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.

The post ArcosJet: ‘UAE will be a springboard for electric air taxi services’ appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

The company has added a Bombardier Global 6000 and Global 5000 to operate on behalf of the private owners, bringing its fleet up to 11 jets in total.

The management contracts cover full flight operational aircraft management services, continuous airworthiness management organisation, maintenance, hangar parking and FBO handling at DCAF’s facility at Al Maktoum International Airport.

“The addition of these two exceptional business jets, in addition to the Global 7500 earlier this year, reinforces our position as one of the leading operators in the Middle East,” said Holger Ostheimer, managing director, DCAF. “Asset owners continue to believe in our commitment to transparency, quality and delivery of service, as well as our unmatched expertise in aircraft management and we look forward to delivering on our promises.”

DC Aviation also added a Falcon 2000LXS to its fleet in July 2021 to meet increased charter demand.

The post DC Aviation adds jets to Middle East fleet appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

The Indian market is “booming” and is expected to remain strong, according to Simon Davies, sales director, Global Jet Capital.

At the CJI London 2023 conference, Davies, who covers sales in the Middle East, India, UK, Africa, Turkey and Eastern Canada, said: “Contrary to the rest of the world, the Indian market is a booming market with some challenges that are faced by individuals related to protests around ownership of corporate aircraft. But they’re still not deferring the activity and we think that market’s going to remain quite strong.”

He told Corporate Jet Investor (CJI) that the UK market for private jets is “slower than some of the other markets”, having “stumbled our way through what Brexit has been doing to operations”, although he is “still optimistic there are going to be opportunities” for the region.

Discussing the market in the Middle East, Davies said he is “starting to see a lot of activity”. He said a challenge in that part of the world, from a financial perspective, is that many aircraft are bought with cash, which could lead to refinancing in the future. 

Global Jet Capital hosted the Welcome Cocktail Reception on the first day of the CJI London conference.

For more about what was discussed at CJI London 2023, read our report on the conference as it happened here. 

The post CJI London on camera: India is ‘a booming market’ appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

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.”

The post Jet Aviation expands maintenance capability in the Middle East appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

The office, which is in Jumeirah Lake Towers, offers customers charter, consulting and training services. Clients also have access to the group’s 24-hour flight operations centre for year-round access to the group’s service.

The company said it expects demand to continue as coronavirus restrictions ease and flexible working becomes more commonplace, while travel for leisure continues to grow.

Mark Briffa, president of International Charter and Services, Air Partner, said the expansion is in line with the group’s strategy to grow its presence in the region. He said: “We look forward to doubling our workforce in the Middle East over the next year as we continue to support more customers with our extensive portfolio of services.”

The Dubai office was first opened three years ago, headed up by Jobby George, general manager, Middle East.

In September, Air Partner announced that it had increased its carbon offsetting by 65% over the past year, following its opt-out strategy that automatically enrolls clients to the firm’s offsetting scheme.

The post Air Partner expands Dubai office appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

Vista said its growth was primarily due to a 43% year-on-year increase in its subscription members. VistaJet’s subscription programme reached an all-time high, with a 25% increase in members, contributing to a 76% growth in gross programme hours sold in the first half of the year compared to the same time last year.

“Contract sizes continue to grow as clients add hours to fulfil their flying requirements around the world,” said Thomas Flohr, founder and chairman, Vista (pictured). “Vista’s trusted brands, shared economy model, asset light offerings away from full or fractional ownership and proprietary technology create superior client value and elevated end-to-end experience.”

Regionally, North America accounted for approximately half of VistaJet’s programme revenue, with sales more than doubling due to existing clients adding hours and new client sign-ups. Europe’s flight activity and revenue more than doubled year-on-year, making it the group’s fastest growing region despite geopolitical uncertainty. Activity in Asia picked up with a 77% increase in hours sold, while a 60% rise in hours sold in the Middle East was driven by existing clients buying more hours.

During the first six months of the year, Vista added over 100 aircraft to its fleet through its acquisitions of Air Hamburg and Jet Edge, bringing its total fleet up to more than 350 in comparison to around 200 in 2021. “With these investments, Vista clients have access to a larger team of experts, and a greater range of aircraft and availability,” said Flohr. “Air Hamburg expands our scale in Europe and the Middle East, while Jet Edge significantly scales up Vista’s US presence.” Flohr previously told Corporate Jet Investor exclusively that he is “continuing to look at other opportunities for acquisitions”.

The half-year results follow a record-breaking year for the group in 2021, where Vista’s subscription solutions and services increased by 59%, and an increase in year-on-year flight hours of 64%, representing a 57% rise on pre-pandemic levels.

Last month, VistaJet expanded its members-only experience offering, Private World, by partnering with a total of 595 travel and brand companies.

