Singapore’s old Seletar Airport in the northeastern part of the city-state plans to become a hub for flying taxis in the region as early as 2024. Built by the British as a military air base in 1928 and handed over to Singapore in 1971, the airport served as an international airport until Changi Airport opened in 1981, and has since been used for private and business jets and some regional commercial flights. “The future of urban air mobility is exciting and offers far-reaching possibilities for the Seletar Aerospace Park,” said Lim Ai Ting, director of the Aerospace and Marine Cluster.
Singapore’s old Seletar Airport in the northeastern part of the city-state plans to become a hub for flying taxis in the region as early as 2024.
Built by the British as a military air base in 1928 and handed over to Singapore in 1971, the airport served as an international airport until Changi Airport opened in 1981, and has since been used for private and business jets and some regional commercial flights.
“The future of urban air mobility is exciting and offers far-reaching possibilities for the Seletar Aerospace Park,” said Lim Ai Ting, head of aerospace and marine cluster at Singapore-based property developer Jurong Town Corporation, which is developing around the airport. Seletar Aerospace Park.
“We are currently discussing new partnerships with various parties. This will increase the vitality of the park and also benefit the aerospace industry ecosystem,” he added.
strong industry interest
So-called “electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles” have recently attracted strong industry interest, and Singapore could be an important regional link in this category.
The city-state has struck a deal with startups Skyports and Volocopterthey are looking to transform the airport into a “vertical airport” for future operations.
This year’s Singapore Airshow further drew intense attention to the prospect of flying taxis, with Malaysian AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes ordering at least 100 leases from British manufacturer Vertical Aerospace.
Asia Pacific seen as a core market for air taxis
According to a study by British aerospace company Rolls-Royce Holdings and consultancy Roland, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to have around 82,500 electric VTOL passenger vehicles in service by 2050, and the region will account for half of the global market about. Berger released earlier this year.
Research has shown that these flying units can be used as airport shuttles, tourist flights or intercity travel, as well as for logistical purposes, and can travel up to 250 kilometers on a single charge.
Deployment in Singapore is still subject to regulatory approvals for the aircraft type, which industry stakeholders believe may take some time to obtain. Regulators must determine whether such air taxi operations are safe and study their potential impact on the entire aviation ecosystem.
