Singapore’s Wings Over Asia (WOA) is pushing further in its ambition to be the leading general aviation provider in Southeast Asia and hopes to make flying more accessible to the masses. Speaking to AIN on the eve of its 10th anniversary, WOA managing director Ng Yeow Meng said one of WOA’s key focuses for 2019 is to educate and engage the public about general aviation and step up its flight-training capabilities.

WOA has acquired a Piper Archer DX fitted with new Garmin GX1000NXi avionics dedicated for flight training. It also organized an open house on Saturday for more than 300 public visitors, offering an opportunity for them to engage with pilots and airplane owners.

“From our past events, interested pilots and their families were surprised how accessible and safe flying is, and not reserved for the rich,” Ng said. 

WOA also runs an FBO and aircraft management business in Seletar Aerospace Park, with business and revenue increasing significantly over the last 10 years. It attained the IS-BAH Stage II certification two weeks ago, becoming the second company in Singapore to do so. Ng said about S$250,000 is invested annually to improve safety and processes.

“We have grown from a small boutique FBO to handle general aviation aircraft in Southeast Asia to handling large jets from as far as the Middle East and China," he added. Ng said WOA is supporting the only HondaJet based in Singapore and hopes to further deepen its relationship with Honda Aircraft.

WOA is a dealer for Piper, Daher, Quest, Cirrus, and Diamond, and has sold 25 aircraft over the past two years. This year alone, WOA managed to secure a deal for 15 Piper aircraft to Malaysia and Indonesia flights schools, and two other aircraft for private owners, including a Cirrus Vision Jet. Its success in aircraft management saw its two hangars filled, requiring the company to rent hangar space from a neighboring partner.

WOA is the only company in Seletar Aerospace Park to handle aircraft less than six tonnes (13,228 pounds) and Ng said it could be challenging at times. “While the development of Seletar might have steered toward MRO, we have been adaptable and are in constant discussion with the Changi Airport Group and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to ensure we blend well in Seletar’s environment,” he said.

According to Ng, WOA has achieved beyond what it planned to achieve 10 years ago, with hopes to break the boundaries of general aviation across borders. Looking ahead, Ng hopes to invest and equip itself with the most modern airframes, avionics, and technology, while inspiring more future pilots.