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Singapore Poly Receives RSAF Super Puma Helicopter to Enrich Hands-on Learning Experiences for Students

  • 27 Sep 2024

On 23 September 2024, Singapore Polytechnic (SP) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and received an AS332 Super Puma helicopter on the same day, to enhance its hands-on learning experiences for students.

The AS332 Super Puma helicopter, donated by the RSAF, is primarily used for search and rescue operations. This new helicopter will provide hands-on learning opportunities for over 330 students annually in the Diploma in Aeronautical Engineering (DARE) and Diploma in Aerospace Electronics (DASE). This initiative will also help to enhance the students’ practical training in areas such as aircraft aerodynamics, systems, ground support equipment, and avionics. Equipping them with industry-relevant skills and experiences and eventually preparing them for successful aviation careers in their future.

The MOU signing between RSAF and SP. Photo: RSAF
A group picture in front of the Super Puma helicopter. Photo: SP
Over the years, SP has steadily made efforts to incorporate physical aircraft into its educational programme. Since November 2010, more than 13,800 students have benefited from their hands-on learning with the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter, which was mainly used as a training resource during aircraft maintenance practices.

When sharing about their experience on working with the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter, Diploma in Aeronautical Engineering alumna, Ho Yun En, attributes her Medallion for Excellence at WorldSkills 2023 to the UH-1 Iroquois. She mentioned that in preparation for the competition, she trained specifically on this helicopter for the “Aircraft Inspection” segment, which was also the same helicopter used in the competition. Hence, this prior training enabled her to swiftly identify all the defects that were planted during the competition.

Final-year aerospace electronics student, Chan Keng Yeow, also highlights the value of practical training with the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter and other aircraft. He believes that the hands-on experiences can help students “to cultivate safe practice habits for equipment installation and maintenance in an aircraft.” 
 
Aspiring to be an Air Force Engineer in the future, he notes that without this practical learning opportunity, “I wouldn’t have been able to apply the theories and practices I learned on real aircraft.”
Photo of the AS332 Super Puma helicopter. Photo: SP
RSAF Officers interacting with SP students. Picture: SP

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