Koh Chai Hong
| Koh Chai Hong | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Singaporean |
| Known for | First female pilot in the Republic of Singapore Air Force and one of first two women to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Singaporean military |
Koh Chai Hong (born 1959) is a Singaporean pilot who is known for being the first woman to qualify as a pilot in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and one of the first two women to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Singaporean Army.[1][2][3] She is also a former national champion in water-skiing.[2]
Biography
Early life and education
Chai Hong was born in 1959 and studied at Opera Estate Girls' School and Tanjong Katong Girls School as a child.[1] She attended high school and completed her A levels at Raffles Institution.[1] There, she was a talented athlete and played on the school's women's hockey team.[2] Chai Hong's interest in aviation was sparked by a career talk she attended while at the school.[1] She joined the Junior Flying Club in college[4] despite parental objections and received her private pilot license within seven months.[1]
In 1978, when the RSAF first allowed women to join, Chai Hong began training and obtained her pilot wings in 1979 after a year and a half, becoming the first woman to qualify.[1] During her training, she was the only student to win all three flying trophies: best in basic phase, best in advanced phase, and best in aerobatics.[1]
Career
In 1981, Chai Hong became a Flying Instructor.[2]
In 1987, Chai Hong won a medal as a national water skier at the Southeast Asia Games.[1]
In 1997, she was the first woman to be admitted to the highest level of formal military training in Singapore, the Singapore Armed Forces' Command and Staff Course.[1] In 1998, she became the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Commanding Officer of Standards Squadron in Flying Training School.[1] She was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in 1999, one of the first two women to do so.[1][3]
Retirement and honors
In 2005, Chai Hong retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel.[2] She is currently a simulator instructor employed by Lockheed Martin training RSAF Basic Wings Phase pilot trainees in Perth, Australia.[1]
In 2015, Chai Hong was inducted into the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 SWHF. "SINGAPORE WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME - Koh Chai Hong". www.swhf.sg. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Tan, Guan Heng (2008). 100 Inspiring Rafflesians, 1823–2003. World Scientific. pp. 89–90. ISBN 978-981-277-946-5.
- 1 2 "Meet the 2015 Inductees of the Singapore Women’s Hall Of Fame". herworldPLUS. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
- ↑ "Lockheed Martin · 21 Questions with Team 21". www.lockheedmartin.ca. Retrieved 2016-04-03.