Regional aviation safety centre to be set up in S'pore

It will identify region-specific risks, develop solutions as air travel surges after Covid-19

- Kok Yufeng

A regional centre will be established in Singapore to study issues related to aviation safety in the Asia-Pacific, including how best to recruit and train pilots to meet a rising demand for competent air crew.

For a start, the new Asia-Pacific Centre for Aviation Safety will pull together data to identify region-specific risks, develop targeted solutions and look into the capabilities that are needed to maintain effective safety leadership.

This comes at a pivotal moment in the region's aviation recovery, with the skies set to be busier than ever before, said Transport Minister S. Iswaran, who announced the centre's launch on Wednesday at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

"Aviation safety must be our top and undisputed priority," Mr Iswaran said, noting that this will not only help to secure the current recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, but also bolster prospects for long-term growth.

"Our efforts to recover from the pandemic will come to nought if public confidence in the safety of aviation is undermined.