Flying one plane is exciting. Running an entire aviation company? That’s a 24/7 grind that can make you rich today and broke tomorrow.
For Captain Joy Roa, the jump from being a banner-towing pilot to running a full aviation services company revealed just how tough scaling really is.
“With banner towing, you are the only pilot and only responsible for the people on the ground,” Roa told Financial Adviser PH. “You have to make sure your advertising audience saw the ad and when you land and shut the engine off your plane, you are done and can go home.”
That simplicity vanished once he moved into aircraft management. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about him—it was about everyone else too.
“With aircraft management, one has to plan ahead. You are now responsible for the other pilots, the mechanics, the planning of maintenance, the buying of parts, customs clearing,” he explained. “We also have to think of the passengers’ safety, training and re-currency of both flight and maintenance crew.”
Scaling means never switching off
When you fly a single banner-towing plane, your job ends when the engine stops. But when you manage fleets of aircraft, the job never really ends.
“Accounting for all the expenses and making sure all the nav fees, landing fees, subscription to maintenance manuals, payment of engine and APU plans are updated, Jeppesen and other navigational subscriptions are up to date,” Roa said. “Manuals are made for all the operations and safety department will need to be updated with lectures and procedures. One will need to manage not only himself but the whole operations of not only one but many airplanes. I never get to walk away from the office.”
For Roa, scaling up meant accepting that aviation was no longer just a passion—it was a full-time, all-consuming responsibility.
The money rollercoaster
Running airplanes is expensive. Unlike other businesses, where cash flow can be predictable, aviation can flip fortunes overnight.
“In the aviation business, one can be rich today and poor tomorrow,” Roa admitted. “I have always learned to save when income was good.”
That financial discipline came from necessity. His first investment wasn’t from venture capital or outside investors. It was from selling something personal.
“Yes, my initial capital was the proceeds of my graduation gift car that my dad gave me. I decided to sell and buy myself an airplane to start the business,” he said.
When opportunities to expand came up, he leaned on family—but always paid them back. “There was a time that my parents lent me the title of one of our properties to help me finance expansion and fortunately, I was never default in payments and have been able to fully pay them and the bank back,” he explained.
Risk management, aviation-style
Beyond the mechanics and money, Roa’s survival came down to how he handled risk in one of the most volatile industries in the world.
“By doing conservative investments and by trusting my gut feel,” he said. “Being in the industry long enough allows me to have a feel of airplanes and people who like to do business easily.”
That mix of prudence and instinct has been his edge. He doesn’t chase every opportunity. He studies, saves, and only takes risks when his instincts say the timing is right.
Lessons from the cockpit
Scaling a business sounds glamorous, but Roa is the first to admit it’s grueling. He went from being the only pilot in the sky to being responsible for pilots, mechanics, crews, regulators, and passengers—all while managing the financial rollercoaster of aviation.
“I never get to walk away from the office,” he said. And that’s the reality of leadership: you don’t get to turn it off.
For entrepreneurs dreaming of scaling, Roa’s story offers three clear lessons:
Scaling means complexity. Growth isn’t just more income—it’s more responsibility, paperwork, and people.
Discipline with money is non-negotiable. Save when times are good, because in aviation (and business), the downturn always comes.
Balance caution with instinct. Conservative investments and gut feel aren’t opposites—they’re survival skills.
From selling a graduation gift car to managing fleets of aircraft, Joy Roa’s journey proves that scaling up isn’t about flying higher—it’s about learning to handle the turbulence.
