TNP reporter is Red Lion skydiver for a day

Yesterday, I became a Red Lion for a day.

I was invited by the iconic National Day sky divers to experience their training sessions.

Training began early in the morning at iFly Singapore in Sentosa.

I had to practise arching my back to allow an even distribution of wind against my body.

Any subtle change in my body's form would create a drastic difference in movement during free fall.

After much practice, I thought it would be easy going into the wind tunnel, but I was wrong.

I stepped into the tunnel and the wind hitting me at speeds of up to 300 kmh was enough to send my limbs sprawling all over the place.

I flew around the wind tunnel uncontrollably and bounced around the tunnel's panels like a pinball.

Thankfully, First Warrant Officer Ivan Low, a Red Lion, was there to ensure that I didn't slam myself too hard into the glass and injure myself.

My limbs felt sore from just a minute and a half of being in there.

FLIGHT SIMULATOR

After a quick rest, I followed them to Pasir Ris camp to try their new Parachute Flight Simulators.

The six linked simulators, installed in April, will allow six people to replicate controlling parachutes as a team. It can also be adjusted to create a wide variety of real-life scenarios.

Once strapped into the simulator, it felt like I was on board a helicopter transporting me to the drop zone.

In true Red Lion fashion, I had to execute a parachute jump over the Padang and land in the middle of the performance stage together with five other people.

Once the helicopter reached 10,000 feet, I stepped off the aircraft and plummeted towards the Padang, which looked so tiny I could cover it with my hand.

While free falling, I could even see Marina Bay Sands and The Arts House. My heart raced as I saw the Padang get bigger and bigger.

Timing is everything: releasing a parachute too early means taking too long to descend, while releasing it late would mean death.

I felt the stress build up as I watched my altitude drop, but, thankfully, I released the parachute accurately at 4,000 feet.

I then had to manoeuvre my way to the holding area located just above the Victoria Concert Hall.

When it was my turn to land, I carefully made my way to the Padang, following the landing circuit around the sitting area into the main stage.

I felt the impact of the ground as I landed and could not help but feel a sense of relief that it was over.

While the experience was exhilarating and satisfying, it was also humbling to discover how tough being a Red Lion was.