NDP 2026: For state flag’s first flight into Kallang Basin, precision is key
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The CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, escorted by two AH-64D Apache attack helicopters, waiting to make its entry towards National Stadium for the state flag fly-past rehearsal on July 4.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
- The 2026 National Day Parade flypast features a CH-47 Chinook helicopter carrying a giant state flag, flying 290m high over the Kallang Basin with precise timing and formation.
- This is the first time the helicopters will fly into Kallang Basin, offering a scenic route and posing challenges in maintaining tight formation during a series of left turns.
- A 90-strong ground team manages heavy flags and equipment, ensuring the flag unfurls perfectly, with specialists monitoring the flag’s behaviour during the flight for a flawless display.
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SINGAPORE – With just a portion of the National Stadium open to the sky, spectators will have a shorter duration to catch the giant state flag as it flies past at the 2026 National Day Parade (NDP).
This means the CH-47 Chinook helicopter – which carries the flag – and the two escorting AH-64D Apache attack helicopters have almost no room for error as the aircraft fly 290m above ground, maintaining a tight formation despite having to make more turns.
The fly-past will be conducted at a higher altitude than in previous years, so the flag will be visible to most spectators. At NDP 2025, the helicopters flew 243m above ground as they zipped across the Padang.
“Because of the small window of the National Stadium with the roofing closed, we need to be very precise to make sure that the flag appears at the right aspect, particularly from the President’s seat,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Cai Weijun, the fly-past’s lead pilot, who will be flying the CH-47 Chinook.
“We will do our best to present the flag for the longest possible (duration) across the window. If the flag appears smaller to some people, they can see it on the big screen,” added the commanding officer of the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s 127 Squadron.
The aircrew of the NDP 2026 state flag fly-past, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Cai Weijun (third from right), in front of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
However, the fly-past will be a treat for Kallang residents, as this is the first time the helicopters will fly into the Kallang Basin after taking off from Pulau Sudong in the south.
After entering the precinct through Marina East, the helicopters will make a left turn into Kallang Basin and then take another prolonged left turn towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge – all while maintaining a tight V-shaped formation.
“This requires more deliberate planning and rehearsals to make sure that we are able to manage the formation well, manage the winds, as well as timekeeping,” said Cai, 38.
The National Stadium last hosted an NDP in 2016, when the fly-past was staged along East Coast Park to Marina Barrage.
The fly-past during a National Education Show at the Padang on June 28, 2025.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Two additional Chinook helicopters carrying backup flags and one Apache will complete the fleet.
Behind the six helicopters is a 90-strong ground team across Pulau Sudong, Paya Lebar Air Base and Sembawang Air Base, who will ensure that each of the more than 300kg flags is in good condition before being rigged onto the Chinook helicopters.
The flag party loading the state flag up the CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter before the flight to Pulau Sudong from Sembawang Air Base on July 4.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The state flag ground crew removing the white strings fastening a state flag on Pulau Sudong during a parade rehearsal on July 4.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Each flag measures 30m by 20m, and needs shackles and three ballasts – each weighing more than 200kg – to ensure that the flag unfurls properly once lifted by the helicopter and stays in shape while airborne. Altogether, the helicopter bears around 1,360kg of the flag load.
It takes several ground crew personnel to neatly fold the 317kg state flag.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
On rehearsals and show day, five rolled-up flags will be laid out at each of the three locations. While the three flags are usually collected from Sudong, the Paya Lebar and Sembawang airbases serve as backups in case of poor weather on the southern island.
The state flag ground crew folding the 30m by 20m flag during a media preview at Sembawang Air Base on June 22.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Once the flags are dropped off at Sudong at the end of the fly-past, the sun will have set. The ground crew – or flag party – will take around 1½ hours to de-rig the flags, bring them back to the airfield, fold them up and gather the rest of the equipment.
While the pilots are unable to see the flag below the helicopter, aircrew specialists like Third Warrant Officer Kenny Ng, 30, will keep an eye on how the flag behaves.
The state flag displayed at Sembawang Air Base on June 22.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Staring down the helicopter’s hatch, he will monitor the flag and alert the pilots if they need to change speed or make other adjustments to ensure that the flag is displayed perfectly.
As his son turns two in 2026, Ng looks forward to him watching the fly-past, as the toddler gets excited whenever he sees any aircraft overhead.
“When the helicopter flies past, my wife can tell him: ‘Hey, daddy is flying over.’ So this feels really special to me,” said Ng.
