AeroBD | The AERO news Company…FEB 22, 2016, Singapore : The “Emerging Technologies” zone showcases areas of growing importance to the global aerospace industries. Singapore Airshow managing director Leck Chet Lam says some of the technologies on display include additive manufacturing and 3-D printing. This technology allows for smaller production runs and parts can be manufactured with a fewer number of parts, says Leck, who formerly worked for SIA Engineering. Technology companies also are showcasing the use of “big data” and data analytics in aviation.

The “Training and Simulation” zone is another area that Singapore Airshow organizers see growing significantly. This is due to the fact that there is so much demand in the Asia-Pacific region for pilot training as well as training of air traffic controllers, maintenance engineers and technicians.  “The industry needs to train more people to support the projected growth,” says Leck.

He says aircraft-makers such as Boeing have forecast that over the next 20 years, Asia will account for about 40% of commercial aircraft deliveries. Airshow organizers are also putting more emphasis at this year’s show on business aviation. This ties in with Singapore’s push to become a business aviation center in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We decided we need to focus on business aviation in the show,” says Leck. “The Singapore government has been very aggressive in pushing Seletar Airport as a center in the region for business aviation.” He says the number of business aviation aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region has doubled in the last 10 years and is forecast to achieve 6% annual fleet growth over the next 20 years.

The organizers had been planning to group business aviation-related exhibitors into one zone, but Leck says they decided against it as it proved too impractical. Also, many of the companies that operate in the business aviation segment are also involved in other segments of the aviation industry or want to be next to their sister companies that operate in other segments. Leck says all the major players in the business aviation sector are scheduled to be represented at the show including Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault Falcon Jet and Gulfstream.

Another new addition to the show is the “Education Day” initiative. Organizers have set aside an area at the show on Feb. 18 and 19 for high school students, tertiary students and national servicemen. Exhibits and booths in this area will inform them about the work that Singapore’s aerospace industry does. Rolls-Royce will be bringing a Trent 1000 engine and Pratt & Whitney will be bringing a GTF engine, says Leck.

He also says people who enter this area can learn about the tertiary courses they can take in Singapore if they want to work in the aerospace industry. “Tertiary institutions will exhibit and explain what courses are available,” says Leck, adding that there will be about 20 companies and institutions in attendance.

“The idea behind this initiative is to inculcate interest in the young, so we can get more people to enter the aerospace industry and help sustain its growth here in Singapore,” says Leck.

The Singapore Airshow has 20 country pavilions this year – more than at previous shows. Some of the countries exhibiting this year for the first time include the Philippines and Indonesia.

France, the feature country at this year’s show, has a strong presence here.  There will be a business conference focusing on the business relationship between Singapore and France, particularly in the aerospace industry. Leck says the head of the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS) will be one of the speakers at the conference.

The 2014 Singapore Airshow had 45,152 trade delegates, representing a 1% increase over the 2012 show. Leck says he anticipates the show will achieve “the same or more” this year.