Singapore is to welcome around 300 government and aviation industry leaders from across the Asia-Pacific in March, for "an inaugural region-wide summit to discuss how to ensure aviation safety as the aviation sector recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic".
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), which is co-organising the gathering with the US-based Flight Safety Foundation, said the pandemic "added unprecedented challenges to aviation safety, including the availability and proficiency of skilled personnel, the airworthiness of aircraft returning to service from storage, familiarity with new procedures, and safety regime, culture and leadership in companies under financial pressure to ramp up service".
Other risks include "the emergence of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and unmanned aircraft systems", the organisers said.
Keynote speakers are to include "prominent international aviation experts", including Stephen P. Creamer, director of the Air Navigation Bureau at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Christopher Hart, a former US National Transportation Safety Board chairman, and Patrick Ky, executive director, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
"Singapore is privileged and honoured to be able to develop, launch and co-organise this region-wide summit with the Flight Safety Foundation. While countries have their own national regimes, aviation is cross-border, and airlines operate across national boundaries; region-wide cooperation is necessary to assure aviation safety," said Han Kok Juan, director-general of CAAS.
"We are very pleased that Steve Creamer, Chris Hart and Patrick Ky will deliver the AP-SAS keynote addresses. Their breadth of experience and in-depth knowledge of aviation safety issues give them unique perspectives on the industry's challenges moving forward," said Hassan Shahidi, president and chief executive of the Flight Safety Foundation.