With this certification in hand, Comlux Malta is able to provide line maintenance services for EASA-registered Airbus A320 and A220 aircraft at its facilities in Malta and Dubai.

To further enhance the approval, the upcoming efforts will be directed to expand the certification by Bombardier and Boeing aircraft.

Lorenzo Pagnan, general manager at Comlux Malta said: “Securing the EASA PART-145 certification is a significant achievement for Comlux Malta, complementing our existing air operator certificate and continuing airworthiness management organization (CAMO) certifications. This underscores our commitment to excellence and growth. We are excited about the opportunities ahead as we continue to enhance our expertise in maintenance services.”

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Victor is partnering with Finnish SAF producer Neste. To date, the company said it has had 427 SAF bookings, with average spend per booking at AED4,500, helping it achieve total CO2 reduction of 653 tonnes.

Sharing its learnings, the company said that: “One in five private aircraft charterers are willing to pay an additional AED4,500 for SAF per booking, providing an average carbon emission reduction of 1.5 tonnes. The average amount of Jet-A fossil fuel Victor customers choose to replace with SAF is 30% per booking. Victor’s aim in 2024 is for at least one in five MENA customers to buy SAF for their jet charter bookings”.

The company said it is working on two-pronged approach of increasing voluntary SAF demand and encourage adoption of its SAF blueprint by other business and commercial aviation companies across MENA.

“Our results in partnership with Neste evidence many flyers acknowledge they are living beyond their environmental means and will therefore voluntarily pay more for their carbon consumption when they fly.  We strongly advocate for the wider aviation industry to accelerate SAF demand by enabling all flyers to voluntarily buy SAF,” said Toby Edwards, co-CEO, Victor.

Victor recently relocated its headquarters to Abu Dhabi from the UK.

Victor and Neste signed a partnership agreement in June 2022 for SAF purchases.

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The region, in particular the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is a favourable climate for the market with government supporting a transition to a more sustainable future, according to ArcosJet. The firm made the announce during this week’s Corporate Jet Investor Dubai 2024. ArcosJet is the exclusive deal to handle private sales in the UAE, Israel and Cyprus of German firm Lilium’s eVTOL aircraft which is currently under development.

Mikhail Alenkin (pictured centre), ArcosJet CEO and founder, said the UAE today is the world’s main hub for innovation, finance, transportation and finding solutions to environmental issues. The current economic conditions, the concentration of HNWIs, the high level of urbanisation and, of course, the interest in advanced sustainable technologies are the key drivers for the eVTOL market development in the region, he said.

“ArcosJet sees eVTOLs in general, and the Lilium Jet in particular, as a very effective tool for creating a modern, high-tech and sustainable system of advanced air mobility and last mile transportation in the region. Today, the Lilium Jet is one of the most remarkable and significantly developed programs when it comes to eVTOLs. The technical solutions, scope of work and goals are very impressive and convincing.” added Alenkin.

ArcosJet anticipates that eVTOLs will initially emerge in the UAE as a supplement for existing helicopter services, which are currently considered underdeveloped. The firm is also investing in developing an ecosystem for the operation and maintenance of helicopters and eVTOLs in the UAE.

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Earlier this month, the UAE-based aviation veteran won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Aviation Achievement Awards (AAA) ceremony in Dubai. The company he founded, Aviation Services Management, was also awarded the 25 Years of Excellence Award in the Flight Support Services category at the same event.

“I am honoured to receive these awards,” Gomes told CJI. “Although it bears my name, this recognition truly belongs to every member of the ASM team. I would like to thank them for being with me throughout this journey. When we started with a small team of 2-3 members, we had not imagined it would go so far and one day it would be a leading provider of services for major airlines and general aviation industry. What makes me proud and happy is that those people who started with me back then are still part of our journey today. My team is the main reason why we have won these awards.”

Gomes began his journey in Aviation as a trainee with Air Portugal back in the early 1980s. He then joined Abu Dhabi Airport in 1985 and worked in cargo, passenger, and ground handling where he observed that there are some critical service gaps between airlines, operators, and service providers. In 1994, Gomes was tasked with the foundation of an airline from ground up, an experience that further highlighted the existing service voids. This became a catalyst for establishing ASM in 1998, with a vision to fill those gaps.

