Fully automated with a sleek look, the Airborne-trooper Training Facility (ATF) promises more realistic and progressive training for soldiers undergoing the Basic Airborne Course (BAC).
The unpredictable rainy December weather can be a bummer, especially if you are training to jump out of planes. However, with the indoor ATF, trainees can now undergo all BAC training regardless of weather conditions. In addition, this new facility promises more realistic, effective and efficient airborne training.
Located at Pasir Ris Camp, the ATF consists of two training facilities - the Parachute Training Facility and the Rappelling Training Facility, and was launched by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen on 1 Dec 2014.
At the launch, Dr Ng commented that the ATF was a worthwhile investment as it was important that the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) elite forces have the confidence to respond to real-life situations.
"At the old facility, a lot of it was broken up and it wasn't dynamic. But in this facility, everything is autonomous and you get as close to real-life situations as possible. At the same time, trainers are able to break down the performance and give you your critique. So I would consider it a very significant improvement," he said.
More progressive training
As an all-in-one facility, the ATF allows soldiers to hone their basic airborne skills, such as heli-rappelling insertion and heli-roping insertion, at any time. It also eliminates the need for trainees to travel between the old training facilities which are located a distance apart, thus saving time and increasing training opportunities for the soldiers.
The emphasis on more progressive training was another reason for this integrated facility and this is evident in the three training systems under the Parachute Training Facility. Trainees have to go through the Landing Trainer System (LTS), the Rotational Trainer System (RTS) and the Airborne Trainer System (ATS) in that sequence as part of BAC.
The first of the three stations, the LTS is where troopers learn various parachute landing fall positions. While the old version at Hendon Camp could only bring trainees up to 3m high, the LTS boasts two variable heights of 4m and 8m. This allows for more progressive and realistic training as compared to the past, with 8m being the height that an airborne trooper should begin preparations for his landing.
The LTS also allows trainees to experience different rates of descent, such as at 2m/s, 3m/s and 4m/s.
With these new options, Chief Commando Officer Colonel (COL) Simon Lim explained that instructors could now design more progressive training modules.
"As the facility allows for calibration of the height and the rate of descent...this will allow our trainees to slowly build their confidence, as well as enhance proficiency, to prepare them for the live jump."
Automated training
The second phase of training takes place at the RTS, where trainees learn how to control their canopy and deal with emergencies mid-air.
Fully automated, the RTS features 20 set-ups that each resembles a huge umbrella. Trainees are hooked up to the harness below the apparatus and then raised mid-air to practise controlling their parachutes, otherwise known as the rotation drill. When a trainee is told to turn left and he pulls the left toggle, the system will automatically make a left turn.
"Previously, when you pulled your toggle, you didn't turn by yourself. Your buddy would turn you," said Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Oh Beng Lee.
"And even if you pulled wrongly, he would turn you the correct way," he said in jest. "With this (RTS), the jumper will be turned towards the direction according to which side he pulls the toggle."
The Officer Commanding of Static Line Wing Special Operations Training Support Centre added that this automation not only made the training more realistic, but also cut down on the manpower needed, giving trainees more time to practise their drills.
Another training which the RTS provides is emergency drills, where trainees have to untangle themselves in mid-air - something which the old version lacked. Once the trainee is safely hooked up, the system will twist the canopy lines automatically to create an entanglement scenario.
Trainees are subsequently raised in the air and have to execute either the kicking method, if they are without equipment, or the stirring method, if they are carrying equipment, to untangle themselves.
And with the total number of equipment doubled from 10 in the past, more students can go through the different drills at a faster pace now.
Complete experience
The last of the stations, the ATS, allows trainees to experience exiting from a height of 11.2m and practise various flight drills before landing.
Resembling an upside-down monorail, this 200m track comes with the ability to simulate different emergency scenarios such as partial and total malfunction, and dragging a trainee upon landing.
Before a trainee jumps, his instructor on the ground will press the acceptance button. The light will change from red to green, indicating that he is ready for the student to jump.
Once they jump, trainees have to identify the type of emergency drill which they are required to go through. This is indicated by the colour of the light above their heads within the apparatus.
These emergency scenarios are given to trainees on the spot by their instructors from the ground simply with the press of a button. A yellow light represents a partial malfunction such as a tear or entanglement in the parachute, while red signifies total malfunction, meaning no parachute is deployed. Instructors can also communicate with their students during flight through a speaker.
Explained MWO Ong: "Previously, we would indicate the type of drills via a coloured flag before students even jumped, so they would already know what they had to do.
"But now, because the trainees will only know the type of emergency drill after they jump, it is more realistic. They will have to react accordingly on the spot."
