In the mid-20th century, private jets were the exclusive domain of the wealthy and famous. These early aviation enthusiasts and aircraft owners enjoyed highly personalized services and complete privacy. For them, private jets were not just a means of transportation but a symbol of status and luxury, making private flying an epitome of opulence.
“As time progressed and technology advanced, global business activities increased day by day. More companies and high-end travelers began considering the use of private jets due to the unparalleled convenience they offered, avoiding the hassle and wait times associated with commercial flights, and allowing passengers to fly according to their own schedules.”
Entering the 21st century, even though the market gradually opened up, the use of private jet services remained largely confined to the upper echelons and business magnates. The high entry barriers and operational costs made it difficult for widespread adoption. Additionally, only a few companies controlled the majority of the market share, leading to less competition and naturally high prices.
“This situation has the potential to change, which is precisely what Metastar Airlines is diligently working on. In our vision, the private jet industry will emerge from Asia, allowing more people to participate in and benefit from its services, marking a new chapter in global aviation history,” stated the founder and CEO of Taiwan-based Metastar Airlines in an interview with《The Icons》. His team is committed to transforming the operational model of the private aviation industry:
“Metastar Airlines is shifting the business and travel market for private jets from an exclusive luxury for the wealthy to an ideal choice for all entrepreneurs. As ‘gentle disruptors,’ we are gradually creating a new landscape in the private jet market. This cannot be achieved with drastic measures but through multi-faceted operations involving capital management, resource integration, education, and even policy communication. In my eyes, we see a little bit of change every day!”
Hiroshi: The Private Jet Market Should Not Be Monopolized!
Under Hiroshi’s strategic leadership, Metastar Airlines boldly drives innovation in the private aviation industry, utilizing a platform-based operational model and a shared economy system. This approach allows entrepreneurs to enjoy the most cost-effective flying time and resource sharing, resulting in more efficient and flexible flying experiences.
Hiroshi earnestly stated, “The private jet market should not be monopolized. Our goal is to break this old pattern and allow more people to enjoy personalized and customized private flight services.” In Hiroshi’s vision, the transformation of the private jet industry will create a new horizon for the aviation sector. Metastar Airlines is actively collaborating with travel agencies, business entities, and governments across the Asia-Pacific region to build an innovative private flight ecosystem. This ecosystem not only provides flight services but also encompasses flight training, technical support, and aviation safety, aiming to deliver seamless flight solutions to customers.
“Through these collaborations, Metastar Airlines aims to integrate resources, enhance service efficiency, and ultimately reduce costs for consumers. We are creating a new business model to make private aviation services more accessible.”
Hiroshi’s Unconventional Aviation Dream: Building a One-Stop Platform
Before entering the aviation industry, Hiroshi managed a traditional manufacturing factory, accumulating over twenty years of operational and management experience. During the pandemic, he returned to Taiwan and encountered a flight school, which ignited his passion for flying. After obtaining the relevant licenses, Hiroshi decided to further expand his aviation dreams.
Hiroshi confidently stated, “Taiwan’s aviation market is very closed, with the private jet sector monopolized by a few companies, making it necessary to establish a company or find a custodian to buy an aircraft. To break this pattern, I decided to use my resources to create a platform-based aviation company.” As a result, he took immediate action and founded Metastar Airlines with the goal of opening up the private jet market and providing customers with more flexible and efficient flying experiences.
Currently, Metastar Airlines has successfully expanded its business scope to include not only private jet services but also business travel and professional sightseeing tours, offering customers a diverse range of flight options. Metastar Airlines aims to be an innovator in Taiwan’s traditional aviation sector, redefining the standards of private aviation through continuous iteration and excellent customer service, making it a symbol of efficiency, convenience, and luxury.
“Our goal is to provide those with flying dreams the support and resources they need to achieve their aviation goals. Furthermore, we aim to advance the aviation industry ecosystem, not just in terms of technology or services, but by creating a sustainable, mutually beneficial aviation network that benefits the entire industry and society, thus ushering in a new era for aviation.”
Worry-Free Aircraft Purchase: Annual Maintenance Costs Close to “Zero”
Hiroshi is Revolutionizing the Private Aviation Industry in Asia.Metastar Airlines allows entrepreneurs to fly globally in the most cost-effective way, even purchasing aircraft, and making optimal use of flight time. For example, the company helps clients plan aircraft operation times and has introduced the concept of “flight time sharing.” When clients are not using their aircraft, Metastar Airlines helps sell the flight time, bringing additional income to the clients.
“This is the advantage of the sharing economy. Because private jet users have more flexible schedules, entrepreneurs and travel enthusiasts can enjoy the convenience of private flying at the lowest cost and even earn extra income. When they are not flying, their aircraft are still generating revenue. We manage the aircraft for our clients so they can enjoy the flight without worrying about pilots, maintenance, and leasing issues. Everything is taken care of by us,” said Hiroshi. Metastar Airlines offers a one-stop service, assisting clients throughout the entire process from aircraft selection, purchase, to operation.
