THE Black Knights will not only have to work with split-second precision, they will also have to dodge skyscrapers at this year's National Day Parade (NDP) taking place in the Central Business District.
This is the first NDP the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) team will perform in - and the first time the F-16C fighter jets will fly so close to skyscrapers.
The six-minute aerial ballet will commemorate more than the nation's birthday - it is also the RSAF's 40th anniversary.
But such a feat comes with challenges - and keeping at least 500ft from buildings is just one of them.
Other difficulties the six-aircraft team will face: An extremely tight air space, the distracting Marina Bay skyline and stronger winds away from ground level.
For viewing purposes, the aerobatics will be rolled out at 1,500ft above ground level at the parade, 1,000 ft higher than at the Singapore Airshow earlier this year.
The jets will be travelling at about 12.88km per minute.
To make sure they cover all bases, each team member spent two hours once a week for a month in a simulator with the Marina Bay skyline - complete with the 924ft tall OUB building as a backdrop.
This gave pilots a feel of the air space they were limited to and also helped them to refined timings.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
