Proper education produces good product results

Singapore抯 aerospace industry has grown at an average rateof 13% to become the most comprehensive maintenance,repair and overhaul (MRO) hub in Asia. According toSingapore抯 Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the region isexpected to lead the growth in air travel, as the industry抯 centerof gravity shifts to the East. By 2026, Asia is slated to makeup 40% of air travel, resulting in a corresponding increase indemand for aerospace-related services. Engine gears, valves, and galley equipment are some ofthe products manufactured in Singapore. On the R&D front,Boeing, EADS, Pratt and Whitney and Rolls-Royce have madecommitments to partner Singapore抯 A*STAR (Agency for Science,Technology and Research) and its research institutes to jointly carryout aerospace-related research. The aerospace industry has stringent safety and qualitystandards. A pool of skilled, well-trained and experienced personnelis therefore a critical part of the value chain. Aerospace specialisttalent graduating from Singapore抯 tertiary institutes is expected todouble the number trained in 2006. Singapore is further strengthening its infrastructure to ridefuture growth trends. The Seletar Aerospace Park is a centerpiece of this effort. Spanning 300ha, the dedicated aerospace parkallows companies to reap the benefits of a world-class businessinfrastructure, complete with runway access, and the synergiesfrom cluster integration. Backed by a large pool of over 100 aerospace companies,Singapore has garnered a quarter of the Asian MRO market. Leadingplayers ST Aerospace (Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd) andGoodrich carry out comprehensive nose-to-tail MRO services fromairframe maintenance to engine overhaul to aircraft modificationsand conversion. Aside from MRO, Singapore is also seeing a growingnumber of aerospace design and manufacturing operations. Advances in development Rolls-Royce will be establishing a wide chord fan blade(WCFB) factory in Singapore. This facility will be located inRolls-Royce抯 Seletar campus alongside the previously announced揊acility of the Future,?which will test and assemble Trent aeroengines. The new factory will be the first outside the UK tomanufacture hollow titanium WCFBs. Total investment in theRolls-Royce Seletar campus will exceed S$700 million, creating about 500 new jobs when fully operational,most of which are skilled positions.

The region is expected to lead the growth in air travel, as the industry抯 center of gravity shifts to the East.

ST Aerospace has renewed amaintenance contract with US Airwaysworth US$60 million (SG$82 million)over three years. The renewed contract willprimarily cover heavy maintenance visitsfor US Airways?fleet of Airbus A330, aswell as Boeing 737, 757 and 767 aircraft.Maintenance work for the aircraft willbe performed at ST Aerospace抯 Mobilefacility at Alabama. ST Aerospace also announced thatthe Civil Aviation AuthorityHombre