AsBAA members represent a diverse range of companies; each equally vital to its ecosystem. Up until now, the association has seen manufacturers take the lead on essential work relating to sustainability, safety, and mind-blowing innovation; it has seen operators and management companies consolidate, shift, mature, and expand into the fruitful markets of Greater China and Southeast Asia; and it has observed a thriving supporting services sector including fuel, legal, financial and risk management. 
Going forward, the board of directors is committed to continuing stable operations while implementing new targets and objectives. In 2019, all regional chapters were stabilised, the programme of events was consolidated and the advocacy mandate for 2020 was defined. With two of its three pillars, Representation and Community, running successfully across the region, the board’s major focus in 2020-21 is to implement the Advocacy pillar in terms of the association’s legislative agenda.
The association notes that the industry is shifting, in terms of its infrastructure; the way that users engage with business aviation; technology; aviation education; and the way that it is perceived. Looking ahead, chairman Zhendong Wu says: “Our mutual success will rely on our willingness to be future-focused. For AsBAA this will include pushing Asia forward in line with our global counterparts. In parallel, we must retain a clear commitment to our values and ethics, including corporate social responsibility, gender equality, education and transparency.”

2020 will see an expanded toolkit of Representation resources such as AsBAA Safety Days in Malaysia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines. It will co-organise the launch of Women in Corporate Aviation Asia and facilitate AsBAA-led speaking opportunities at key events.

It also plans to introduce an AsBAA-led sustainability programme to raise awareness and promote sustainability initiatives to bring Asia in line with Europe and the Americas. To this end there should be new, localised chapter support in Malaysia and Thailand as well as strengthened AsBAA Discovery student and careers programme with job advertisements, recruitment services and AsBAA-supported business aviation curriculum with partner institutions.

“Despite challenges and frustrations, our curated Community remains more valuable and important than ever,” concludes Wu. “As before, our ability to cooperate as a community will be the key to essential change. Asia must take steps forward to ensure the opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative, and those presented by the advancement of Southeast Asian markets, are fully capitalised upon.”