The Development of Seletar: 1971 and Beyond (Part I)
Community-youth, Heritage, Singapore
The Development of Seletar: 1971 and Beyond (Part I)
27 Jun 2023
Written by: Mr Goh Yong Kiat
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With Singapore’s independence in 1965, Seletar, a former British Royal Air Force (RAF) air base, was quickly identified by the Singapore Government as a site for the establishment of an aviation business cluster. Consultancy studies carried out in 1969 contained recommendations to develop Seletar as the initial base for a new aerospace industry in the region.
The same year also saw the establishment of the first aerospace venture in Seletar – Singapore General Aviation Services (SGAS). The company was 60% owned by the Singapore Government and 40% owned by Hawker de Haviiland of Australia. The new company provided MRO services for private and commercial aircraft operators in the Southeast Asia region as well as in flight training.
Next, Heli Orient, wholly owned by Britain’s Anglo-Thai Corporation, was established at Seletar’s East Camp. The company became one of the largest aircraft sales and support organisations in Asia. It was the dealer for major aircraft manufacturers such as Bell, Britten-Norman and Cessna. At Seletar’s West Camp, Anrite Aviation became the dealer for the Piper Aircraft.
Aerial shot of the Heli Orient headquarters at Seletar Airfield from the company’s first brochure.
Photo: Heli Orient Facebook Page
On 11 March 1970, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation of America announced the signing of a six-year agreement with the Singapore Government to perform heavy maintenance of the Singapore Air Defence Command (SADC) aircraft. A new Singapore company, Lockheed Aircraft Service Singapore (LASS) was set up for this at West Camp.
These ventures were made possible by utilising ex-RAF maintenance facilities acquired on long-term lease from the Singapore Government. The vast amount of existing infrastructure in the form of hangars and workshops, and foothold made by aircraft companies, was to become the nucleus for the development of a dedicated aerospace industrial cluster.