TIM ROBINSON FRAeS and STEPHEN BRIDGEWATER provide a look at some of the most exciting news and highlights ahead of the first official trade day at the Singapore Airshow 2024.
With bright sunshine on the media preview day ahead of the official opening of the Singapore air show, journalists were treated to a foretaste of what was in store for trade visitors this week with displays by some of the world’s top aerobatic teams.
Let’s take a look at some of the highlights.
This year’s focus: ‘Sustainability, sustainability and sustainability’
Experia Events Managing Director Leck Chet Lam addresses the media on Sunday morning. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Briefing the press ahead of the opening of the air show, the organisers revealed that with 1,000 companies attending, 50,000 trade visitors expected, and 16 national pavilions – (including three first-time countries exhibiting – China, Czech Republic and South Korea) the show was almost back to pre-Covid numbers and in fact “close to 2018” – a record year for the exhibition said Experia Events Managing Director Leck Chet Lam.
While, as expected, there were several questions at the press conference on the large Chinese presence this year, with the C919, ARJ21 and Z-10E all making their international air show debuts, the organisers stressed that the main focus this year, and the difference between 2024 and the 2018 air show was ‘sustainability, sustainability and sustainability.’ As well as this being evident from the exhibitor’s stands, the show itself was taking sustainability to the next level with a carbon offsetting scheme for attendees and recycling of carpets.
Enter the Dragon
The COMAC C919 runs in for its world flying display debut. (Tim Robinson/RAeS)
Making its international debut in the flying display at Singapore is COMAC’s C919 airliner, with the narrowbody type having entered service only in 2023. China has sent two aircraft to the show, with one a company prototype, and the other in the static display, an example from China Eastern Airlines. First flying in 2017, the C919 is only certificated in China so far, but COMAC officials are reported to be aiming for EASA certification next, a move which would undoubtedly increase the aircraft’s appeal for airlines outside China.
Investment
Singapore’s aerospace industry comprises more than 130 companies. (via SEDB)
Speaking prior to the start of the show, Cindy Koh, Executive Vice President of the Singapore Economic Development Board (SEDB), referred to the nation as “one of Asia’s largest and most diverse aerospace ecosystems.”
There are currently 130 aerospace companies in Singapore, ranging from local SME suppliers to research and development firms, manufacturing, MROs and aftermarket services. Last year (2023), the country’s aerospace output grew strongly at 16% year-on-year and local companies have also ramped up hiring over the past two years, with total aerospace employment increasing by almost 3,000 in excess of 21,000.
From an MRO point of view, major engine work is conducted in the region on behalf of OEMs including GE Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney and CFM International.
With the global aerospace industry poised for growth with international passenger traffic projected to more than double by 2040, this has necessitated a record order backlog of more than 15,900 aircraft at the end of 2023.
As aircraft manufacturers struggle to keep up with the demand for new airframes, existing aircraft are set to stay in service for longer – something that is expected to result in the global MRO market growing by more than 33% over the next decade. This is a niche that Singapore is keen to capitalise on, especially as the sector contributes significantly to the local economy with seven out of ten jobs in the sector performed by locally-born Singaporeans.
Making a splash
Is it a boat or an aeroplane? Don’t split hairs… the AirFish is a WIG. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Impossible to miss on entering the main hall at the show is a full-size, two-person Wing-In-Ground (WIG) effect vehicle from AirFish that is now being co-developed with ST Engineering under a JV with Wigetworks. It will fly up to three times faster than a traditional surface craft, by using the ‘ground effect’ that aircraft normally encounter on landing. Unlike other amphibians or WIGS in development, the AirFish is a no-paper concept and has already flown. A larger eight-person AirFish is now in development, with roles that include public transport, VIP transport, para-public and military missions. Certification (under maritime regulations) of this larger version is set for 2025.
Growing demand
It is also expected that by 2037, the region will have the largest airline fleet size. (Singapore Airlines)
Asia Pacific (including China and India) is expected to be a strong driver of airline growth, added Cindy Koh, briefing reporters ahead of the show. “It is a region with the largest and fastest growing economies and there is a rising middle class with increasing demand for air travel,” she explained. As such, passenger traffic in the region is projected to have a 4.5% annual growth rate over the next two decades. It is also expected that by 2037, the region will have the largest fleet size, comprising more than 40% of the total global fleet.
Global aerospace giant RTX confirmed these figures, saying that Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing region in the aviation industry, “with a forecasted demand of almost 9,000 new aircraft required over the next decade – with about 3,800 of those required within the next five years.”
