Singapore Aerospace Industry

Singapore is currently one of the most comprehensive aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hubs in the Asia-Pacific. The scope of aerospace activities has in recent years evolved to take on a more holistic approach, enabling Singapore to maintain its foothold as the preferred Aerospace Hub in the region.

Despite the economic downturn, Singapore's aerospace industry remained resilient in 2009. The Economic Development Board (EDB) said the sector achieved a total output of some S$7 billion last year with a value-add of S$2.7 billion.

Singapore Aerospace Products

Aerospace products and equipment includes parts, machinery, tools, instruments, and systems for airplanes, gliders, helicopters, spacecraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and other aircraft. This product area also includes avionics, air traffic control equipment, aircraft brakes, aircraft engines, and ground support equipment (GSE). Some aerospace products and equipment are used to build, maintain, and repair civilian aircraft such as private business planes and commercial airliners. Other aerospace components are designed for military aircraft such as bombers, fighters, fighter bombers, transports, and trainers. Because of the requirements of reconnaissance aircraft, aerospace products and equipment include infrared (IR) sensors and photographic equipment.

There are many different aerospace products and equipment for airplanes. Horizontal stabilizers control pitch (up and down). Vertical stabilizers control yaw (side to side). Aircraft elevators are designed to change pitch and aircraft rudders are used to change yaw. Slats change lift, flaps change lift and drag, and ailerons change roll. Spoilers are aircraft components that change lift, drag and roll. The fuselage or body is the part of the aircraft that carries passengers. The cockpit carries the pilot and co-pilot, and is used for command and control. Typically, the flight instruments on an aircraft the airspeed indicator, the attitude indicator, the altimeter, the turn coordinator, the directional gyro, and the vertical speed indicator. Other aerospace products and equipment for aircraft include jet engines that generate thrust and wings that generate lift.

Civilian helicopters and military helicopters require aerospace products and equipment. The major parts of a helicopter are the main rotor, the engines, the cockpit, the cabin, the tail boom, the tail rotor, and the skids. The main rotor consists of long, flat, metal blades that spin to provide lift and thrust. Helicopter engines represent the aircraft’s powerplant. They require regular maintenance and the use of many aerospace products and equipment. The cockpit is the area where the pilot sits to fly the helicopter and refer to the instrument panel. Helicopter instruments include indicators for torque, airspeed, attitude, altitude, horizontal situation, and vertical speed. The cabin is the part of the helicopter where the passengers sit or a payload is carried. The tail boom is the long, narrow part at the rear of the helicopter. Towards its end is the tail rotor, which blows air sideways to turn the rotorcraft and keep it from spinning.