The coloured smoke used in China’s Ba Yi aerobatic’s team aerial display performance at the Singapore Airshow 2020 is safe, says event organisers Experia Events.
In a forum letter on Straits Times published today (Coloured smoke in aerial display not harmful, 17 February) Experia’s director of communications Ong Hwee Suan was responding to an earlier letter of concern from a reader who asked if the coloured smoke was dangerous.
Mr Sean Lim said in a letter published on the forum earlier (Excerpts from readers’ letters, 13 February) that he remembers farmers having to destroy their vegetable crops in 2007 after the vegetation was stained red by the dye being tested by Singapore’s Air Force’s Black Knight’s aerobatics team to create red plumes of smoke.
Mr Sean said, “I am surprised that the Ba Yi aerobatics team was allowed to use coloured smoke in their performance.”
In his response, Mr Ong said, “Experia Events works closely with all aerial display teams to ensure that their performances are safe for spectators at the Singapore Airshow as well as the general public.”
“The coloured smoke used in the Ba Yi aerobatics team’s aerial display performance has undergone rigorous testing and evaluation in its development to ensure it is safe for use,” he added.
Mr Ong explained that the dye comprises non-toxic, food-safe pigments and the smoke used in the aerial displays do not cause harmful effects to health nor damage to the environment.
He stressed that the type of smoke used by the Ba Yi aerobatics team is the same kind they use for their performances all over the world.
Ba Yi aerobatics teams allowed to participate in airshow despite travel ban on travellers from China
Other concerns surrounding the Ba Yi aerobatics team include the approval of the team to participate in the airshow by the Ministry of Defense. The approval went through despite the travel ban imposed by the country on travellers from China amid the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.
On 7 February, just days before the airshow started, it was announced that the Ba Yi aerobatics team would be performing at the show, a decision that was made in consultation with “relevant government authorities.
Organisers, Experia Events, said to Defense News that the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)’s contingent has taken “proactive measures” such as health checks and temperature screening to ensure that the contingent is healthy before flying off to Singapore.
The pilots, who arrived on Wednesday (5 February) started training as soon as they arrived, according to Chinese state media.
The day before, seven Chengdu J-10 fighter jets and a pair of Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft arrived at Changi East Airbase.
According to Defense News, the transport aircraft are assigned to the PLAAFS 13th Transport Division which is based on the Hubei Province, where the city of Wuhan is located. It is the epicentre of this coronavirus outbreak.