“Since the last Singapore Airshow in 2022, the SEDB has been working with aerospace companies and attracted more than ten new projects,” added Koh. “The companies involved in the projects have committed to invest more than S$750m in Singapore over the next three to five years.” Examples cited include Pratt & Whitney/RTX expanding its GTF engine MRO centre in Singapore by more than 60% and ST Engineering building a new MRO facility in Changi with four new widebody aircraft hangars. From a digital point of view, Thales has also established an Air Traffic Management Centre of Excellence in Singapore.
Display teams in focus
The RoKAF Black Eagles synchro pair during Sunday’s display practice. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
A preview of the daily flying display was carried out on Sunday, with organisers emphasising the fact that a record number of international display teams were in attendance in 2024. These include the Indian Air Force’s Sarang helicopter team, which is making its Singapore debut, as well as the Indonesian Air Force Jupiters and the RAAF Roulettes.
However, for the majority of attendees, the standout item was the Republic of Korea’s Black Eagles. It is rare that a group of veteran aviation journalists stop talking and stand to watch a display routine from start to finish, but that is exactly what happened at Singapore when the team’s eight KAI T-50 jets arrived in the display box. No doubt aided by the power and manoeuvrability of the afterburning jet trainers, the Black Eagles performed a display that proved international display team routines do not need to be formulaic. From aggressive position changes to innovative formations, this is one team that never ceases to impress.
Mid-career job opportunities
Jonas Aw worked in the Oil & Gas sector for 2.5 years before embarking on the CCP programme, joining GE Aerospace as a Manufacturing Engineer in 2023. (via SEDB)
Taken together, the continuing expansion of aerospace projects in Singapore, especially in MRO, is expected to see more than 2,500 new jobs created over the next three to five years, across a variety of roles and skillsets. “Our young Singaporeans are keen to take on jobs in the aerospace industry,” explained Cindy Koh. “Our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) produce 1,800 fresh graduates from aviation and aerospace-related courses annually and the Singapore government continues to invest strongly in our talent pipeline.”
Of particular interest is the SEDB’s commitment to supporting mid-career workers to transition into the aerospace sector. The Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) provided by Workforce Singapore provide up to 90% of salary support, which helps employers defray the costs of recruiting and reskilling mid-career individuals. Since 2019, CCPs have benefited close to 500 locals and more than 40 companies in the aerospace industry.
First SAF-powered flying display
Going green. The A350-1000 displayed using a 35% blend of SAF. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Appearing in the flying display this year was Airbus’ A350-1000 airliner – the largest capacity version of its flagship widebody. Though the A350 is no stranger to Changi, with Singapore Airlines using it on the longest commercial flight from Singapore to New York, this year saw the A350 fly with a 35% blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The fuel was supplied by Shell Aviation and was made from used cooking oil and fallow.
Fierce Thunderbolt debuts
Dominating the static park at Singapore is the menacing looking Z-10ME. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Perhaps one of the most eagerly anticipated debuts at this year’s show is the CAIC Z-10ME Fierce Thunderbolt attack helicopter from China.
This is the export version of its domestically developed rival to the AH-64 Apache (two of which are also on display – one from the US Army and one from the Republic of Singapore Air Force), and the first examples are rumoured to enter service with the Pakistan military in 2024.
Z-10s have been in service for more than a decade with China’s People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) aviation units but the type had originally been rejected by Pakistan due to concerns over engine performance. However, deteriorating relations with the West led to the nation’s aspirations to operate the Bell AH-1 Cobra or the Turkish T-129 ATAK collapsing and Pakistan returned to negotiations with China.
The Z-10ME on display at Singapore wears a dramatic light brown and green desert camouflage and is shown with a large array of possible weaponry that can be carried by its four external hardpoints. These include FS70B 70mm unguided fragmentation rockets and the GR5 guided version, both of which can be fired from the seven-pod launcher carried on the helicopter. Missiles on show alongside the helicopter include the CM-502KG air-to-surface missile and TY-90 AAM, while belts of 23mm high-explosive incendiary ammunition are proudly laid out in front of the Z-10ME.
It also boasts a mast-carried millimetre fire and control radar, suggesting that its configuration is similar to the Longbow variant of the AH-64, as well as a nose-mounted electro-optical/IR sensor turret.
RTX to showcases tech accelerator
Pratt & Whitney announced the opening of its Singapore Technology Accelerator MRO facility. (RTX)
RTX is featuring its latest commercial and defence technologies at the show, highlighting its commitment to what it refers to as “a growing military and commercial aviation customer base in the region.”
