Bradley Perrett covered China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. He is a Mandarin-speaking Australian.
Before joining Aviation Week in 2006 he was a macroeconomics, politics and aerospace journalist with Reuters. Perrett holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Macquarie University, Sydney. He left Aviation Week in 2020.
While the pace of a global recovery is uncertain, aircraft manufacturers are clear about some things as they head to the Singapore Airshow this week. The rise of low-cost carriers and regional air services has changed the face of Asia’s airline market. A decade ago it was dominated by widebody, long-range services. Regional carriers had a toe-hold, but nothing like the growth they’ve gained over the past 10 years. Market deregulation and better infrastructure have opened more flight opportunities, as elsewhere.
Stepping up its push to become a leading player in global aerospace, South Korea is proposing to build a 90-seat turboprop under an industry development plan that also seeks to press ahead with the KF-X fighter and KAH attack helicopter programs. The 2010-19 plan aims to raise South Korean aerospace turnover tenfold, making the country one of the top seven in the global industry, up from 16th place now.
CHINA COMAC produces the ARJ21 regional jet and is developing a mainline jetliner described as having 130-170 seats. It also builds parts for Boeing 737s and EADS ATR 72s. It encompasses the Avic company formerly responsible for the AJR21 (ACAC) and the project’s final assembly plant (Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Factory).
