Spending Leisure Time At Singapore Airshow 2008

Singapore Airshow 2008: Spending Leisure Time

Swooping low across the sky over Changi Exhibition Centre four days ago, I witnessed an incredible aerial display of the Black Knights, Singapore’s elite squadron of F16 flying heroes. The crowd of enthusiastic spectators, who had waited since the Singapore Airshow 2008 opened at 9.30am, clapped and cheered as a thunderous aftershock raised hairs down my spine.

Aerospace Exhibits
Earlier that morning, my wife and I walked the outdoor display area to scrutinize static displays of commercial and military aircrafts from all over the world. Joining thousands of curious families with infants in prams to grandparents with walking aids, we peered at cockpits and cabins under the festive spell of the largest aerospace exhibition in Asia. In a cavernous hangar-like exhibition hall, rows of information booths and counters featuring engines, radar equipment, missiles and rockets jostled for attention. As a place of interest, there was certainly plenty to experience. Exhibits of worthy mention included the BAE Hawk Mk 128 supersonic jet, the Bell 412 EP helicopter, the Eurocopter EC 135 chopper, a C130 flight simulator, M16 rifle and other caliber weapons. The dominant feature on the ground was undoubtedly the Airbus A380, a massive sentinel guarding the entire airfield.

Why attend?
To spend leisure time at the Singapore Airshow 2008 was an easy decision for me. While I am not a die-hard aerospace hobbyist, the thrill of cozying up to these magnificent machines was an enticing proposition. Further more, a week of media hype on TV and the newspapers featuring this biennial event also played a role. In addition, I treated this exhibition as a place of interest worthy of exploration, like visiting a new art gallery. The aerial acrobatics was akin to a visit to a theatre for live performances. I believe in expanding one’s comfort zone to a wider cultural and artistic field.

What’s next?
Over in the sky, the Fighting Falcons drew amazing formations with their plumes of white smoke and played hide and seek as I squinted in the noonday sun. As the pilots and their magnificent flying machines took their leave from the sky, I could not stop wondering where they would head to in order to spend their leisure time, after another day at work.

You have a choice to determine what you want to enjoy. What do you do in your leisure time?

Take care and be happy.

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Seven Ways To Improve Singapore Airshow 2008 Visitor Experience

Seven Ways To Improve Singapore Airshow 2008 Visitor Experience

In my earlier post on SceneThisSceneThat, a blog to chronicle my experiment to get more out of life, I highlighted the positive factors on my visit to the Singapore Airshow 2008. Today, I shall discuss seven ways to improve visitor experience from the perspective of a member of the public.

1)Clear bottlenecks
Imagine 50,000 people at the National Stadium, all trying to enter and leave through only one entry/exit points. Such was the case at Singapore Airshow 2008 when people moved to get onto shuttle buses and taxis. The period just after the aerial performance by the Black Knights and other teams witnessed such bottlenecks, when movement of people through those choke points was at its peak.

2)Reduce overcrowding
To reduce overcrowding, limit visitor numbers to a manageable level each day. Extend visitor days for the public to spread the load to a comfortable size. I can understand the priority of organizers to allow more days for trade visitors to clinch their deals. However, the public deserved to be treated with more respect than squeezing 90,000 visitors into a weekend.

3)Hot Weather
With the sun at peak oppression during the aerial displays, I was not surprised to learn from the Straits Times that 7 visitors had fainted that day. While I understand that preserving an unblocked view of the show was paramount, more tents and other forms of shelter would have helped to alleviate the heated situation.

4)Cabin Tours
The Airbus beckoned at the Airshow but only selected VIPs were allowed to take an on-board tour inside the Airbus. It was a pity that the $20 entrance fee excluded the opportunity to wander around the interior of the world’s largest commercial airliner.

5) Scenic flights
My other wish was to secure a seat for scenic flights on a helicopter, a fighter-jet or even the Airbus, which was sadly unavailable. Such fantastic opportunities for public visitors would be a once-in-lifetime dream.

