Opening Address by Senior Minister of State Dr Lam Pin Min at the 7th World Civil Aviation Chief Executives' Forum

Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President of the ICAO Council,

Distinguished Guests,

Friends in the International Civil Aviation Community,

Good morning.

Introduction

1.     Welcome to the 7th World Civil Aviation Chief Executives Forum (WCACEF). And to our overseas guests, a very warm welcome to Singapore.

2.     For those joining us for the first time, allow me to share a little about this forum. WCACEF is a biennial effort by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to provide a platform for civil aviation leaders from all over the world to meet, share insights, and chart the way forward for the sector.

3.     We have with us here today, close to 120 aviation leaders, policy makers and regulators from more than 80 countries. Thank you all, for taking time off your busy schedules to join us.

Advancing Aviation: Building Our Future Together

4.     The theme for this year’s forum is Advancing Aviation: Building Our Future Together. Allow me to explain and share with you why this is an important and timely conversation to have.

5.     Aviation is a key cornerstone of the global economy. It contributes close to 4% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides for about 66 million jobs worldwide. However, the importance of the sector goes beyond the economy. Aviation crosses borders to connect people, places, and ideas.

6.     The future for aviation continues to be bright, and is lined with opportunities for all. Based on the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) projections, the number of air passengers is expected to grow by 3.5% annually, doubling to 8.2 billion in 20 years. Not surprisingly, the fastest growth will be in the Asia-Pacific region.

7.     However, the road ahead is not without challenges. In particular, growing air traffic will place increasing strain on our already limited resources. The management of airspace, airports, and manpower will have to be enhanced to cater to this growth. It is only through working together can we advance and realise the full potential of aviation.

Leveraging on Technology for our Future

8.     In this regard, technology can and should be harnessed as a key enabler in our resource transformation to support sustainable growth in this sector.

9.     The aviation sector is intimately familiar with the benefits of technology. New aircraft, engines, and other aviation equipment provide extended range and improved reliability. As a result, air travel is today the safest mode of transportation, and enables a greater proportion of the world’s population to travel.

10.    Looking ahead, the pace of technological innovation, especially automation, is only going to gather speed. Automation could make air travel even safer, whilst at the same time, more convenient and affordable. Take Air Traffic Management, or ATM, as an example. Today, we are progressing beyond the initial days of digitalisation. Deep learning systems using data captured within air traffic control systems are being developed to enhance the management of air traffic. Similarly, research is on-going to make use of artificial intelligence to our benefit - improving the safety of runway and ground operations, as well as operational efficiencies at the aerodrome.

11.    These technological advancements in ATM will eventually pave the way towards Trajectory Based Operations, or TBO, where flights are managed holistically based on their end-to-end trajectories, rather than separately within different segments of the airspace. This is the future for ATM, a paradigm shift in ATM operations, that will minimise the holding and delay of aircraft, thus optimising the use of airspace and saving time for passengers and fuel for airlines.

12.    In many ways too, passengers have benefited from technology. For example, convenient electronic boarding passes have replaced paper boarding passes. New imaging and data analytics technologies are also being rapidly adopted in passenger facilitation and security screening systems to progress towards seamless, frictionless travel for all passengers.

13.    At the same time, we must be cognisant of the challenges associated with automation. Whilst investigations of the recent accidents involving the Boeing 737 Max aircraft are still on-going, the grounding of the aircraft and Boeing’s proposed software fixes to the aircraft Flight Control Computer underscore the risks of automation. It is in the interest of both manufacturers and regulators to ensure that there is adequate risk assessment and mitigation in any automation.

14.    This does not mean that we slow down or reject automation. What it means is that even as we progress, we should never compromise the basics such as comprehensive proficiency and recurrent training for pilots, air traffic controllers and engineers. We need to make sure that the human in the loop is able to understand the benefits and limitations of automation, in order to properly harness it; and in the unfortunate scenario that automation fails, to step in and intervene. We also need to ensure that our safety regulatory system keeps pace with technological developments. As we adopt more
cutting-edge innovations, it is also critical that adequate resources be dedicated to ensure that our safety regulatory systems remain competent and relevant.

