Blazing a trail at Singapore Airshow 2016

Text and Pictures by Kok Yufeng, Video by Jeremy Ho

Heads turned skyward and camera shutters clicked as eight T-50B fighter jets zoomed above Changi, leaving trails of coloured smoke.

South Korean aerobatics team the Black Eagles drew “oohs and aahs” from members of the media, who on Sunday (14 February) were treated to a preview of the aerial displays that are set to wow the crowds during the Singapore Airshow 2016.

The Black Eagles are back for a second time at the prestigious aviation event, which will be held from 16 to 21 February at the Changi Exhibition Centre. The team made their debut at the Airshow’s previous edition in 2014, when their jaw-dropping stunts drew a crowd of close to 100,000 public attendees.

(The Black Eagles performing during a media preview for Singapore Airshow 2016.)

Singapore’s own aerobatics team the Black Knights will not be performing in this year’s flying display. Those who turn up next weekend when the show is open to the public will still be able to catch impressive stunts from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), as well as displays by aircraft from France, the United States and Malaysia.

The RSAF’s integrated aerial display is one of the headlining acts this year.

For the first time, a team consisting of an F-15SG fighter jet and an AH-64D Apache helicopter will perform a total of 11 manoeuvres during a 12-minute performance, including the Vertical Punch, which will be performed for the first time.

“We have undergone intensive training to finesse the aerial manoeuvres to showcase the grace and power of the two aircraft and to thrill the audience,” Major Max Ng, who pilots the F-15SG, said in a press release.

(An F-15SG fighter jet and an Apache helicopter from the RSAF perform a move called the “high speed flash pass”.)

The Black Eagles have also added three new moves to their repertoire, bringing the total number of stunts in their “High Show” display to 23. One of the new and original manoeuvres the team have developed is called the “Turning Mecard”, inspired by a character in a popular Korean children’s cartoon of the same name.

For this year’s spectacle, the team took about two months for preparation and planning, group commander Colonel Son Sug-Rag said.

Due to the limited airspace available in Singapore, the team had to practice about 15 times back home before coming over, Son, 48 and the oldest of the group, added. Of the 12 pilots in the Black Eagles, only four took part in the previous Airshow.

Other aerial displays will be performed by an Airbus A350 XWB, the US Air Force’s F-16C/D Fighting Falcon and C-17 Globemaster III, the French Air Force’s Dassault Rafale fighter jet and the Sukhoi Su-30MKM from the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

On land, visitors can get up close with 64 different commercial and military aircraft in the static display area. Highlights include an F-16C Black Knight fighter jet, displayed in its iconic red and white livery, a pair of F-22 stealth fighters from the US Air Force, as well as luxury jet manufacturer Gulfstream’s latest flagship, the G650ER.

(Members of the media capture the moment when the Black Eagles form the Taegeuk symbol in the sky with smoke trails. The symbol is featured on the South Korean national flag.)

Emerging business opportunities

For trade professionals, there will be exhibitors from more than 1,000 participating companies, including 65 of the top 100 aerospace and defence companies, housed in a 40,000 sq m indoor exhibition space.

This year, there will also be the launch of the inaugural Singapore Airshow Aero Campus, held over two days. Aspiring students and young professionals who want to work in the aviation industry can discover education and employment opportunities and rub shoulders with executives from companies such as Airbus, Rolls Royce and Boeing Asia.

(ST Engineering’s pavillion at the Singapore Airshow 2016. The company is the largest participant this year, exhibiting more than 100 products, services and solutions in the areas of Aviation, Smart Combat and Smart City.)

Leck Chet Lam, managing director of Experia Events, said the initiative will help inspire the next generation of professionals to power Singapore’s aerospace sector.

With a series of forums and conferences at the Airshow, Leck said the focus this year will be on emerging opportunities and technologies. Participants and trade visitors will find the Airshow relevant and impactful, he added.

“We have curated a programme to make sure that we are at the cutting edge of developments in the aviation industry.”