Crossing meaningful frontiers at Singapore Airshow 2022

Not only did the four-day Singapore Airshow 2022 serve as a hotbed for collaborations, conversations and creativity, the event was also an affirmation from the global business community that the Lion City's restart of the MICE sector is well and truly underway.

Event organiser Experia indicated more than 13,000 trade attendees and some 600 participating companies from more than 39 countries/regions at the international show — setting the stage for "strategic conversations, exchange of ideas and significant partnerships that will catalyse the recovery of the industry in Asia," said Leck Chet Lam, Managing Director, Experia. 

Such blooming buds of recovery in the aerospace sector included Singapore Airlines' (SIA) order for seven Airbus A350F freighter aircraft, Etihad’s seven Airbus A350F freighters, and JetBlue’s 30 additional Airbus A220-300. 

eVTOLs – electric vertical take-off and landing craft – are also quickly gaining traction, as a means of convenient, emissions-free air travel option for everyone. Buyers at the Airshow included Australia’s Microflite and HeliSpirit's order of 90 eVTOLs, and AirAsia's plan to lease a minimum of 100 VX3 eVTOL aircraft from Avolon.

And they all point to a unified direction the industry is moving towards: leaving a sustainable footprint.

The Singapore Airshow 2022 hosted two sessions of Sustainable Aviation Forums, touching on the future of technology air mobility, as well as working sustainability into aviation operations.

In terms of partnerships, Singapore Airlines, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Safran signed a Global Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Declaration to promote the acceleration of the development, production, and consumption of SAF as an important decarbonisation ramp up.

There was also the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore’s collaboration with Changi Airport Group, Airbus and Linde to study the development of hydrogen supply as an alternative for aviation — which could mean hydrogen-powered aircraft, or the electrification of airport operations using hydrogen fuel cells. 

And perhaps the most obvious support to sustainability was to simply look up — at the 15,000 panels installed on the roof of the Changi Exhibition Centre, powering the event by solar energy.

Covid-safe rules yay or nay?

Helping make this first large-scale, in-person international MICE event held in Singapore since the start of the pandemic a success, was a combination of hardware and software setups, based off Singapore's ongoing trial of new hybrid event models.

At the Changi Exhibition Centre, post-pandemic event protocols included pre-registration and approval, daily supervised testing for foreign delegates, self-administered antigen rapid tests for local attendees who must also upload the negative results online, self collection of passes, before finally reaching security checks.

A quick poll saw a consensus: while such Covid-safe rules can be cumbersome, eight of 10 agreed these measures helped them feel safer, whether at the Airshow, or touring Singapore. 

For Thomas Imke, Regional Sales Director at Ruag AG, this year's event marks his 10th time to the show. Although he missed 2020's event due to the uncertainties that came with the start of the pandemic, the German exhibitor says Singapore's safe management measures such as daily checks "at least for the time being are an absolute must". 

It's a sentiment echoed by another Australian attendee, who said that "once we're here, Singapore's very good at handling the check-ins, everyone's wearing masks, I feel safer".

New creative rules of engagement

Attendees this year represented more than 70% of the top 20 global aerospace companies. With zoning requirements removed since end 2021, everyone mingled freely on the show floor, which consisted of indoor exhibitor booths, multiple dining areas and meeting zones, as well as exclusive hospitality chalet areas and a static display zone.

Unlike the recent Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific 2021 in November, which did not allow dining or drinking, delegates at the Singapore Airshow could sit at tables of not more than five each, and pick from vendors the likes of Goodwood Park Hotel, Orchard Hotel Singapore, Starbucks, and catering company Creative Eateries.

The nine, well-spaced meeting zones were also often filled with delegates either catching up over drinks, or resting in between appointments. 

Muhammed Fikri and Ismail Hakim, both from R.I.S.E Aerospace pte ltd, said these networking points were a welcome change from the last Airshow in 2020 which did not have any, but noted that there were lesser exhibitors and content this year. "Companies that we normally see are not here, such as Satair Group," said Fikri.

New creative rules of engagement also went towards VIP hosting design.

While major aviation players such as Lockheed Martin, Rolls Royce and Airbus took up sea-fronting chalets for its VIPs, main exhibitor Singapore Technologies Engineering (STE) built its suites directly above its exhibiting area — a smaller one with an open top concept on the ground level overlooking the showfloor, and another row of suites on the mezzanine level for privacy.

As a further sign of the aviation industry's comeback post pandemic, Hanoi will be hosting the upcoming Vietnam International Aviation Expo from 10-12 May, while Thailand is expected to host its first ever international airshow in 2027 over six days to both business and public attendees.