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SINGAPORE : The inaugural Singapore Airshow opened to overwhelming response from the public on Saturday.
About 40,000 people showed up on the first of two days when the show is open to the public. Organisers are expecting a similar record turnout on Sunday at the sold-out show.
There was no doubt at all that the highlight of the day was the 90-minute aerial display just after noon that simply blew the audience away.
Many took the thunderous roar of the flying machines in their stride.
"Marvellous, it's good," said one visitor.
"The noise and the action and the atmosphere - great for kids - it was a good decision to come," said another.
"Yeah, the pilots are good - very good looking."
And it was not just the action in the air, but also the static displays on the ground and pilots who patiently gave explanations that attracted the crowd.
Starry-eyed children were also one of the show's biggest fans.
The Airbus A380 made an appearance at the event. Despite being flown at the last Airshow, the airliner, currently being flown commercially only by Singapore Airlines, was still a crowd puller.
But as the day wore on, with temperatures blazing, some took respite from the heat under the wings of planes while others indulged in ice cream.
Many moved into the air-conditioned exhibition hall for a closer look at the avionics still on display, as well as queueing for a chance of an autograph from the Black Knights, the most popular group at the Airshow.
But the fun and games came at a price - large crowds and long queues started forming early in the day.
Visitors said they took anything from half an hour to more than two hours to get to the exhibition venue, using different modes of transport.
Sunday is the last day of the Airshow. - CNA/ch
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