18 Jan 2007 | OPS & TRAINING
RSAF FOKKER-50 RETURNS FROM SEARCH AND LOCATE MISSION IN SULAWESI
STORY // Gail Wan
PHOTO // Roy Lim
PHOTO // Roy Lim
After flying a total of 20 sorties over a two-week period, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Fokker-50 aircraft deployed to assist Indonesia in the search for the missing Adam Air B737-400, returned to Singapore on 17 Jan.
The RSAF team of 21 personnel, including five technicians from Singapore Technologies Aerospace, worked closely with, and supported, the Indonesian military (TNI) in their search and locate operations.
The RSAF Fokker-50 aircraft joined a host of other Indonesian search planes, to scour both land and the sea off Sulawesi for signs of the commercial airliner that went missing on New Year's Day with over 100 people on board.
"What system that was on the Fokker-50, whatever was applicable to the mission, we used it," said Mission Commander, Major (MAJ) Ashley Lim from 121 Squadron.
"We've got a good working relationship with the TNI. We have worked with them before and they are very professional, so we were able to get the support that we required to carry out our mission every day."
According to MAJ Lim, each mission took them about three to four hours to complete as they covered two search areas that spanned 150 miles over sea, and 200 miles over land.
The search operations have entered a different phase, which focuses more on sea searches rather than aerial searches. Hence, the Republic of Singapore Navy has deployed four sets of Underwater Locator Beacon detectors and six personnel, to help in locating the flight recorders of the missing airliner.
They were accompanied by two Air Accident Investigation Bureau representatives from Singapore's Ministry of Transport.
The RSAF team of 21 personnel, including five technicians from Singapore Technologies Aerospace, worked closely with, and supported, the Indonesian military (TNI) in their search and locate operations.
The RSAF Fokker-50 aircraft joined a host of other Indonesian search planes, to scour both land and the sea off Sulawesi for signs of the commercial airliner that went missing on New Year's Day with over 100 people on board.
"What system that was on the Fokker-50, whatever was applicable to the mission, we used it," said Mission Commander, Major (MAJ) Ashley Lim from 121 Squadron.
"We've got a good working relationship with the TNI. We have worked with them before and they are very professional, so we were able to get the support that we required to carry out our mission every day."
According to MAJ Lim, each mission took them about three to four hours to complete as they covered two search areas that spanned 150 miles over sea, and 200 miles over land.
The search operations have entered a different phase, which focuses more on sea searches rather than aerial searches. Hence, the Republic of Singapore Navy has deployed four sets of Underwater Locator Beacon detectors and six personnel, to help in locating the flight recorders of the missing airliner.
They were accompanied by two Air Accident Investigation Bureau representatives from Singapore's Ministry of Transport.