15.    In fact, technological developments can help to reduce the risks that more extensive automation can bring about. In particular, with the greater use of simulators, we can better train the human-in-the loop to anticipate and respond to unusual situations. This is why today, I am honoured to launch, together with Dr. Aliu, a new advanced Aerodrome Simulator right here at the Singapore Aviation Academy. The Simulator includes powerful graphics processors and laser projector displays that can support higher display resolution, and an accurate out-of-window 360-degree view. It also allows instructors to simulate unplanned situations realistically by adjusting training
scenarios and introducing sudden events and contingencies to train the controllers to handle and resolve difficult situations. This allows the trainees to hone the necessary ATC techniques.

16.    Delegates will also have an opportunity at this Forum to visit CAAS’ SMART Digital Tower prototype. This prototype envisions a completely digitalised real-time view of the aerodrome with AI and predictive data analytics capabilities to enhance safety and efficiency. We expect it to be the next phase in ATM digitalisation.

Importance of Close Collaboration and Strong ICAO Leadership

17.    International aviation by definition transcends national borders. International aviation has grown over the decades in a large part because policymakers and regulators have recognised the importance of collaboration, not only to facilitate greater connectivity across states, but also to manage safety risks.

18.    We have seen how collaboration across multiple States and stakeholders for Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) and Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) have improved air traffic flow and capacity management at airports by reducing delays, improving the predictability of events and optimising the utilisation of resources. This has
also in turn led to happier passengers, reduced fuel consumption and lower costs for airlines.

19.    ICAO has played a critical role in developing and overseeing an international framework of norms and rules that has enabled the growth of civil aviation. As the pace of technological innovation accelerates, ICAO’s role will become even more critical. ICAO will need to review its Standards and Recommended Practices to ensure that these do not inadvertently become an impediment to progress. ICAO is already doing good work in this regard. For example, ICAO recently incorporated new guidance material recognising the use of relevant technologies in remote towers for the provision of air traffic services.

20.    We also need to avoid a proliferation of norms and standards that would fragment international aviation. This is another critical role for ICAO. When doing so, there should be an emphasis on technical and operational considerations, so as to promote the safe and sustained growth of international aviation. Industry associations such as IATA, ACI and CANSO have an important role to play here. Policy makers should welcome and
carefully consider their contributions.

21.    We must ensure that all states can benefit from the growth of international aviation, and technological innovation. In this regard, I am glad that ICAO has taken a leadership role through its “No Country Left Behind” (NCLB) initiative. I understand that NCLB principles will be built into the next iterations of the Global Air Navigation Plan, the Global Aviation Safety Plan and the Global Aviation Security Plan. On top of this, the ICAO Council is reviewing more effective approaches to provide technical and other
assistance to ensure that developing States benefit from aviation and allow every single State to access the significant socio-economic benefits of a safe, reliable and efficient global air transport system.

22.    Singapore is committed to partnering and supporting ICAO in these efforts. I am happy to announce the expansion of the Singapore-ICAO Developing Countries Training Programme (DCTP) MOU over the next 3 years to advance civil aviation and develop our next generation of aviation professionals in support of ICAO’s “No Country Left Behind” initiative. The expanded MOU will be signed this evening between the Singapore Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport, Mr Khaw Boon Wan and ICAO Council President Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu.

Conclusion

23.    Let me conclude.

24.    There are abundant opportunities ahead for our sector, but we will need innovation, close collaboration amongst the different stakeholders, and strong leadership for sustainable aviation growth. I encourage delegates to make use of the next few days to brainstorm, share ideas and insights, and catalyse the critical discussions and partnerships needed to advance aviation for the future.

25.    With this emphasis on discussions and partnerships in mind, I want to take this opportunity to share with you that starting from the next iteration of this Forum in 2021, we will rename this Forum “The Changi Dialogue”.

26.    I wish everyone a fruitful and insightful Forum, and have an enjoyable stay in Singapore.

27.    Thank you.