Gama radiates out into new territory

 It’s a typical question for a business aviation flight support operator: What is the fastest way for me to get to a business meeting in downtown Dubai?

The answer might be a surprise. Go via Sharjah.

But that is the premise that has seen UK-headquartered business aviation group Gama tie up with Sharjah International Airport to invest in a new FBO facility at the airport.

For managing director of Gama Aviation in the Middle East, Dave Edwards it is a question of simple mathematics.

“We reckon that from landing to chocks-on time of just six minutes and an arrival process that is seamless and effortless, customers arriving at Sharjah can be in downtown Dubai in just 20 minutes. We are seeing it take 40 minutes to offload at Dubai International, so we know we are quicker,” Edwards explained.

Sharjah International Airport’s ease of access makes it one of the most efficient and easy to use airports in the region and Gama believes the message is getting out.

“For us it is about moving people through the airport in the shortest possible time. We are seeing numbers increasing, and picking up lots of referral business. We haven’t been promoting or advertising yet as we don’t want to outrun ourselves. We are looking for sustained development but the numbers are up. From a standing start in January there were about 30 movements. We are now doing around 140. It is happening.”

Edwards has an office in the Dubai Airport Free Zone and a number of clients based in Dubai. “I get them to meet in our sales office and we drive from there to here in 15 minutes; they are always surprised that it is as quick as it is. It is further away than the FBOs at Dubai Airport but you are in the air quicker. If you can make the journey quicker it is what business aviation all about.”

Edwards has nothing but praise for the support of Sharjah Airport. “That support is key to it all. If they didn’t want it to succeed it wouldn’t. They are so much behind it,” he said.

With a team of 27 Emiratis working as liaison specialists, known as PROs, business jet customers can send their passports and baggage in advance for screening and when the customer arrives somebody from the PRO team helps whisk them through formalities and on to the aircraft.

“We are compliant with GCAA guidelines,” said Jeremy Mitchell who joined Gama to head the FBO team from Sharjah Aviation Services. “We advance clear the passports and take the baggage. But, even if the customer comes with extra baggage, the screening is close to where we operate and within five minutes the screening can be complete. Meanwhile, the passenger clears immigration and is driven to the aircraft. It is all very quick.”

Again, Edwards believes they beat Dubai on speed. “On the ramp at Dubai, the FBO will have to drive to the stand where the business jets are being parked – and that is wherever there is space. I am not knocking Dubai Airport. Emirates has done a wonderful job and as an airport do you want an A380 or a Gulfstream? Well, you would want the A380 every time.

“There is still a stigma about the transport links to Sharjah but the reality is that is has changed and is getting even better. The roadworks on the main highway will be finished next year and it will be even smoother. If you believe the rumours, as the summer season starts then there will be a push towards moving business aviation from Dubai International to Dubai World Central (DWC).

“I look at where we take most of our customers – the Dubai International Financial Centre and the E – it is not to the marina or the Palm. DWC will have great facilities and great FBOs when they are built, but it is 45 minutes to an hour to get to the business centre. If I can do it in 17 minutes, then it is a good sales prospect.”

It was January when Gama signed the deal with Sharjah to have exclusive handling of executive aviation at the airport. This was Gama’s first expansion into FBO management in the MENA region, although the company has been operating at Sharjah since 2004.

Gama Aviation had been instrumental in expanding the airport’s business aviation activity with a number of its UAE-managed fleet based there.

Initially Gama has been using the royal majlis at the airport as its terminal but Edwards and Mitchell are hopeful that the new building will be ready by January 2013 – if not before.

In early October the site was still a lawn between the majlis and the civil aviation authority offices.

“We had originally looked at building a new FBO at the far end of the airport with hangars alongside. But we realised we might lose our great advantage of the quick passage through,” said Edwards. “We had to look again and came up with a modular building that will have a three-year lifespan but will enable us to demonstrate our capability.”

The challenge of finding hangarage was solved when AVE.com, a Kyrgyzstani-owned charter business, collapsed and its hangar – next door to Gama’s existing MRO hangar – became available.

“This was ideal for us. It meant we could move right in and begin operations.”

In August, Gama Support Services was awarded CGAA part 145 for the maintenance of Bombardier Challenger 601, 604 and 605s as well as the King Air 200, which allowed it to expand services at the Sharjah base by providing line maintenance. Gama Aviation had already become one of the first UAE-based business jet operators to achieve CAR Part M maintenance management approval. 

“We were delighted that the GCAA recognised Gama’s commitment to investing, supporting and growing business aviation services in the region,” Edwards said. “I know our customers will appreciate the additional maintenance and management services we have been approved to provide.”

But there are no immediate moves towards offering third-party services, although the company is hopeful of getting EASA approvals too. “We need to be providing maintenance services for our managed fleet,” Edwards said. “We don’t want to rely on third parties for dispatch reliability. So, primarily, the main role is to look after our aircraft. We also have a Legacy in our fleet now and hope to have Part 145 authorisation by the end of the year for that too.”

Gama has added two more aircraft to its managed fleet in the region during this year. “That is something of a result,” Edwards said. “During the past year hardly any new aircraft have come into the region, so any movement has been between operators. Therefore, taking two is pleasing.

“The charter business has been flat too. We haven’t seen any of the traditional spikes such as Ramadan or Eid. The unsettled nature of the region has been the biggest problem. Outside of the seasonal spikes nearly all of the business travel is through the Middle East region. That has slowed right down with the events in Lebanon and Syria.”

The economy has not helped either but Edwards believes that, once a new US president is elected, things will change.

“The economy always seems to suffer when there is a US election. When the global economy suffers so does business aviation. After the election is over hopefully things will pick up again.”

 And when they do, Sharjah’s new FBO will be there to greet them.