6)Guides
More guides should be stationed around to help with directions as this was an exhibition center opened for the first time to the public. Guides who can bring groups of visitors around selected sites would prove popular by my reckoning.

7)Public access
Transportation for the public could be improved with more buses, marshals and police presence for crowd control at the pick-up points. This would have reduced flared ups over queue cutting, thereby lessen “ugly Singaporean” scenes.

To raise the joy factor for public visitors is the responsibility of participants and management. Besides billion dollar sales targets, ordinary residents’ welfare should also feature highly in the corporate assessment of any air show’s success.

These are just some of own observations. I am sure you have more to share. Do you have any to share?

Take care and stay happy.

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Seven Reasons Why I Enjoyed Singapore Airshow 2008

Seven Reasons Why I Enjoyed Singapore Airshow 2008

The inaugural Singapore Airshow 2008 completed its run yesterday after a one-week line-up of programmes. I was one among the 50,000-crowd who thronged the Singapore Exhibition Centre, situated at the end of 9 Aviation Park Road.

Here are seven reasons why I enjoyed the Singapore Airshow 2008:-

1) Largest aerospace exhibition in Asia
Using this tag seems like a lame excuse. But just take a look at the Guinness Book of World records to see how much traction this kind of boast has.

2) Aerial performance by the Black Nights and others
No doubt the Black Nights, with their tight team formations, were stars of the aerial dogfight. Other aircrafts took pride of place among the clouds were the USAF F/A-18, the Korean T-50, the RAAF Pilatus PC-9 and the surprise appearance of an Airbus A380.

Above: Apache AH-64

3) Combined Arms Display of Singapore Armed Forces
The Airforce sent the Apache AH-64, Armour chose the Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank and Artillery deployed Pegasus, its heli-portable 155mm Howitzer gun.

4) Airbus A380
You do not have to be a member of any frequent flyer club to enjoy close-up views of the world’s biggest commercial airliner here. You would also know that the world’s first A380 was pressed into service in Singapore on 25 October 2007.

5) B1-b Lancer Stealth Bomber
This sleek-looking supersonic jet hides a lethal payload in its hull during cross-country missions that can out-fly other bombers without being detected on radar.

6) Spacious area
The Changi Exhibition Centre, sprawled over 40 hectares allowed plenty of elbow room to wander at leisure. The 100,000 sq m of outdoor display area easily took in all the exhibits with plenty of leftover space for even more planes.

7) Air-conditioned Comfort
While the tarmac felt like a bakery oven on fire, the 40,000 sq m exhibition hall was designed for personal comfort with a cavernous interior ventilated with cold air.

Perhaps there’ll be more to look forward to in February 2010 when the next airshow comes around.

Do you always have things to look forward to?

Take care, stay happy.

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Taking Off Into The Future

Singapore Airshow 2008
As the Singapore Airshow 2008 flies into Changi North tomorrow, I will have a chance to glide into something new. Over the next 6 days, more than 900 companies from 42 nations will show off their trendiest flying toys with the newest paraphernalia.

Winged Wonders
To be part of the largest aerospace event in Asia, even as a mere visitor without the millions to ever own such luxurious playthings, is an enticing prospect. With a towering Airbus A380 airliner and uber-class Legacy 600 business jets lined up amongst the mouth-watering aviation collection, coupled with childhood dreams of "men and their flying machine" make-belief, the decision to participate is a no-brainer.

Take Off Into The Future
On a higher plane of existence, I am using this event at Changi Exhibition Centre to do something uncharacteristic and different from the usual surf-the-net/TV/movie weekend routine. For this coming weekend, I am preparing for a trip to the Singapore Airshow 2008, to take-off into the future. Perhaps this will spur me on to attempt new endeavours.

Take care and be happy.

Update:

The road to Singapore Airshow 2008 is currently blocked by police personnel as shown in the photo above. I could not catch a glimpse of the winged wonders but this has only served to whet my appetite. Will need to recce a little more and surf the net for transport arrangements on those days when it's open to the public.

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