Quick update

Got a "long" weekend this week again. Nothing much happened this week, except last Monday whereby i went down to CMPB to have my Aptitude test taken. Seems lucky and fortunate that i managed to book out on Monday, just after we book in on the previous Sunday evening, but it wasn't really that case.

On the Monday morning, right after our 2.4km run, i had to rush to change to my uniform to catch the 9am fast-craft back to mainland. Stupid as it is, i missed the craft and i had to wait for the 10am ride. Prior to this, Derrick was telling me, probably there will be a bus or something which will pick up all those going for the test from the Changi Ferry Terminal to CMPB. But again, it wasn't the case.

It seems like i was the only one who is going down, and thus i had to take cab down from the ferry terminal, all the way to CMPB and it cost like $18? So it ended up $36 just for the test, taking into account that i had to take cab back too.

I got there around 1115 and the test starts at 1230. So i had to like sit there for 1 hour plus, and then i was thinking perhaps i should have take my own sweet time going down, instead of rushing and taking the cab.

Was told to sign some forms and the rest of the candidates start coming in. End up, including me, only 6 turn up. Before the start of the test, we were briefed about how the pilot selection goes.

Firstly, the Aptitude pilot selection computer test. Results will be out 2-4 weeks time. Secondly, those who got through it, will then be scheduled for an interview. And the last phase will be the strict medical checkup. Was told that by then, usually after the medical checkup, 60% will be cut off.

If one is able to get through all the 3 phases, he will have to complete his BMT first and will then be placed directly to OCS, which is the Officer Cadet School. After which, when he is commissioned as Officer, then the real pilot training will start.

Considering all these, it's kinda obvious that, by then, they would have force you to sign on with the RSAF. Probably they wouldn't want to waste time training you and when your NS term ends, you bid them goodbye.

So after the brief, we went to have our test taken. The test itself is pretty mental stressing. Towards the end of the test, i was pretty much in the state of "anyhow". 5 hour long, with 5-10 minutes break in between, and the time passed without me knowing much about it.

The test consisted of some tactical viewing of the controls, picture comprehension, substraction, test of multi-tasking, logic tests, hand and feet coordinations and etc. Most of them are timed, or given limited time to work on.

Didn't managed to get everything correct for some sections, but i just did what i can and treat it as a leisure test. At the end of it, everyone is given an Air Force small clock as a souvenir.

Another interesting thing was that when i took cab back to Changi Ferry Terminal, the cab driver was chatting with me the whole journey. He asked me how come i'm at CMPB and not at Tekong. Ha! He must have though i went AWOL. I told him i went for the test then he started asking me some stuff.

He was asking me how i feel after the test, as in my confidence level of getting through this test. He suggested me to play those aircraft games to train my alertness. Lastly, to my surprise, after knowing that i haven't had my lunch since my breakfast at 6am that day, he opened up the passenger's drawer and gave me his last stick of "FruitTips" candy.

After like years of cab riding experience, he's definitely one i'll remember for life. And this only shows me one thing, nice guy might not be rewarded for his good deeds, but the memories of him will stayed on with one, forever.

Before i left, he wished me all the best for my pilot selection and he only asked for $18 for the trip after knowing that i'm paying my own transport, and that when i went down to CMPB with a Union cab, i was charged $18, but his was $19.70.

The rest of the days were pretty much the same. Probably the only "excited" part was that, we are issued our "wives": M16S1 rifles. Other than that, the training was pretty much the same, so much so that we are dreading them now.

Alright, that's all i have. Gonna rest more this weekend, as i heard my next weekend will be pretty much burned up, with the fact that i'll be booking out on Satuarday next week.

Before i leave, gonna leave you guys with some quotes i came across during my days in army.

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, remember to always bring your own sunshine."
"To wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it."
"Tough time don't last, tough man do."

Till then.