“I worked on building the airline from scratch,” said Gomes. “There I worked for many years overseeing the beginning of its operations in many countries. Then I realized it’s time that I start something of my own as I could clearly see the needs of the industry and an opportunity to address them.”

In 1998, Gomes launched ASM, initially providing ground handling, flight planning, permits, and concierge services to private jets. Over time, with growing experience and success, ASM expanded its offerings to include comprehensive trip support services, including fuel services, and now serves over 160 airlines worldwide.

A pivotal moment in ASM’s journey was the acquisition of our own fleet of private jets in 2016, granting us invaluable firsthand experience as private jet owners. This experience deepened our understanding of the unique needs of aircraft owners and eventually led us to acquire our own Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the UAE GCAA. ‘Currently, we operate two aircraft and are actively engaging with other owners to explore the expansion of our fleet under our AOC,’ Gomes noted.

Expansion hasn’t been limited to service lines; Gomes has also pursued his vision for international expansion. “With our head office in Dubai and offices in countries such as India, Kenya and Sri Lanka, we are currently serving our clients worldwide. However, we aim to further increase our geographic presence by establishing a physical presence in all major hubs. Our current target markets include Africa, Saudi Arabia, Southeast Asia, and Central & South America.”

“We are going to be more involved in Saudi Arabia, that is a growing market. The Middle East is definitely a place to be, there is always something or other new coming up — especially with the amount of events we have in the region.”

Despite the challenges presented by both the 2008 financial crash and the COVID-induced pandemic beginning in 2020, Aviation Services Management has continued to perform. “We had difficulties [during COVID] but were able to sustain our business. However, now I would say we are doing much better. We have increased our business by at least 20-25%. That is one of the reasons why we have looked to expand in to other countries.”

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“Today is a special day,” said Richard Gaona, Executive Chairman and CEO of Comlux. “First of all, I want to thank our client, FIVE for their trust. I also wish to thank the Comlux and Airbus Teams who worked so diligently to bring this magnificent space to life. This is the first of many amazing ACJ TwoTwenty cabins we will develop.”

The ACJ TwoTwenty is equipped with Pratt & Whitney engines and a cabin that has been engineered and designed to be the first of its kind. The spacious cabin boasts all the conveniences of modern luxury living, but in the sky.

Gaona added “This aircraft is a spectacular new chapter for FIVE,” said Aloki Batra, CEO, FIVE Hospitality. “A world-famous frontrunner in entertainment driven hospitality, FIVE now expands its’ award-winning portfolio to include a FIVE-styled experience that extends the unique and matchless ‘Vibe at FIVE’ from our hotels on–ground to a luxe immersive experience amongst the clouds.

We will now be able to offer a flawless and bespoke experience by establishing the next level in private aviation. Fly FIVE is FIVE Hotel and Resort’s newest home in the skies – and we are excited to welcome our guests on board!”

Benoit Deforge, ACJ President added “With its stunning design, spacious two times larger cabin than a typical business jet and state-of-the-art technology including unparalleled on-board connectivity, the ACJ TwoTwenty sets a new standard in long-haul business travel. We are immensely proud to see this game-changing aircraft complete, offering unbeatable operational efficiency, and unmatched comfort. I have no doubt that it will be embraced by its users and raise the bar in the business jet market.”

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Jet Aviation, a General Dynamics subsidiary, has added further modular tail docking capabilities to the maintenance hangar for structural repairs on aircraft in the Dubai airport.  It also extended refurbishment facilities at the site, including its full-cabin refurbishment, avionic modifications and high-speed internet offerings.

Hardy Bütschi, vice president, regional operations, Middle East and Dubai, Jet Aviation said the expansion was driven by demand in the region.

“Over the past year we have seen more requests for larger cabin refurbishment, structural repair projects, avionic modifications, and upgrades at our fixed-wing maintenance site in Dubai and have adapted and expanded our capabilities to match,” he said. It has also expanded its line maintenance and on-site support services in the region. 

The Dubai facility has also improved its eddy current and ultrasonic equipment to support increasing volumes of non-destructive testing (NDT) inspections, as well as growing its on-site borescope capabilities both in-house and with regional OEM partners.

