Gama Aviation gets green light to expand operations at Sharjah

The facility is designed to meet the needs of the Middle East business aviation market which is expected to grow by 7% a year between now and 20241. 

The company increased its operations at the airport in August 2015, including acquiring additional aircraft parking space to meet the growing demand it was experiencing for its large-cabin business aviation services.  The expansion also gave Gama Aviation’s fixed base operation (FBO) and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) teams the mandate to personally supervise the business aircraft left in their care, ensuring clients receive the highest possible levels of service. 

Martin Ringrose, managing director for Gama Aviation Middle East, said: “We are delighted to have received official approval for our new hangar at Sharjah International Airport. Our team of dedicated and experienced industry professionals have enabled us to grow our presence in the Middle East, offering our customers the high-quality, flexible and client-focused service that is expected of a globally leading aviation service provider, whilst also saving time and money.” 

New analysis2 by Gama Aviation has revealed that there are currently 95 large cabin business aircraft (comprising midsize and heavy jets and jet airliners) based in the UAE, representing roughly 17% of the region’s business aircraft fleet. However, the UAE market has outstripped the region in terms of growth, accounting for 26% of the all large cabin business jet deliveries to the region between 2010 and 2014. This means that more than a third (37%) of the UAE’s large cabin business jets are less than five years old and is indicative of the huge demand for large cabin, long-range business aircraft being experienced in the region. 

Furthermore, the Middle Eastern business aviation market is expected to experience a 7% CAGR between now and 20242, with 410 business aircraft expected to be delivered across the region over a ten-year period. Medium and large aircraft are expected to account for as much as 85% (340 units) of all deliveries, underlining the anticipated continued demand for large aircraft across the region. 

Gama Aviation believes that Sharjah International Airport’s location makes it perfectly situated to capitalise on this ongoing demand for business aviation in the region – especially for those looking to travel to Dubai, given that the airport is situated closest to the city’s downtown business district. 

Martin Ringrose continued: “Our Sharjah FBO is just 30 minutes from Downtown Dubai, making our offering extremely competitive when compared to others in the region – notably Dubai South, which is an hour’s drive away from Downtown Dubai. We expect our enhanced offering at Sharjah International Airport to allow more and more business travellers to save time and money by taking the most direct route to Dubai, Sharjah and the rest of the northern Emirates.”