Helicopter chartering across the Asia Pacific region has seen consistent expansion over the past decade, and Indonesia stands out as a key contributor to that growth.

Between 2014 and 2024, the APAC civil turbine helicopter fleet rose from 3,287 to 4,131 aircraft, representing a CAGR of 2.3%, according to Asian Sky Group data. Indonesia’s civil helicopter fleet, numbering 154, makes up 3.7% of the regional total and is the largest in Southeast Asia.

“Indonesia is vast, and its geography is complex and unique,” says Saladin Siregar, key account management for passenger air chartering, APAC at Chapman Freeborn. “It is a country of over 17,000 islands, and many locations are extremely remote and difficult to access due to challenging terrain.”

Infrastructure remains a key challenge across both city and rural areas. “In the cities, congestion is a significant issue. And outside urban areas, there are many locations where road or sea connections are impractical. These factors combined create strong demand for point-to-point helicopter transport,” he says.

Half of all helicopter flights in Indonesia last year were multi-mission, while corporate, private, offshore and charter flights accounted for most of the rest. Charters alone made up over 15% of total missions.

VIP and corporate transport are growing rapidly, particularly around Jakarta and Bali. “In congested cities, helicopters provide faster and more reliable travel, which makes passenger helicopter charters popular with both businesses and tourists,” says Siregar.

Heavy industry is another major user. “There were over 4,600 active mining permits in Indonesia in 2024,” he says. “Many energy and industrial facilities are expanding, often in remote areas. The transportation of mission-critical crew and cargo to these sites is time sensitive, making helicopter charters the most viable option.”

Siregar expects continued momentum: “We expect industrial growth in the country to continue and infrastructure challenges to persist. Based on this scenario, we expect to see a further increase in passenger and cargo helicopter charter demand over the next five years.”

With deep knowledge of Indonesia’s aviation landscape and partnerships with operators and regulators, Chapman Freeborn is positioned to meet this demand. “We are ready to offer safe, reliable and convenient helicopter charters to serve customers in these segments as demand increases,” Siregar concludes.