Singapore Airshow  The Singapore Airshow is a biennial aerospace event held in Singapore, debuted in 2008. It hosts high-level government and military delegations, as well as senior corporate executives around the world, while serving as a global event for leading aerospace companies and budding players (including start-ups) to make their mark in the international aerospace and defence market. Formerly known as "Changi International Airshow", the Singapore Airshow was launched as a partnership between Singaporean agencies Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and the Defence Science and Technology Agency after the relocation of Asian Aerospace from Singapore. The event offers a unique platform for industry thought leadership through its high-level conferences, forums and co-located events. Leading industry players, government and military chiefs gather here bi-annually to contribute to dialogues, exchange ideas and seek solutions and strategies to advance the interests of the global aerospace and defence sector. It is cited to be the third largest air show in the world after Le Bourget and Farnborough, as well as Asia's largest air show, although this is disputed by the Dubai Air Show. The selected venue for the permanent site of the Singapore Airshow is situated on a plot of land just beyond the northern edge perimeter fencing of Changi Air Base, which was itself located due east of the nearby Singapore Changi Airport. In 2006, a contract worth S$60 million was awarded to Eng Lim Construction to begin the building of the new exhibition site to replace the Changi International Exhibition and Convention Centre, including a main exhibition hall with 40,000 square metres of space. When completed in September 2007, the New Changi Exhibition Centre boasted a 40,000 square metres of fully air-conditioned exhibition hall, 2,000 parking lots for trade visitors and motorists as well as 100,000 square metres of outdoor space for exhibitions and functions. Upon its completion, the hall was promptly named as the Changi Exhibition Centre to set it apart from the Changi International Exhibition and Convention Centre which had been in use by the Asian Aerospace exhibitions from 1988 to 2006. Note that the old site is a good 2 kilometres due west of the current one. The inaugural show was held from 19 to 24 February 2008, with the first four days reserved for trade visitors at the purpose-built Changi Exhibition Centre in Changi. Besides the usual exhibits and static displays, the event saw the return of aerobatic flying displays put up by the Airbus A380, Black Knights of the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Roulettes of the Royal Australian Air Force.