will be too high to land onto the platform; if you're too late, you may land short."
He had trained as a parajumper while he was in the National Cadet Corps in 1992, and this NDP experience has brought him full circle.
"Today, I'm training with some of the instructors who taught me in my school days, so it's indeed an honour to be taking part in this," said the 31-year-old.
