Aviation Week Show News - November 11, 2007 - (Page 1)

BUSINESS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11 DUBAI 2007 AVIATION • SPECIAL SECT I O N Gulfstream Booming in the Middle East Gulfstream expects to sign two new sales contracts with Middle East customers here at the show, further cementing its leading role in the region. The installed base has risen to 88 aircraft from 60 just five years ago—a 47% jump, notes Joe Lombardo, president of the aerospace company. “It’s a mixture of models, but Joe Lombardo. they are mostly in the large cabin category of aircraft,” he told Show News. “The demand for ultra long-range, higher speed, air types of aircraft, I think, is growing, and we are trying to be as responsive to that as we can. “Of course, we have the G550, which currently is, in our opinion, in a market by itself in terms of range and capability. But there is always an interest in doing more than that. Because of the global nature of business now, there is more and more demand to be able to go longer distances and be able to do so more quickly. If you look at our installed fleet in the Middle East, 25 of them are the ultra long-range, large-cabin G550. In 2002 there were only nine of them here.” Gulfstream has responded to the growth of the fleet by increasing its support in the region. It appointed Jet Aviation an authorized service center, and has added $8 million worth of spares to its Dubai-based inventory. “So we can supply parts in-region instead of shipping them long distances,” Lombardo added. In addition, Gulfstream has two field service representatives on hand, one each in Dubai and Bahrain, to offer assistance around the clock. —John Morris Jet Aviation’s completion center outfits more than 20 Falcon jets a year, as well as 747s, ACJ and BBJ business aircraft. Jet Wins Three 787 Completions Jet Aviation of Basel (stand E546) has taken a resounding lead in widebody completions with winning the outfitting of the first three VVIP Boeing 787 Dreamliners. It has signed up no fewer than nine widebody completions in the last six months, including two A340s, four BBJs and the 787s, to be delivered by 2014. The business is worth well in excess of $200 million. The work will be made possible by construction of a new 9,600 sq m hangar at Jet Aviation’s base in Basel, Switzerland. Royal Jet Aims to Keep Its Crown Royal Jet of Abu Dhabi recently celebrated the delivery of its 5th Boeing Business Jet, making it the world’s largest fleet operator of BBJs. “The BBJ strategy has been the foundation of our success,” says Royal Jet president and CEO Shane O’Hare. “There is a global shortage of BBJs for charter, and we’re seeing an increasing number of trips from outside this region.” The latest was a three week tour of Asia by the rock band Black Eyed Peas. O’Hare estimates the Middle East private jet charter market at $1 billion, in which Royal Jet is the top player with a 16% share. It plans to expand with the market at 20-25% a year, adding to its five BBJs, two G300s, two Learjet 35s and a 55 (the latter mostly for medevac), and a GIVSP—its first under management. Royal Jet (it is owned by the Amiri Flight and the Abu Dhabi government) aims to expand its quality ground services in Abu Dhabi and perhaps elsewhere, with a VIP terminal and maintenance hangar planned for 2012. “We already service all business jets coming into Abu Dhabi—about 100 a month,” he said. —John Morris Royal Jet’s Shane O’Hare will discuss growth plans here at the show.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Aviation Week Show News - November 11, 2007

Aviation Week Show News - November 11, 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.