Singapore Airshow organizers are heralding a strong comeback for the 2024 edition following the smaller, curtailed shows in 2020 and 2022 during the Covid-19 crisis. “It’s been a long six years since we last had a full-scale Singapore Airshow, but we’re back,” said the managing director of event organizer Experia, Leck Chet Lam, who went on to explain that this year’s edition has recovered to the pre-pandemic levels of the 2018 show.
About 90 percent of the world’s top aerospace companies are exhibiting, and the show features 16 country pavilions that include China, the Czech Republic, and South Korea for the first time. More than 1,000 companies from 50 countries are participating, with trade visitors expected to number around 50,000.
There are 48 aircraft scheduled to appear in the static display, the highlights of which are Comac’s ARJ21 and C919 airliners, and the Changhe Z-10ME attack helicopter. Comac brought five airliners altogether, with two ARJ21s and a C919 in the static display and examples of each flying in the daily aerial displays. Along with the Z-10, the aircraft all are making their international airshow debuts. The Dassault Falcon 6X and Gulfstream G700 long-range business jet are also appearing in Singapore for the first time.
As the leading aerospace exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), the Singapore Airshow’s relevance appears stronger than ever. Airbus predicts that, of the 21,000 commercial aircraft to be delivered globally over the next two decades, 46 percent will go to APAC customers. The region’s economic growth and the emergence of middle classes account for much of the increased demand for air travel.
To support and achieve the expansion, a number of key issues need tackling, such as sustainability, supply chain, and workforce. Industry leaders are addressing such topics and more during the airshow through a series of strategic conversations and education initiatives. The airshow itself is heightening its sustainability through a voluntary carbon offset program for attendees, the use of electric vehicles for transporting VIPs, and the adoption of recycled furniture and carpets.
Organizers expect about 3,000 young students to attend the show, where a range of focused events and activities aimed at stimulating interest in STEM subjects accompany initiatives for connecting prospective young engineers and technicians with major employers. Moreover, the return of public days—now billed as Weekend@Airshow—can help spark interest in aerospace among tomorrow’s engineers. Maintaining a healthy talent pipeline is critical for the development of the aerospace industry in Singapore.
The country's aerospace industry now consists of more than 130 companies, with approximately 70 percent of the workforce being of Singaporean nationality. The MRO sector, in particular, is recovering fast, reaching pre-pandemic levels of business a year ahead of the global industry. Committed short-term investment in Singapore by companies such as Pratt & Whitney, ST Engineering, and Thales amounts to around S$750 million ($556 million), and could create more than 2,500 new jobs over the next three to five years.