Sengkang and Punggol residents might have had enough of the noise from jets flying over their heads.

On Sep. 19, 2023, Sengkang GRC Member of Parliament Jamus Lim filed a question in Parliament asking Minister of Defence Ng Eng Hen whether the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) had done research on modifying combat aircraft with fin-lined nozzles to reduce noise pollution from overflights.

In a written response, Ng said there are currently no aircraft or aircraft engine manufacturers that have certified or successfully incorporated the use of fin-lined nozzles into their entire design.

However, he said the RSAF will continue to monitor the development of fin-lined nozzles and other technologies and evidence of their ability to also meet operational requirements in a cost-effective way.

Sengkang & Punggol can't avoid having jets flying over their heads, for now

This is not the first time Lim filed a parliamentary question regarding jet noise.

In July 2023, Lim asked if there are alternative flight paths for the jets flying over Sengkang and Punggol from Paya Lebar Airbase (PLAB), so that these jets can avoid flying over these two estates to reduce the impact on residences living in the area.

Ng replied then that there are no better alternatives at the moment and that the departure flight paths of RSAF's aircraft from PLAB have been carefully designed with consideration of population safety and airspace constraints.

It was previously announced that PLAB will relocate nearer to the coast from 2030, lowering the number of RSAF planes flying over Punggol residents.

Top image via Mindef/Facebook