The 49-year-old added that other than simulating strong winds and increasing the rate of descent, the ATS also replicates the time taken to land from 1,000ft (305m) in a live jump - about two minutes.
On-the-spot feedback
The ATS also allows instantaneous feedback for the trainees. The moment a trainee lands, he will go to his instructor where he will receive an immediate review of his flight, with the aid of a video and image feedback system. The video will capture their training, from the time they jumped till they land.
Second Lieutenant (2LT) Muhammad Faris bin Asnin said: "If they make a mistake in certain parts of the jump, the instructor can give them feedback right away and show them where the mistakes were made.
"Previously, there was no LCD display, so they only gave us verbal feedback and it was hard for us to remember which part of the jump we made the mistake at."
The 21-year-old trooper from 1st Commando Battalion added that with the feedback system, the learning process is strengthened and trainees can further improve themselves in preparation for their live jump.
Apart from these, the ATF houses three different types of aircraft mock-ups. Used for pre-jump familiarisation and training, the mock-ups of the Chinook CH-47, Hercules C-130 and Fokker-50 are exact replicas of the actual aircraft.
Rappelling anytime, any day
Similar to the Parachute Training Facility, the Rappelling Training Facility consists of three training clusters.
The Basic Training Cluster comprises a 60-degree slope for hip rappel, hasty rappel and Australian rappel, and an 80-degree slope to simulate cliff rappelling.
The Intermediate Training Cluster features various double roping training and heli-rappelling from mock-ups of a Chinook ramp door and the side of a Super Puma (SP) helicopter respectively. To keep the training realistic, the Chinook is built at level five and the SP at level eight to closely simulate the height of the actual descend. It also comprises an urban and lift wall climb.
At the Advanced Training Cluster, trainees undergo free-climbing and rappelling using anchor points located near windows for belaying and rappelling. Other features include advanced urban and pipeline climbing, and balcony rappelling.
With the exception of the Basic Training Cluster, the Rappelling Training Facility also has an indoor segment where night conditions can be simulated. This is also possible with the Parachute Training Facility.
More confident troopers
Said 2LT Faris: "When you go for the live jump, you're unsure of what the flow is like. The new facilities help to pre-empt and prepare the new trainees for their actual jump."
Likewise, the technology within the ATF plays a part in helping instructors, especially in training the weaker students. With the BAC fully conducted at the ATF from the end of December 2014, MWO Ow has high hopes that his troopers will emerge more proficient than ever.
"Instructors will have the opportunity to offer personal coaching and we are very excited to see the good results from this training," he said.
"Instructors will have the opportunity to offer personal coaching and we are very excited to see the good results from this training."
- MWO Oh Beng Lee
Integrated Airborne Training Zone
Troopers who go through the Basic Airborne Course can now undergo more realistic and progressive training with the Parachute Training Facility (PTF).
1) Landing Trainer System (LTS)
The first of the three training systems, the LTS is where trainees learn various parachute landing fall positions. It allows instructors to calibrate raising trainees to two different heights - 4m and 8m, and dropping them at three different rates of descent of 2m/s, 3m/s and 4m/s. These variables allow trainees to progressively build up their confidence and competency in landing.
2) Rotational Trainer System (RTS)
At the second stage, trainees practise canopy control, reserve procedures, flight, twist and landing emergencies both with and without equipment and weapons. They practise controlling the parachute by pulling the toggles, through which the fully-automated system would turn them towards the side which they are pulling. For entanglement drills, the system twists the canopy strings to create an entanglement scenario and trainees then have to either kick or twist to untangle themselves.
3) Airborne Trainer System (ATS)
The last of the trainer systems, the ATS provides trainees with a realistic flight experience, from jumping out of an aircraft to landing. This 200m upside-down monorail also allows trainees to proficiently perform a complete flight drill as well as emergency procedures during flight.
Trainees exit from a height of 11.2m once their instructors on the ground give them the green light. The time taken to complete the track is two minutes, similar to the time taken to land from 1,000ft (305m) in a live jump. This makes the training more realistic.
During the jump, instructors may activate a coloured light within the trainee's apparatus. Yellow means partial malfunction while red signifies total malfunction, to which the trainee will have to respond with the relevant emergency drills within the allotted time. Instructors can also communicate with trainees through speakers found in individual apparatuses, to guide the trainees during flight.
As trainees prepare for their descent, the roller system will take over the conveyor belt system, as it brings the trainee down to landing. Like the LTS, instructors can also calibrate different rates of descent here.
Apart from emergency drills, the ATS also includes the capability to drag the trainee upon landing. Once the trainee lands, he must unhook himself from the apparatus to avoid being dragged. He will then meet his instructor at the side lines to receive an immediate review of his flight, aided by video and image playback.
