Government sets aside $120m to boost aviation productivity

The funding is necessary as Changi is nearing its full capacity.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is topping up the Aviation Development Fund (ADF) by $120m in an effort to boost productivity in the ageing aviation sector through various technologies. 

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"Growth at Changi Airport has been robust in recent years. We are approaching capacity. At the same time, it is harder to hire more workers as our population continues to age," said CAAS director-general Kevin Shum at an event. 

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The CAAS has also earmarked an additional $9m as it calls for proposals on how technology can respond to various airline challenges.

The call for proposals is the third such aviation challenge from the CAAS which focuses on innovation for Changi’s seamless ground operations and deals in the specific areas of automated apron, optimisation of airside capacity and data-driven airport.

Successful applicants will get to access funding from the ADF. A portion of the grant will also be allocated for the initial implementation after prototype development and demonstration.

MOT and CAAS will also be awarding up to $6m to four consortiums who submitted proposals to the CAAS call for proposal late last year which aims to develop and test Unmanned Aircraft System working prototypes.

It adds that the CAAS will top-up the ADF with another $120m to support innovative aviation solutions.

CAAS is similarly working overtime to upskill air transport workers in line with Air Transport Industry Transformation Map. Over 33 aviation professionals have already been certified by the SkillsFuture Study Award for Air Transport this year, the agency said in a statement.

Aviation companies are investing more into their employee pool in observance of the Skills Framework for Air Transport like SATS who will be launching SATS ACADEMY. The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) also developed a new Bachelor of Science in Air Transport Management which is the first MOE-recognised degree programme for air transport.

The Skills Framework for Air Transport is developed to support career planning and development for aviation workers through information on employment, career pathways, required skills competencies for jobs and available training programmes for skills upgrades.