The company is expanding further in the Middle East, having extended its line maintenance capabilities into Al Bateen Airport, Abu Dhabi. It also plans to expand into Saudi Arabia in 2023.

“We have been operating in the Middle East for over 40 years,” said Jeremie Caillet, senior vice president, regional operations EMEA, Jet Aviation. “The Middle East is a key strategic hub in our network, and we are committed to supporting the growth of business aviation across the region.”

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This was reflected in the audience at Corporate Jet Investor’s Dubai 2022 conference this week, where 55% were optimistic about their business in the next 12 months. The other 45% were very optimistic. 

But Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, founding and executive chairman at the Middle East and North African Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) started the conference with a warning.

“Business is going well but in reality, we are under attack,” he said. Alnaqbi highlighted the recent issues in France. And stressed that the industry needs to focus on sustainability and giving back with humanitarian flights. “We need to be leaders, not followers,” he stressed. Some 63% of delegates felt that the industry was under attack.

One country that is keen to grow its business aviation industry is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme is best known for its planned megaprojects – which include the new economic area NEOM; ‘The Line’ a 170km-long straight-line city (part of NEOM); and the Red Sea Project which aims to unlock tourism.

“Not one person in Saudi Arabia has any doubt these projects will happen,” said Mohammed Bokhari, CEO of Aviation Horizons, a business jet and cargo operator.

Vision 2030 has three pillars: first, the country’s status as the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds; second, making the country a global investment powerhouse; and third, making Saudi Arabia a global hub by connecting Africa, Asia and Europe.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) wants to grow business aviation to help make Vision 2030 a reality. The country is set to add four dedicated business aviation airports, 11 private jet terminals/FBOs and more than 400 helipads. (NEOM is being built with electric vertical aircraft in mind).

“Saudi Arabia is very much open for business aviation,” said Yosef Hafiz, vice-president sales and marketing at NASJET. “And there is going to be very strong growth with opportunities for both local and international companies.”

GACA is aiming to grow business jet flights from 17,000 to 93,000 per year by 2030. “We definitely see Saudi Arabia as one of the most exciting markets,” said Jeremie Caillet, senior vice president regional operations Europe, Middle East and Africa. Jet Aviation has operated in the country for more than 40 years.

Several Dubai operators were openly sceptical that the Kingdom will overtake the UAE as a business aviation hub. “It took years of work for Dubai to overtake Saudi Arabia as the centre of business aviation in 2016 and it is a mistake to underestimate all of this,” said one operator.

Dubai is also home to a significant number of Russian-owned business jets. With manufacturers no longer supporting them, many non-sanctioned Russian owners are now selling their aircraft. Several aircraft have now traded with dealers taking title. No one is interested in working with any individual or aircraft on a sanctions list. 

Middle Eastern operators are still affected by supply issues – both lack of aircraft inventory and a shortage of parts for aircraft already delivered – but they have no doubt that demand should continue. Qatar and other airports in the region are also gearing up for the FIFA Football World Cup in eight weeks. You can see why people are feeling optimistic.

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The G650ER departed Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai on November 13 and flew 6,159 nautical miles/11,407 kilometers to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The flight took 13 hours and 10 minutes at an average cruise speed in excess of Mach 0.87.

The flight has yet to be verified by the FAA and once verified the city-pair record will be sent to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in Switzerland for recognition as a world record.

“The G650ER gives our customers the gift of time by getting somewhere fast and enhancing efficiency in every aspect of business travel.”

Scott Neal, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Gulfstream said: “The G650ER gives our customers the gift of time by getting somewhere fast and enhancing efficiency in every aspect of business travel. Linking these two financial centers so quickly is a real-world demonstration of the G650ER’s singular capabilities. No other aircraft can do what the G650ER can.”

The Gulfstream G650 and G650ER currently hold more than 50 world records.

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The approval shows that 328 Design GmbH is in compliance with all regulatory requirements for product changes on aircraft registered in the UAE, which are recognised by the A6- prefix on all tail numbers.

This approval allows the company changes and repairs approved for aircraft modifications on UAE-registered aircraft without any limitations in avionic installations, ranging from satellite communications installations all the way up to complete aircraft conversions.

