With the high number of attendees, exciting programmes and events and major investment deals sealed, the Singapore Airshow 2010 was a huge success.

The Singapore Airshow 2010, Asia's largest and one of the top three aerospace and defence exhibitions in the world, kicked off 2010 with a lot of promise. The Airshow, which was held between 2 and 7 February at the Changi Exhibition Centre, attracted 800 companies from over 40 countries, including 62 of the aviation industry’s 100 biggest companies, such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Honeywell and Rolls-Royce.

This year, the Airshow saw an increase of 25 per cent in the total number of country/group pavilions. The 2008 Airshow had 18 pavilions, while this year’s total was 22. It also included first-time attendees such as New Zealand, Switzerland, Romania and Russia.

The Singapore pavilion saw a space increase of 50 per cent, taking up over 500 square metres at the show. Because of the successful Singapore Airshow in 2008, many local small and medium precision engineering firms were well represented and made a strong impact at this year’s event.

“As Asia's most important aviation event, Singapore Airshow provides an excellent platform for participants to reach out to their target audience, be it exploring commercial opportunities, forging partnerships or making announcements for maximum impact,” says Sia Kheng Yok, Director, Transport Engineering, Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

Positive Sign
While the aviation industry was one of the most affected sectors during the recent economic crisis, the Airshow was a positive sign which signalled economic recovery and a bright outlook for the aviation trade industry.

Big names from the aviation industry also graced the event, a testament to its importance. Some noted personalities included Tom Enders, CEO, Airbus; Giovanni Bisignani, Director-General and CEO, International Air Transport Association (IATA); Lutz Bertling, President and CEO, Eurocopter; and Roberto Gonzalez, President, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The Singapore Airshow 2010 saw over 112,000 visitors walking through its doors

Speaking about the healthy number of participants and attendees, Jimmy Lau, Managing Director, Singapore Airshow & Events (SAe), said, “This is definitely a good indication of the increasing confidence of major players as the industry slowly emerges from the recent downturn. Being the first major airshow taking place at the beginning of the year, it will enable the entire industry to feel the pulse and set the tone for what we can expect for the year ahead.”

Airshow Highlights
The Singapore Airshow 2010 delivered a more integrated and enhanced experience for all participants. On top of thrilling flying display programmes, new initiatives such as the Business Forums and the Green Pavilion were introduced. The Business Forums saw industry leaders sharing expert advice on exploring business opportunities in various key markets. Trade visitors had the chance to receive strategic guidance and insights from the industry professionals about tapping on emerging markets such as India, the Middle East and China. Meanwhile, the Green Pavilion held various seminars and displays that showcased the commercial aviation industry’s efforts in managing carbon emissions.

Participants also had the chance to attend key conferences such as the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit, which focused on various issues brought on by the recent economic recession. The Asia Pacific Security Conference highlighted the impact of military modernisation and transformation of countries like the United States and China on military groups in Asia Pacific. Meanwhile, the New Challenges in Technology & Maintenance Conference 2010 saw top engineers and scientists discussing the latest developments in aerospace technology and maintenance.

Another programme that was launched was the Hosted Buyer Programme, a joint initiative by SAe, International Enterprise Singapore and the Association of Aerospace Industries Singapore. The programme enabled the facilitation of business needs by bringing buyers from global airlines, airports and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) companies together with leading suppliers and manufacturers.

Students also had the chance to take a peek into the exciting world of aviation at the 2nd Aerospace Industry Induction Programme (AIIP), a programme organised to inform and excite students on possible aerospace industry careers. The various seminars and events were organised by the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore) (AAIS), and supported by government agencies like the EDB and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). Top industry professionals shared their experiences and the students also had the opportunity to meet with the human resource managers from various visiting companies. The event was a success and attracted about 600 students from 13 different secondary schools and university institutions.

Towards A Stronger Aviation Industry
On top of conferences and programmes at the Singapore Airshow, major deals, launches and investments were officially announced.

SAESL is the Trent Centre of Excellence providing MRO services to Rolls-Royce
Trent engine operators in Asia

One such launch was the official opening of Hangar 6, the world’s first custom-built hangar for the A380, on 3 February. This impressive milestone for SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) will improve productivity when working on the A380 because processes such as docking can now be automated.

The new hangar, which measures 100 metres by 100 metres, will also be wider than the other five existing facilities SIAEC has at Changi. In addition, the hangar can also be automatically adjusted to dock the Boeing 777 jet. This feature is the first of its kind in the world.

Earlier in January, SIAEC made its first investment in developing an aircraft engine. The company signed a deal to take a small stake in a Risk-Revenue Sharing Programme with Pratt & Whitney, which is building a next-generation engine for single-aisle aircraft. The engine is expected to help deliver improvements in fuel efficiency, environmental emissions as well as reduce engine noise by 50 per cent.

On 2 February, Singapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited (SAESL) announced that it will proceed with a new S$60 million (US$43.2 million) facility extension. The current facility is responsible for repairs and overhauls for all in-service variants of the Rolls-Royce Trent engine, including the Trent 900 engine that powers the Airbus A380.

The 12,000-square-metre extension will enable SAESL to maintain, repair and overhaul more Rolls-Royce Trent engine types, like the Trent XWB which powers the Airbus A350. The extension will also house all component repairs and logistics activities, while the original 18,000-square-metre building will be used for enhancing engine and module reworks. This enables SAESL to increase overhaul output by 25 per cent, or around 250 engines a year.

Speaking about the expansion, Gary Nutter, CEO, SAESL, said, “The expansion of our facility is a testament to a great team and hard work from all our employees. It demonstrates SAESL’s continued confidence in Singapore as a key global aerospace hub. The support of the Singapore Government, through the Economic Development Board, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and the Workforce Development Agency, has been key in promoting Singapore as the right place to expand our high value-added manufacturing activities in the aerospace sector.”

On 1 February, the construction of the S$700 million (US$504 million) Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus officially commenced and it is expected to be fully operational by 2012. The 15.4-hectare campus, located at the Seletar Aerospace Park (SAP), will have a Trent aero engine assembly and test facility, a wide chord fan blade manufacturing facility, regional training centre and advanced technology service.

Lim Hng Kiang (left), Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry, congratulates
Mike Terrett, COO, Rolls-Royce, at the launch of the construction
of the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus

Mike Terrett, Chief Operating Officer, Rolls-Royce, firmly believes in Singapore's capabilities and says, “Singapore offers highly competitive skills, a businessfriendly environment conducive to high value-added manufacturing, a strong focus on research and innovation, and proximity to our growing  customer base in the Asia Pacific region.”

Once again, the Singapore Airshow has proven itself as an effective springboard for promising business opportunities. This highly-anticipated international event has brought buzz and excitement to the Republic and has become the perfect platform for local aerospace manufacturers and suppliers to grow and explore potential business collaborations.