“With a nearly 50-year history in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region, RTX represents more than 16,000 employees in 17 locations, and is the largest foreign employer in aerospace and defence in Singapore,” said Liping Xie, vice president of government relations in Asia-Pacific.
The company will be displaying its electric and hybrid-electric propulsion capabilities, as well as its end-to-end Connected Aviation Ecosystem solutions. Meanwhile, its defence arm will be displaying both the Pratt & Whitney F100 and F135 engines that power F-15s, F-16s, and F-35s in the Asia Pacific region.
Just prior to the official beginning of the show, RTX subsidiary Pratt & Whitney announced the opening of its Singapore Technology Accelerator (STA) MRO facility. First revealed in 2022, the STA was created in collaboration with the Singapore Economic Development Board (SEDB) and has now delivered over 30 innovations which will maximise the productivity in MRO processes. Applied across four Pratt & Whitney Singapore-based MRO facilities, STA technology projects focus on automation, advanced inspection, connected factory and digital twin, developed to improve MRO shop performance.
STA is also working with more than 20 Singapore companies to develop new, relevant technologies in the global commercial aviation sector.
Youngest ever RAeS President reflects on half-year milestone
Attending the Singapore Airshow this week and meeting the local Branch, Corporate Partners and Members is RAeS President 2023-24 Kerissa Khan, the youngest ever President and second female President in the Society’s 158-year-old history.
Changi goes solar
Workers installing solar panels on Changi’s Terminal 3 rooftop (Changi Airport Group)
Changi Airport, home to this week’s Singapore Airshow, has appointed Keppel Ltd to design, build, own and operate a large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the rooftop areas of its terminal buildings, terminal auxiliary structures, airfield and cargo buildings.
When completed in early 2025, the solar PV system will have a combined generation capacity of 43 Mega-Watt peak (MWp), of which 38 MWp will be installed on rooftops, making this Singapore’s largest single-site rooftop solar PV system. The remaining 5 MWp of solar generation capacity will come from a solar PV system installed at a 40,000 m2 turf area within Changi Airport’s airfield outside of aircraft operational areas.
Combined, the solar PV systems are expected to generate sufficient energy equal to what is needed to power more than 10,000 four-room flats yearly. As such, the airport anticipates reducing its carbon emissions by approximately 20,000 tonnes each year, or about 10% of its consumption in 2019.
However, bringing this technology to the airport environment has not been without its challenges, and the team at Changi has had to conduct “robust simulation” to ensure that the solar panels do not create glare problems for both air traffic controllers and pilots or interfere with communications and navigation systems.
China steals the limelight
Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation’s FP-981C cargo drone. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Aside from the C919, this year’s event is notable for the large presence of companies from China and Hong Kong. A pair of COMAC ARJ21s are also at the show, one in freighter configuration.
Among the Chinese UAV developers exhibiting at the show is United Aircraft Group (UAG), which is showing its coaxial TD550 firefighting heli-drone. Having recently secured around $500m in investment the company is fast developing a reputation within China for its civilian UAVs where its vehicles are deployed in provinces such as Beijing, Shenzhen and Heilongjiang in applications including emergency rescue and powerline inspection.
While UAG’s 6-tonne tiltrotor UAV was not complete in time to make its debut at Singapore, fellow Chinese drone company Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation is exhibiting its FP-981C cargo vehicle at the event. The company, which is a subsidiary of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, announced on 10 January that it was building a UAV-integrated research and engineering facility in Baotou City in Inner Mongolia.
The autonomous FP-981C has a single wing with eight VTOL propellers and a single pusher propeller. Company representatives told AEROSPACE that the vehicle had carried 100kg during testing and boasts a range of around 100km.
Eagle vs Apache
Flares are definitely in fashion in Singapore this season. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
The week’s show provides locals and international visitors with a rare opportunity to see the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) hardware at close quarters. This includes a high-energy display by the unusual pairing of an AH-64D Apache and F-15SG Eagle. The two aircraft, with disparate performance, perform 12 solo and combined manoeuvres during their display, including the ‘double helix’ and the ‘slingshot’. The slingshot opens the show, with the Apache running in towards the audience at crowd centre while the F-15 (flown by Maj Paul-Matthew Lim and WSO Lee Si Wei) makes a 360-degree high-G turn around the helicopter while dropping flares. Meanwhile, the double helix closes the routine and sees the Apache (crewed by Maj Ingkiriwang Reeve and Maj Eugene Chua) spiralling skywards to 1,600ft as the F-15 zoom climbs past it while dropping yet more flares.
