SINGAPORE – The Singapore Airshow will land at Changi Exhibition Centre again next month, with the seventh edition of the biennial event to be held from Feb 11-16.

The show’s organiser Experia Events is expecting more than 65 of the top 100 aerospace and defence companies to participate in the aerospace show, which is Asia’s largest.

In total, over 1,000 companies from 50 countries, and about 55,000 trade attendees from 150 countries are expected to be in the Republic.

Several new business-aviation aircraft will make their Asia-Pacific airshow debuts with static displays, including the Dassault Falcon 6X and the Embraer Praetor 500.

The Singapore Airshow will also provide a platform for more than 60 start-ups to showcase their products to industry leaders.

Experia Events managing director Leck Chet Lam said the Asia-Pacific region is expected to account for 44 per cent of global growth in air passengers over the next two decades.

“The Singapore Airshow is where global leaders meet and forge strategic partnerships, and also where game-changing innovation can be showcased,” said Mr Leck.

As with previous years, the show will open its doors first to trade visitors from Feb 11-14, with business forums and the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit.

The summit’s three key topics – capacity, technology and sustainability – mirror some of the aviation industry’s predominant concerns today, said Mr Han Kok Juan, chairman of the summit’s organising committee and deputy secretary of Hub Strategy at the Ministry of Transport.

Mr Han said the industry will be heading into some headwinds and turbulence.

“Globalisation is coming under pressure, and questions are being asked over the good that aviation brings. The summit is an opportunity for industry leaders to take stock and discuss the way forward.”

The public can visit the grounds on Feb 15 and 16 from 9.30am to 5pm, although no details were given about what can be expected for the eagerly anticipated aerial displays.

Asked if the public will be able to catch the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s newly acquired F-35B fighter jets in action, Mr Leck said: “Stay tuned.”

The F-35B is Singapore’s first short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft and, at US$115 million (S$155 million) each, also Singapore’s most expensive fighter jet.

Singapore has bought four F-35Bs, with an option for eight more.

The Singapore Airshow in 2018 generated more than $343 million in spending, up 4 per cent compared to 2016.

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