Sengkang resident complains of ‘frustrating’ noise from fighter jets, other residents agree

Sengkang resident says he heard five to six fighter jets flying past in half an hour

While Sengkang is an otherwise desirable estate to live in, residents there have to get used to the incessant sound of fighter jets.

The noise has proven to be a problem for one resident, who complained about it in a XiaoHongShu post on 27 Sept.

Sound of fighter jets heard in Sengkang resident’s video

In his post, the resident said he’d recently moved to Sengkang and is working from home.

However, his work has been affected by the “very noisy” fighter jets, which flew over home about five to six times in just 30 minutes.

The din could be heard in a 1.5 minute-long video he posted.

Neighbour’s unit undergoing renovation at the same time

Making matters worse is the fact a neighbour’s unit is undergoing renovation, causing him to bear two loud noises at the same time.

If this goes on, he won’t be able to take part in any Zoom meetings, he said, adding:

What’s going on… is this a real-life version of PUBG: Battlegrounds?

He was referring to a popular battle royale video game.

Other Sengkang residents also complain of fighter jets

The resident asked whether residents felt the same way, or those living in other estates had the same problem.

In the comments, other Sengkang residents commiserated with him, with one saying the noise would start as early as 8am, when she is still asleep.

A Sengkang resident of 10 years who also works from home said it’s been “especially noisy” recently and he sympathises with the students taking exams at the schools here. He has to wait till his child finishes PSLE before he can move, he lamented.

A former resident of Punggol said they had to move out as they couldn’t stand the noise.

Another Punggol resident said she’s already used to the noise.

In Paya Lebar, the sound of fighter jets has almost made him deaf, a resident said.

But the original poster replied that the situation might improve after Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB) moves.

Questions about fighter jet noise brought up in Parliament

The sound of fighter jets prompted Sengkang MP Jamus Lim to raise a question in Parliament about it.

In July 2023, he asked Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen “whether there are alternative flight paths for jets taking off from Paya Lebar Airbase that do not require flying over Sengkang and Punggol”.

Dr Ng replied that the flight path of Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) jets taking off from PLAB has been designed with population safety and airspace constraints in mind, saying:

Any alternative departure flight path from PLAB would incur higher population safety risk at take off, or enter the airspace of our neighbour or around our airports.

In September 2023, Dr Lim returned to this topic in Parliament, asking Dr Ng ” whether the RSAF has conducted research on modifying combat aircraft with fin-lined nozzles to reduce noise pollution from overflights”.

The minister replied that no aircraft or aircraft engine manufacturers have certified or successfully incorporated the use of such nozzles into their engine design, saying:

The RSAF will continue to monitor the development of this and other technologies, and evidence of their ability to also meet operational requirements in a cost-effective way.

PLAB will be relocated from the 2030s onwards, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), so residents in Sengkang and Punggol will have to bear with the noise for at least six years more.

Also read: Sengkang Resident Plays Chants Loudly Throughout The Day, Neighbours Complain Of Noise

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Featured image adapted from Alson志豪 on XiaoHongShu and The Republic of Singapore Air Force on Facebook.