WCC Aviation Holdings to acquire 30% of PhilJets in move into business aviation

WCC Aviation Holdings, the group behind one of the Philippines’ flying schools, is moving into business aviation. The company announced on October 20, 2026, that it has agreed to acquire a 30% stake in PhilJets Aero Services, a Manila-based operator of business jet and helicopter services.

The agreement was signed on October 15, 2026, by WCC Aviation Holdings President Dr. Raymond Patrick V. Guico and PhilJets Chairman Thierry Tea. 

Financial terms have not been disclosed. The deal builds on a working relationship between the two companies that goes back about a decade.

From the classroom to the cockpit to the hangar

WCC Aviation Holdings already spans several parts of the aviation industry. It owns WCC Aeronautical & Technological College (WCC ATC), WCC Pilot Academy and regional airline Sky Pasada, covering education, pilot training and airline operations.

The stake in PhilJets adds business aviation to that mix, including aircraft management, charter flights, maintenance, technical services, flight dispatch, trip support and ground handling.

“Our vision is to connect the full journey, from educating aviation professionals and training pilots to serving passengers and growing aviation businesses,” Guico said. “With WCC ATC, Pilot Academy and Sky Pasada, we have built a foundation across education and operations. This investment in PhilJets advances that vision, creating opportunities for our businesses to grow and for aviation talent to move forward.”

WCC’s aviation businesses sit within a broader education group. World Citi Colleges has more than 50 years of history, currently serves over 20,000 students across 30 hectares of facilities and claims to have produced more than 200,000 employed graduates.

PhilJets supports a mixed fleet of business jets and helicopters

PhilJets operates and supports both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters for customers in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia. Its technical work covers avionics, engines and airframes, and it is the representative of Safran Helicopter Engines for civil and commercial customers.

“PhilJets has developed capabilities to manage, support and operate a multi-type fleet of aircraft from Gulfstream to Bombardier or Cessna Citation as well as Airbus and Bell Helicopters,” said Tea, who founded the company.

He suggested that the partnership would help “further strengthen the aviation ecosystem and build on stronger safety, quality and innovation”.

“We are delighted to enter a new era of opportunities in the Philippines aviation industry,” Tea added.

More than 300 trainees have passed through PhilJets’ programs

Developing Filipino aviation talent is a key part of the deal. PhilJets runs on-the-job training and a Management Training Program for students and recent graduates, which more than 300 participants have completed so far.

Some of those trainees have gone on to work for Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Lufthansa Technik, while others have built careers abroad in Asia, the Middle East and North America.

Under the partnership, the two companies plan to explore student immersion, mentoring, practical training and job opportunities for qualified graduates. They also aim to align training more closely with industry needs in areas such as flight planning, flight dispatch, maintenance procedures and safety practices.

A bet on growing demand for aviation in Southeast Asia

The investment comes as air travel and business aviation continue to expand across Southeast Asia. 

For WCC, the deal widens its aviation portfolio beyond training and airline operations. For PhilJets, it brings in a strategic shareholder whose schools and training programs could help to supply its future workforce.

The two companies have declared their intention to work together to grow their businesses, expand their capabilities and develop talent for the aviation industry in the Philippines and the wider ASEAN region.

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