| Airlne Empires Week in Aviation | ||
|---|---|---|
|
|
| Syndicate |
|---|
|
| Aerospace Hub at Seletar Airport – Singapore |
|
|
|
| Contributed by Captain Anup Murthy | |
| Thursday, 29 June 2006 | |
 One small dynamic country – many Airports:I am sure that a lot of people don’t know that the tiny city-state of Singapore with around 4.5 million residents has more than one Airport. In fact it has several of them. Most visitors to Singapore only know about the one that is called Changi International Airport and is a gateway to this country. Older generation people, who have been to Singapore in the 70’s and 80’s will remember that they used to get in and out of the Country from an Airport called Paya Lebar. Aerospace Hub:The latest news about Seletar is that the Singapore Government has announced that this place is going to be made into an Aerospace hub attracting massive investments, Aircraft hangar and maintenance facilities and creating around 15,000 new technical jobs. Singaporeans are confident that projects that are announced by the Government are taken up expeditiously and this one, with new buildings, new roads, runways extensions, tarmac expansions and many civil works will be completed in two years. Seletar hosts a few Aircraft Maintenance companies, some cargo and charter companies here at the moment and they are also set to expand. Seletar has a bright future, so does Singapore. Historical Seletar:According to history, a French chap called M. Joseph Christiaens flew a biplane on a demonstration at Farrer Park Race Course in the year 1911. At the same venue, the first overseas Aircraft landed in 1919 piloted by Ross Smith, flying in from the Britain after making numerous stops along the way, of course, in small biplanes. Later on, KLM and Imperial Airways (later became BOAC and later still British Airways) used to do the England to Australia flights with a stop over in Singapore. The early records state that the first Imperial and KLM flights used to touch down in RAF Seletar after it was completed in 1929 and opened in 1930. RAF is for Royal Air Force and some old RAF buildings still stand and some are in use after passing down to the Singapore Air Force and subsequently in Civilian hands. In 1937, the operations moved to Singapore Marine and Land Airport at Kallang. This place was closed down in 1955 and the new Airport at Paya Lebar came into operation in that year. It seems that Singaporean Government decided that Paya Lebar would not suit the ultimate goal of a large Airport that would make Singapore a prime destination for World travelers and Changi then came into being and is what it is today. Changi International Airport:In 1975 the Singapore Government made a decision to have the New International Airport with facilities for 45 Aircraft parking bays, terminal 1, a huge maintenance Hangar and a 78 meter high control tower. Changi International Airport opened on 29th December 1981. Phase 2 of the Airport work included work on the second runway, taxiways and additional 23 parking bays for Aircraft. In 1986, they also put in the large public multi-level car parking facilities and the sky train connecting terminal 1 and 2. Terminal 2 was opened in 1990 and it has now been re-done, section by section, without anyone noticing the work and without any disruption to the flying public or Aircraft operations. Something worth emulating, by other Airports and Governments the World over. The Airport is equipped with Long Range radars and these are the things that show how that Government is serious on getting things done right, in advance, the first time around. Singapore’s success:Regionally, in South East Asia, Singapore has been the envy of all Nations. Their idea of futuristic planning, development of infrastructure and to improve the standards of living for its people has been noticeable. For those who travel to Singapore frequently, they may notice new additions, new improvements every year. Their goal of making Singapore an Aerospace hub has been in the news regionally and will make Singapore a one-stop-shop for aviation business and aerospace technology leader. As I se it, their attempt is a serious one, like all their projects and we in the region wish them well. Related Items:
|
powered by mambo designed by water & stone