“We are not just a platform; we are a shared economic system. This model breaks the traditional exclusive model, allowing more people to enjoy flying. It also relieves private flying clients from concerns about aircraft maintenance, upkeep, and management, reducing operational burdens and improving resource utilization efficiency. This also increases the aircraft’s usage efficiency, promoting sustainability!” This model also allows more new users to experience private flying, lowering the entry barriers and expanding the market.
Hiroshi stated that “flight time sharing” is not just about economic savings but represents a redefinition of flight freedom. This freedom is no longer the privilege of a few but a dream that everyone can reach:
“With the rise of the sharing economy globally, this model has the potential to completely change how people view and use private flying. Perhaps, on the surface, it seems like a sharing economy based on time, but there is profound wisdom in it. This strategic move will inevitably involve more industries and allow more people to soar the skies on private jets!”
Establishing a New Business Aviation Hub in Asia
Hiroshi, who is revolutionizing the aviation industry, has already set a milestone. Based in Taiwan with its excellent geographic location, he is transforming Metastar Airlines into a flight hub for the Asia-Pacific region. This allows more entrepreneurs, business people, and aviation enthusiasts from various countries to flexibly dispatch private jets to meet the rapidly changing business and travel demands within the Asia-Pacific region.
Through strategic alliances with the travel industry and business institutions, Metastar Airlines can provide private flight services to various destinations across Asia. It also promotes the concept of “flight time sharing” throughout the Asia-Pacific region and even the global market.
“Currently, we are establishing an aviation alliance in the Asia-Pacific region. This not only reduces flight costs but also integrates resources, quickly connecting industrial resources from various countries and allowing private jets to become drivers of mutual prosperity,” Hiroshi said. With his vision recognized and supported by various governments and the tourism industry, Metastar Airlines continues to explore more flight destinations, expanding its service range worldwide in a short period.
At this moment, Metastar Airlines aims to become a leader in the private aviation sector in the Asia-Pacific region and globally: “My vision is to use Taiwan’s excellent geographic location as a foundation to establish a comprehensive global aviation network that connects business centers worldwide, providing efficient and convenient flight services for international business people. From now to the foreseeable future, Metastar Airlines will continue to lead innovation with its core values and goals, expanding new business areas and markets to build a globally trusted private aviation brand.”
The Sustainable Future of Aviation Should Be Rooted in Education
“In the aviation industry, it is essential to have a sense of sentiment. Whether from the perspective of sustainability or industry development, one must look far ahead and have a solid foundation. In my view, education is something that cannot be overlooked.”
Metastar Airlines is also collaborating with various universities to cultivate pilots and maintenance technicians, ensuring a future supply of talent for the aviation industry. “We all hope this industry can provide a better quality of life for the next generation and lay a better foundation for future humanity on sustainability issues. Therefore, in addition to technical skills, giving young students a high-level perspective on the industry and an international outlook for the future is essential.”
Hiroshi is concerned about the next generation’s involvement in the future of the aviation industry and hopes to bring the dream of aviation to children in remote areas. For example, in a public welfare camp activity in Fuxing Township, Taoyuan, he personally led the children of Baleng Elementary School to learn about aircraft. “It’s not just about broadening horizons and sparking interest; I hope to plant the seeds of aviation dreams for their future. One day, any one of them might become a future leader in this industry!” When it comes to young students, Hiroshi is undoubtedly a “gentle guide.” In contrast, when reforming the private jet industry, he returns to the role of a “gentle disruptor,” showing determination while maintaining his sentiments.
“We are ‘gentle disruptors,’ aiming to break the boundaries of this industry, elevate its dimensions, bring more industries into cooperative development, involve more talent, and allow more people to enjoy the value of private jets.” Hiroshi believes that every effort by Metastar Airlines will blossom and bear fruit with the industry’s development. It will attract more like-minded and dedicated partners to join in, making the Asian private jet market more prosperous and establishing a leading position in the global market.
Under Hiroshi’s leadership, Metastar Airlines is likely to become a new benchmark for private aviation in the Asia-Pacific region. “This is just the beginning! I believe that private jets will become more popular in the near future, and the vision for the entire aviation industry will soon be rewritten into an exciting new chapter!”
Metastar Airlines and TDEA Business Transformation Institute Join Forces to Lead the Way
Recently, Hiroshi also participated in the “Business Transformation Institute” established by the Taiwan Digital Enterprise Association (TDEA). This institute is designed as a transformation accelerator for Taiwanese companies, aiming to blend tradition with innovation, helping businesses find new growth momentum during crucial moments of succession and transformation.
Here, new-generation entrepreneurs are encouraged to leverage internal and external entrepreneurial experiences and resources, supplemented by the infusion of funds and resources, to support the integration and development of the “first generation” and the “second generation” of innovators. Through this model, the institute not only serves as a growth platform for new-generation entrepreneurs but also acts as an amplifier of innovative thinking, guiding companies to find their unique path to transformation during changes.
“The private jet service industry, though not a new business model in the country, is a unique sector with a new blue ocean and is currently in the budding and growing stage. We have an excellent hybrid team, integrating youthful innovation with experienced stability. In addition to internal capabilities, Metastar also needs external forces, as introduced by the institute: ‘If you can walk with the strong, you have the opportunity to see the forthcoming new explosion point.’ Currently, Metastar is steadily laying the groundwork, waiting for the opportunity to leap forward explosively!”
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