EBACE Show News - May 21, 2008 - (Page 50)

EBACE 2008 Gama Buys PrivatAir, Has 60 Aircraft Farnborough-based Gama Aviation made news earlier this year when it doubled in size by acquiring PrivatAir Inc, the U.S. subsidiary of the Swiss corporate aviation charter group. Gama’s owned and managed fleet now numbers around 60 aircraft in total, making it a significant player in business aircraft charter, management, and medical transport. Not bad for a company that started business with one King Air 25 years ago. Marwan Khalek, CEO of Gama Group, says of his U.S. PrivatAir takeover, “The acquisition has been received well by our U.S. customers. I think that there was a period of uncertainty amongst staff and customers when PrivatAir put the business up for sale. Other companies were in the hunt, and customers and staff were worried that the company would be changed significantly. Staff and customers were relieved to find that we totally understand this business and that it will move in the right direction. “We are building on what is fundamentally a very sound foundation, but the business had lost a bit of direction over the last year or two as it became known that it was for sale. We have a good bunch of people there, and have re-focused on the fact that our core business is aircraft management,” said Khalek. “We intend to add to our quality fleet, and in fact have taken on a couple more aircraft since the acquisition. We’re hungry for business and looking for aircraft to manage, from light jets through to BBJs. We’ll supply everything right up to full management packages.” From Europe Gama operates a BBJ, Global Express, Global 5000, various types of Gulfstream up to the G550, Challengers, Hawkers (including Hawker 4000) Learjet 45s and 60s, as well as Beechcraft 1900, Beach, Florida, and Norwich, New York. “We will be adding four or five aircraft across the board in the course of this year,” said Khalek. The company also has bases at Aberdeen and Glasgow for its Scottish Ambulance operation using medevac-equipped King Airs, and has business jets more or less permanently based in Moscow and Switzerland. Khalek says his strategy is to develop into two markets, the U.S., and UAE. With the first part achieved, the expansion of the UAE link is underway. In Dubai, Gama currently manages a UK-registered business jet which is semi-permanently based there. “We have been chartering out there and our intention is to develop in this market. We should have our own UAE AOC by the third quarter this year, and the plan is to develop a full FBO and maintenance operation there. In the meantime, if a sensible business opportunity turns up in the region, we will go for it.” Khalek says that as a part of his company’s philosophy there will always be a core-owned charter fleet underpinning the managed fleet. From where will further growth come? “We see it coming from the U.S., whether it’s growth of the market or our share in it. The fastest growth is going to come from the Middle East and the Far East though.” Gama also has its own aircraft maintenance arm in the UK, primarily focused on King Air maintenance for third parties, but line and limited base maintenance is exclusively for its own fleet. Asked if he is looking for VLJs to operate, Khalek told Show News, “I don’t think we would buy them ourselves, but if owners offer them we will happily manage and charter them”. Gama is exhibiting at EBACE for the first time, Booth 423. —Mike Vines Gama group CEO Marwan Khalek. 200C, Sikorsky S76C++, and various Eurocopters. The U.S. Operation is headquartered in Stratford, Connecticut, and has operating bases in Teterboro, New Jersey, West Palm BBA Aviation Adds 16 Engine Models BBA Aviation’s Dallas Airmotive engine repair and overhaul division has added 16 new engine models to its existing authorizations on Pratt & Whitney Canada engines. The additions encompass eight new models of the PT6A, seven models of the PW100 and one model of the PW500. “Dallas Airmotive has been a distributor and designated overhaul facility for the PT6A since 1967,” commented BBA Aviation’s president of ERO, Hugh McElroy. “With these additions we are now authorized for repair and overhaul on 51 different models of this venerable engine, making us one of the leading PT6A R&O providers in the world.” Dallas Airmotive became a designated overhaul facility for the PW100 in 1989. The seven new model authorizations bring to 27 the total number of PW100 variants the company repairs and overhauls. The PW500 DOF authorization was awarded to Dallas Airmotive in 2004 for the three engine models powering the Cessna Citation Bravo, Encore and Excel. The newest addition is for the PW545B used on the Cessna Citation XLS. The subtle elegance of a Versace interior. First Versace AW119 Ordered by a Russian The first AgustaWestland AW119 Ke single-turbine light helicopter featuring a Versace-styled interior has been ordered by a Russian customer. It will be outfitted with a six-seat cabin and used for VIP/corporate transport. Four other AW119 Kes have recently been sold to Russian customers. With his latest order the AW119 Ke joins AgustaWestland’s AW109 Power and Grand and AW139 helicopters in being completed with Versace interiors and paint schemes. 50 May 21, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EBACE Show News - May 21, 2008

A318 Elite is on a Roll A Circle Around London P&WC Deliveries Triple Avanti Sees Sales Shift RUAG Eyes Needy Cabins Global Gets Even NICEr Embraer Beefs Up Support Honeywell ‘Virtual VFR’ Signature Europe Grows Gestair Seeks to Double Aero-Dienst Turns 50 Gama Doubles in Size All is Not Woe with Oil Ocean Sky is Aggressive

EBACE Show News - May 21, 2008

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