RSAF to thrill visitors at Singapore Airshow

Come Tuesday, 14 Feb, the Changi Exhibition Centre will be abuzz with activity as Singapore Airshow 2012 opens. Photography and aviation buffs can expect a field day with breathtaking aerial displays and a wide variety of military aircraft on featured in static displays, especially from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

Come Tuesday, 14 Feb, the Changi Exhibition Centre will be abuzz with activity as Singapore Airshow 2012 opens. Photography and aviation buffs can expect a field day with breathtaking aerial displays and a wide variety of military aircraft on featured in static displays, especially from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

Catch the RSAF's recently-acquired F-15SG fighter aircraft and F-16C fighter aircraft coming within metres of each other as they slice through the air at high speeds during their 14-minute performances.

Members of the public will have to hold their enthusiasm though, as the Airshow will only be open to public visitors on the weekend of 18 and 19 Feb. Billed as Asia's biggest exhibition for aviation's finest, the show will host over 900 exhibitors from 50 countries at its combined exhibition space of over 150,000sqm.

Missed the aircraft as they zipped by? Fret not, as the RSAF will be showcasing the F-15SG and F-16 on the ground at the outdoor static display areas.

The RSAF's latest Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the Heron 1, will also be making a public appearance as part of the static displays. Other RSAF aircraft to be featured include the Apache AH-64D attack helicopter, Sikorsky S-70B naval helicopter, G550 Airborne Early Warning aircraft, Hermes 450 UAV and the Ground Based Air Defence Surface-to-air Python 5 and Derby (SPYDER) system.

Besides the RSAF's aerial display, visitors can also look forward to the inaugural appearance of the Rebel 300 single propeller aircraft piloted by Australian Tony Blair of Blair Aerosports. The Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Air Force and the US Air Force will also be putting up their own aerial displays of various aircraft.

Sleek business jets, the reserve of the extremely well-heeled, will also be featured in static displays. These include the Gulfstream G280, Embraer Legacy 650 and the Cessna Citation XLS+.

Too many model numbers to remember? Then make it a point to come by when the Airshow opens to the public over that weekend to put a "face" to them!

Adult tickets are priced at $20 while entry for children below the age of 12 will cost $8. There is also a family package priced at $120, inclusive of four entry passes and a parking label. There will be a shuttle bus service, costing $5 per trip, which will depart from Changi Airport's Terminal 3.

This is the third edition of the biennial Airshow. As an important event on the global aviation industry calendar, the show will bring together top executives and aviation companies from all over the world. There will be 900 exhibitors from 50 countries, as well 266 delegates from 80 countries at this year's Airshow.

"We are confident that this year's show will be a fruitful one that will open new doors for all our visitors," said Mr Jimmy Lau, Managing Director of show organiser Experia Events.

For more information, please visit www.singaporeairshow.com


Source: Report by Ong Hong Tat, 12 Feb 2012 - Rotorhub News (www.mindef.gov.sg)

Photo: Aerial displays will rule the skies once a day on trade days and twice on public days with the RSAF's F-15SG and F-16C fighter aircraft coming within metres of each other in maneouvres such as the inverted mirror pass.  Catch the latest and best in aviation technology, such as the RSAF's static display of their G550 AEW aircraft and the recently-acquired Heron 1 UAV, at this year's Airshow. (Photos by Chua Soon Lye)

(12.02.2012)