Instead, there were moments of high tension, pressure – and the occasional bullet or bomb.
Retired members of the RMAF Air Traffic Squadron looked back fondly on their years in service while at a reunion in Brickfields recently.
Several of the retired servicemen and women recalled how their job was far from the plush, sedentary life many would expect.
Former warrant officer Richard Tan, 76, said he almost died after being accidentally shot by an Alouette III pilot in the air operations room in Sibu, Sarawak, in 1971.
“The pilot had just landed and was ‘clearing’ his Browning service pistol when it suddenly discharged. Although the pistol was not aimed at me, the bullet ricocheted around the room and struck me in the back,” Tan said.
“Fortunately, I was not seriously wounded. The very concerned pilot apologised profusely and we decided to fine him a bottle of whisky,” Tan said at the event co-organised by former warrant officers Jaikrishnan Samynathan and Ulaganathan Singaram.
“These were instances where we had to be on our tiptoes to face any eventuality,” said Tan, who also recalled handling a horrific fatal crash at RMAF Kuantan involving a Tebuan CLG-41 fighter jet on the runway.
Tan served 22 years before retirement in 1988.
Ulaganathan, 76, said he initially thought life as an air traffic controller would be to work in an air-conditioned environment with no risks.
“Through the years, I learnt how much pressure we were under. In 1973, a communist terrorist encroached on to Sibu airport (a hot communist terrorist area) and began firing shots while running across the runway.
“I had to instantly summon base security to ward off the attacker from damaging aircraft and property.
“During the same year, the terrorists’ plan to bomb the parked Alouette III and Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters at the airport was botched when the device exploded prematurely.
“We later discovered blood marks in the area, suggesting some of the escaped terrorists were severely injured,” Ulaganathan said.
Former sergeant Christine Lim Leh Choo, 72, was among the first batch of women to join the unit in 1972.
“The experience and skills I picked up with the RMAF put me in good stead for my second career with a civilian company, serving in East Timor for three years from 2002,” said Lim, who married a fellow controller, former flight sergeant Lye Yew Seng.
Another woman officer, former major Rasaletchumi Ratnasingam, 73, said she was often seen as an outspoken officer who feared no top brass.
“There was an instance when I stopped the then RMAF chief Lt-Gen Mohamad Taib from taking off at Sungai Besi base, all because the base fire vehicle was unserviceable.
“This was a precautionary measure in case the aircraft caught fire during engine start-up.
“Taib took off very much later after the situation was resolved but base commander Col ‘Slim’ Huang Chew Siong warned me of a forthcoming heavy reprimand.
“Instead, Taib later commended me for my appropriate action,” Rasaletchumi said.
For former flight sergeant Lachimana Gandi, 71, his memories were of rugby, athletics and the camaraderie with Australian air force personnel.
He was a prolific rugby player for the RMAF Blackhawks and Armed Forces, as well as a 400m tri-services hurdles champion.
“I truly enjoyed most of my 22 years serving alongside the Royal Australian Air Force personnel at the Butterworth base. The Australians displayed excellent camaraderie and cooperation during and after work,” he said.
“We also shared good rapport at the base’s golf club with their families,” said Lachimana, who was with the pioneer ATC group in Sibu.
Former warrant officer Kathiravelu Samikanu, 78, served with the fire and rescue unit that worked closely with the controllers and radio communications sections.
“We were the frontline during emergencies and disasters, deploying the rapid intervention trucks. We were always on standby. Hence, we enjoyed excellent ties and coordination with the other units,” said Kathiravelu, who recalled a 1973 Alouette III crash in Bintulu, Sarawak, killing all three crew.