Million Air excited as Asia's private aviation takes off
Widely regarded as the ultimate status symbol of the global elite, private jets continue to be a rare sight in Asia. General aviation is a US$150-billion business in the United States, with more than 228,000 registered private aviation aircraft in the country - a far cry from only 1,610 registered in China. The Chinese government's move to ease flight approval procedures and to lower the threshold for obtaining a private pilot licence, however, has stoked aviation companies such as Million Air.
"China is starting to change," says Roger Woolsey, CEO of Million Air. "The government is moving towards freeing up airspace for private aviation to take off. The scene is changing, and when that happens, we intend to be there to support the aviation business."
Million Air approaches its various markets through its three business arms: charter management, which specialises in pilot services, navigation and asset management; maintenance repair operations (MRO), which are focused on aircraft repair, training and troubleshooting; and fixed-base operations (FBO) - private airport terminals that provide concierge services, aircraft refuelling, ground transport, catering and five-star facilities for travelling clients and pilots.
As an aircraft management company, Million Air offers first-class charter and asset management services, acting as a silent partner to private aircraft owners by delivering capacity and revenue that ease the cost of ownership. Round-the-clock flight co-ordinators and professional flight crews manage Million Air's fleet of safe, comfortable and well-maintained planes. Awarded as the No 1 luxury aviation brand in the world by Professional Pilot magazine and Aviation International News, Million Air provides more than just financial returns to the global corporation, the savvy businessman, the distinguished family and the sophisticated traveller.
"People are discovering private aviation as an executive's tool," Woolsey says. "It's no different than a cell phone or a laptop. It's a tool that helps them do their job."
The company also provides professional, worldwide air ambulance services such as airlifts of patients and organs. "It's spectacular, because we're not just flying from point A to point B - we're saving a life," Woolsey says.
Backing the charter management business is the company's MRO division. The division's knowledge and experience in global regulatory compliance benefit aircraft owners and businesses. With access to more than 17,000 airports worldwide, Million Air helps companies outpace competition by taking advantage of opportunities immediately and safely.
"We've got our eye on six Asian airports," Woolsey says. "We'd like to serve pilots, passengers and communities in Asia, and the FBO is like our storefront."
More than a private-jet gas station, Million Air's FBOs serve as a city's first and last impression. "When top leaders and CEOs of large global companies land their private jets on our facilities, and they have a good feeling about the community, that's where they build their plants and their call centres," Woolsey says. "Those infrastructures create jobs, and build homes and businesses. We help drive this important ecosystem."
Woolsey has gone a long way since he broke into the private aviation scene as an 18-year-old pilot hired by singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks to fly Fleetwood Mac's chartered plane. Landing other gigs as personal pilot to bands such as U2, Depeche Mode and Chicago, Woolsey started his own aviation company in 1984.
Maintaining 30 FBOs in the US, Canada and the Caribbean, Million Air is further spreading its wings to tap financial investors from Asia's major markets such as China, Taiwan and Singapore.
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