Southeast Asia is increasingly being identified as the continent’s next aviation hot spot, based on annual economic growth rates there of around 5 to 8 percent. That’s what airliner manufacturers like Boeing are seeing in fast-growing countries like Indonesia, and prospects for business aviation growth appear to be following suit.

In fact, Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has just received approval to invest $60 million in a pre-owned Boeing Business Jet. Meanwhile, Boeing Southeast Asia president Ralph Boyce recently identified Indonesia, along with neighbors Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, as nations that will lead the charge in fleet expansion, followed by other currently sluggish markets, such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.

Doubtless, this is what has just prompted Hong Kong-based start-up/investor matchmaker Angel Investment Network to advertise an opportunity to get involved in a new business aviation company based in Batam Indonesia. The group is looking for an initial investment of just $1.3 million.

Judging by the growing numbers of business jets parked at Jakarta’s Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, the Indonesian boom is already under way. The airport was the Indonesian capital’s main airport until the 1985 opening of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, and now has capacity for general aviation expansion.

For more information on Indonesia’s business aviation prospects see Thursday’s edition of ABACE Convention News on March 29.