757 to get new life as aerial tanker
Fighting fires with a twinjet (Tim Robinson/RAeS)
Ahead of the show, Singaporean aerospace, defence and technology group, ST Engineering, revealed it is working on a project with partner Galactic Holdings, to convert a Boeing 757 airliner into an aerial firefighting aircraft. The converted jet would carry up to 7,000 gallons of fire retardant/water with the first aircraft set to be modified in mid-2024. Entry-into-service is scheduled for 2026.
Eve touches down in Asia-Pacific
The latest configuration of the Eve eVTOL depicted flying over Singapore. A mock-up of the cabin is making its Asia-Pacific debut at the show. (Embraer)
Making its debut in Asia-Pacific is the latest eVTOL cabin-mock from Embraer’s Advanced Air Mobility spin-off, Eve which is on display in the halls – allowing visitors to experience an air taxi of the future. On the air vehicle itself, in 2023 unveiled a revised design for the air taxi, with the twin ducted fans for cruise swapped for a single unshrouded pusher propeller.
Ahead of the show, Eve signed an MoU with Singapore-based Yugo Global Industries to study the potential for UAM and eVTOL flights in Southeast Asia. The two will specifically focus on the potential infrastructure requirements to support eVTOL operations including vertiport and service centre size and capabilities as well as regulation in the region.
“We strongly believe that Southeast Asian economies will greatly contribute to the development of the eVTOL and UAM industry,” said Thierry Tea, Chairman of Yugo. “Our collaboration with Eve will offer valuable insights into the essential requirements for regional air mobility development.”
“Our goal is to also understand and define a business model that not only enables eVTOL flights in the region, but also advances the overall mobility ecosystem,” added Eve CEO Johann Bordais.
RSAF on show
One of the RSAF’s new CH-47F Chinooks is on show throughout the week. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Joining examples of the F-15SG and Apache in the static park is a full array of RSAF aircraft and ground-based air defence systems. Appearing for the first time is an example of the force’s new Boeing CH-47F Chinook, the first of which entered service in 2022 to replace older Chinooks that had been in service since 1994.
Also on display are F-16s, an A330MRTT, an H225 helicopter and a selection of Israeli-built UAVs.
SAF mega facility
Neste’s Singapore SAF facility expanded in 2023. (Neste)
Speaking ahead of the show, Cindy Koh, explained that her organisation is “collaborating with like-minded partners to build a sustainable aerospace ecosystem in Singapore.” With the completion of Neste’s expansion in 2023, Singapore is now home to the world’s largest SAF production facility, with the refinery producing up to 1m tons per annum and supplying regional and international airlines at Changi Airport as well as customers further away in Europe and North America.
New President for RAeS Singapore branch
New RAeS Singapore Branch President Paul Ashcroft FRAeS explains his vision to RAeS President Kerissa Khan. (Tim Robinson/RAeS)
Ahead of the show also saw a new President of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Singapore Branch announced – Paul Ashcroft FRAeS. “I am excited to lead the Singapore branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society,” said Ashcroft. “Singapore has a commanding aviation presence being home to more than a hundred aviation businesses and thousands of aviation professionals. During my tenure, I plan to strengthen the Royal Aeronautical Society’s ties to the sector by increasing the breadth and diversity of our membership and enthuse tomorrow’s aviation professionals with a host of stimulating activities and events.”
First formed in 1953, the Singapore Branch is one of the oldest overseas RAeS Branches and has a strong student membership, thanks to its close relations with the University of Glasgow Singapore and Singapore Institute of Technology. Ashcroft now aims to reach out to industry in Singapore and build on previous successes to expand the Branch.
X-wing drone
Lock S-foils in attack position!
Spotted on the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) stand and looking not unlike a certain space fighter from a popular science-fiction franchise was this Point Blank attack drone. The VTOL attack munition is hand-launched with a 2kg warhead and electro-optic guidance, with an endurance of around 18 minutes.
And finally…
Jet-lagged jet?
For those visitors flying in from long-haul destinations, this model probably looked like many felt.
Stay ahead of all the news!
Catch up with all the hot news.
To follow all the news in Singapore, don’t forget to bookmark www.aerosociety.com and follow the daily airshow news on the Insight blog. For those on X, follow @AeroSociety and use the hashtag #SGAirshow2024.
Follow the AEROSPACE team for updates from the show
Editor-in-Chief Tim Robinson @RAeSTimR
Deputy Editor Stephen Bridgewater @RAeSSteveB