Year of the Dog - AsBAA in Action Year of the Dog - AsBAA in Action_V2 | Page 9

Each month we will feature an inspiring woman in aviation. If you have a story to share, we would love to hear it. Please get in touch: [email protected] What is the achievement you are most proud of? Collectively, we are proud of the growth ASG has made over the past year. Each of us have contributed a great deal to the company. Jessie, who has been with the company since its beginnings, has seen the reports evolve from the very first Business Jet Fleet Report to a portfolio of reports which has culminated in the creation of Asian Sky Media. With the help of all the women on the team, whether it was through writing, designing, data analysis, translation and/or pure knowledge, ASG produced 10 reports on the business aviation market in 2017. Included in that slate of reports was the company’ s first Asia Pacific Infrastructure Report and the China GA Report. Our hard work on the reports wasn’ t without recognition. For the second year in a row, AsBAA named Asian Sky Media the ‘Best Media Outlet’ . How have you seen the industry change over the last 5 years? Five years ago, the pre-owned market wasn’ t very active and the overall market wasn’ t very transparent. Although there was a lot of growth in 2012, there was a slowdown after China’ s crackdown on corruption. Still, the regulations have changed and people have welcomed business aviation more than before. With more market knowledge than before, clients now know what to expect and their expectations are easier to manage. The pre-owned market is also more active in sales and acquisitions. Business jets have also seen a lot of progress on the avionics side. Now, all business jets are using fly-by-wire technology, which was initially only used in commercial aircraft. Infrastructure is also improving, with investments in facilities all over Asia. What do you see as some of the challenges for business aviation in Asia? Infrastructure remains one of the most significant challenges in the region. The Asia-Pacific region is one of the fastest growing markets, yet it is not as developed as the US or Europe in terms of infrastructure. Eight of the 11 top airports in the region have reached capacity, with the others expected to reach capacity within the next five years. Regulations, application time and airspace restrictions all make it difficult to own and operate a business jet in different parts of Asia. China and India, particularly, which are highly-regulated and heavily-taxed, have made it challenging for owners to register an aircraft in the region and difficult to obtain financing. If the process does not become smoother, owners and operators will move away from registrations in these countries and move to countries that are more flexible. What is the latest from your company? Asian Sky Group, and its new Asian Sky Media division, has just completed a successful 2017. ASG expanded its sales, operational and marketing teams with several new additions joining the team in 2017, including Nicole, Vrushali, Candice, and Iris. The growing team supported the sale and delivery of 16 aircraft, in addition to producing more reports than ever before through Asian Sky Media. ASG’ s new media division has also begun offering marketing services to aviati on companies, particularly those interested in expanding their presence in the Asia-Pacific. 2018 now promises to be a busy, and hopefully another successful, year. Within the next few months, the team is currently working on putting together the 2017 edition of the Asia Pacific Civil Helicopter Fleet Report, to be released during HAI Heli-Expo (Feb 26-Mar 1). We’ ll be exhibiting at the Singapore Airshow (Feb 6-11), where we will be showcasing the full portfolio of reports from the last year. And even further down the road, our flagship publication — the Asia Pacific Business Jet Fleet Report — will be released at ABACE (April 17-19). Outside of the media division, the team is hard at work on several exclusive consulting projects we won in late 2017. We’ ll continue to support the sales team on all aircraft sales, providing the most up to date market information, allowing each client to make the most informed decisions. Charter, which also saw a busy 2017, has expanded into commercial charter and seat sales, and expects to remain busy with its tailored trips across the world. How do you see business aviation developing over the next five years? Infrastructure is on its way to being improved. Plans, across the region, have been implemented for new general aviation airports and more maintenance facilities, with several countries now competing to become aviation hubs. The next few years will hopefully see those plans come to completion. On the sales side, the pre-owned market will become increasingly active, with buyers and sellers having even more knowledge on the market than ever before. Governments will continue to realize the importance of business aviation and its economic benefits, as such regulations will likely become more relaxed in places like China and Indonesia, which will bring about a huge potential for growth in the industry. www.asbaa.org Be prepared for the long-term. Business and general aviation, particularly in Asia, are growing exponentially, as such, there is a lot to know and a lot to keep up with. This requires a willingness to learn. Not yet a member of AsBAA? Join us! Your Association Needs YOU!