Jörg Gorkenant, head of 328DO, said: “This is a great achievement for the company as this approval allows 328 to further expand its activities into the very valuable aerospace market in the Middle East.”

At present, 328, which is now a subsiduary of the Sierra Nevada Group, is working on a range of aircraft including VVIP/VIP narrow, wide body aircraft and business jets.

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“We are in an interesting position in the industry as we see first hand how clients are upgrading or expanding their fleet,” says president Dennis Cruz.

Go Aviation offers a range of services including paint restoration, interior cleaning, brightwork polishing, gear detailing, wet wash and dry wash services, which it introduced to the Middle East. The company is close to tying-up a partnership that will add significant value to their menu of services.

With corporate airliners built by Airbus and Boeing playing a big role in the Middle East’s business jet fleet, it is clear that appearance is big business in the region. Cruz says a contract for a Boeing Business Jet could cost anywhere between $3,000 and $30,000 per service, depending on the level of detail and polishing requested by the customer.

Contracts with MEBA, Dubai Air Show and Emirates

The company was recently awarded the multiple year contract to clean, polish and maintain the overall appearance of the aircraft on the static display at last December’s Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) show and the upcoming Dubai Air Show.

“It was the first time we have been awarded this contract,” says Marc Lelah, vice president of Go Aviation. “It makes the most sense to utilise a local company that is capable when considering the equipment, supplies and manpower that is required for cleaning and polishing so many aircraft in a short period of time.”

One of the jewels of the MEBA show was an Airbus A319ACJ (msn 4822 / A6-CJE), the first ever corporate jet operated by Emirates. This is an aircraft that Go Aviation knows particularly well, recently signing a contract with Emirates for VVIP aircraft appearance services.

Scientific approach

Cruz is very keen to be able to prove the success of the company’s methods to its customers. “We do not want it to be judged only by the eye, we want to provide our clients facts and figures,” he says.

For polishing services, the company takes an initial gloss measurement based on a scale of 1-100. The customer is then given a report of what Go Aviation is able to offer them. When their aircraft is returned after service, they are given a new report that shows the aircraft’s improved gloss reading, as well as before and after photos.

“We took a sample reading from the red stripe on a customer’s Gulfstream GIV; we were able to improve that from 21 to 87,” says Lelah. “A brand new aircraft usually has a gloss measurement of around 97, but that’s only if they’ve done a fantastic job on it.”

Middle Eastern migration

Go Aviation’s roots are in the US, where it offered similar services for business and commercial aircraft under a different name. The company continues to recruit its management from the US and UK, but now finds its labour from Nepal, Bangladesh, Philippines and Pakistan.

Before moving to Dubai, the company worked with a number of Middle Eastern flight departments and began to look into further opportunities in the region.“We received our first invitation from a Middle Eastern flight department in 2006,” says Cruz.

“It takes a serious investment of capital and time,” adds Cruz, who is currently setting up new bases in the UAE and KSA.

Like all business aviation companies in the UAE, Go Aviation has had to adapt to the bulk of the region’s activity shifting from Dubai International Airport to Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum Airport, with last year’s runway closures signalling the start of a long-term migration.

“We welcomed the shift to DWC,” says Lelah. “There is so much potential there and so much being developed. Our clients have been able to rely on us 24/7 to keep their aircraft looking great, considering the sandy and windy conditions at DWC.”

“We did not come to Dubai expecting much business from DWC, but last year it was a good percentage of our business. It was pretty astounding for us when we looked at the numbers.”

The company has been able to develop healthy relationships with the FBOs at Dubai World Central – Jet Aviation Execujet, DC Al-Futtaim Aviation and Jetex – some of which are also authorised service centres for several OEMs.

Ramp Envy

Go Aviation’s latest offering is an all–inclusive, flat-rate monthly programme that incorporates a smartphone app called Ramp Envy, which is currently undergoing beta testing, before it is launched in the spring.

Ramp Envy is open to all clients and is based on the size of the aircraft, the frequency of flight time, and the customer’s goals for the appearance of the aircraft.

“Customers will be able to use the app to schedule service and track the appearance history of their aircraft that includes before and after photos,” says Lelah. “We don’t want to give away all of our secrets, but our clients will be receiving a nice treat with our Ramp Envy App.”

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