Aircraft
UK Aerospace Strives to Push Past Covid Downturn
The UK's ADS industry organization is one of several leading national aerospace trade groups vying for new business at the Singapore Airshow.
Spirit AeroSystems makes wings for the Airbus A220 airliner at the Belfast, Northern Ireland, factory it acquired from Bombardier. (IMage: Spirit AeroSystems)
Spirit AeroSystems makes wings for the Airbus A220 airliner at the Belfast, Northern Ireland, factory it acquired from Bombardier. (IMage: Spirit AeroSystems)

Aerospace and defense industries around the world have yet to fully absorb the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic, as continued twists and turns in the global public health crisis make forecasting a precarious activity. But that hasn’t deterred international trade associations converging on the Singapore Airshow to promote their member companies and what their nations have to offer by way of export potential, partnerships, and inward investment opportunities.

Last month, the UK’s ADS industry trade association reported that aerospace manufacturing remained weak as 2021 closed, mainly due to continued uncertainty in the air transport sector caused by the outbreak of the Omicron variant. The organization, which represents aerospace, defense, security, and space companies, said that the manufacturing output has continued to decline at marginal rates, despite some improvement since the summer of 2021. As of the end of November, it remained 36.1 percent below its output in February 2020, just before health officials declared Covid a pandemic.