The post Vista announces record sales for Q2 appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

*ExecuJet MRO Services Middle East gains approval from India’s DGCA to conduct maintenance on Falcon 2000 aircraft.

*The company already has approval to work on a range of types including: the Falcon 7X, Falcon 8X, Falcon 900C/EX/EASy and Falcon 2000EASy models.

*About half of the Dassault business jets registered in India are the Falcon 2000 ‘Classic’.

ExecuJet MRO Services Middle East has received approval from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to perform line and base maintenance on Falcon 2000 ‘Classic’ aircraft.

The ‘Classic’ refers to the first model of Falcon 2000, which is equipped with a Collins Proline 4 Avionics System and powered by CFE738 engines. CFE was a joint-venture between General Electric and AlliedSignal (now part of Honeywell).

ExecuJet MRO Services’ Middle East facility is already approved by India’s DGCA to work on various types of aircraft registered in India, such as: Falcon 7X, Falcon 8X, Falcon 900C/EX/EASy and Falcon 2000EASy models.  This latest DGCA approval adds the Falcon 2000 “Classic” to this impressive list of capabilities.

“India is a very big and growing market for Dassault Aviation and also a very important market for ExecuJet MRO Services Middle East, thanks to geographic proximity,” says Nick Weber, Regional VP Middle East at ExecuJet MRO Services.

He says this latest approval from India’s DGCA is significant, because about half of the Dassault business jets registered in India are the Falcon 2000 ‘Classic’.

“Dubai is a short flight away from India and India-registered aircraft are regular visitors for business and tourism,” says Weber.

“This latest approval enables ExecuJet to better support all Indian Falcon customers operating within the region,” he adds.

Besides India’s DGCA, the company holds comprehensive approvals from the US FAA, European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and other national aviation authorities to work on Falcon aircraft and also aircraft types from other aircraft-makers.

ExecuJet commenced operations in Dubai more than 20 years ago and is currently building a new 15,000m² (163,000ft²) MRO facility at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) that includes a large hangar as well as adjacent workshops and offices.

The company will be moving base maintenance to DWC from Dubai International Airport (DXB), although it will retain AOG capability at DXB.

ExecuJet MRO Services, a Dassault Aviation owned company, is a factory service centre for all in-production Dassault Falcon aircraft. It also provides line and base maintenance for Bombardier, Embraer Executive Jets and nearly all types of Hawker business jets.

The post ExecuJet MRO Services Middle East wins India DGCA approval for Falcon 2000 appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

Yet while new infrastructure spells a sunny outlook for Dubai, and the Middle East in general, statistics that support this market positivity can be difficult to find. The industry’s font of all knowledge, the WingX Advance report, focuses primarily on bizav movements to and from Europe. Therefore its analysis on the Middle East is, naturally, Euro-centric, and does not look at the Middle East as a standalone market. It is also tricky to glean accurate statistics from authorities like GCAA (the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority) or GACA (the Saudi Arabia General Authority of Civil Aviation), as the authorities favour commercial over general aviation, and collect data predominantly for the former.

UHNWI & growth

This means that we have to rely on other indicators of growth, such as the region’s accelerating population of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs). Jetcraft’s annual market forecast, published in 2017, tells us that total UHNWI wealth in the UAE is around USD $810bn, with UHNWI population growth expected to hit 60% by 2026.

This makes the UAE the fourth fastest growing market for new wealth in the world, after India, China and Russia.

“In the Middle East, wealth is around every corner,” says Mike Berry, Executive Vice President Aviation Services Luxaviation Group and Vice President of ExecuJet Middle East. Berry has worked in the region since 2002, when he joined ExecuJet as a financial director; the company itself has been in the market since 1998. Yet despite a dramatic increase in bizav movements since the early 2000s, he contends the Middle East is still a young market – and not without its growing pains.

“Ownership of aircraft is predominantly VVIP, UHNW individuals,” says Berry. “In 2007 and 2008, there was the start of a shift from the single owner to the use of aircraft by corporations as a business tool. Yet there has been no significant recovery in this corporate market since the economic downturn of 2008 – it is still vastly a single owner market.”

There are several effects that individual owners can have on a market. These include customer expectations impacting service costs; market fluctuations being linked to social, political and diplomatic events; and specific types of aircraft being favoured in the region.

High expectations

Firstly, customers in the Middle East often have very high expectations of the services and costs that come with an aircraft. Many use consultants that are advising based on the American or European markets – with the result that customers can get inaccurate advice around issues such as costings for parts, services and repairs. In addition, challenging environmental conditions can spell a higher frequency of maintenance, as climactic conditions such as sandstorms cause erosion to aircraft as well as buildings.

Nick Weber, Maintenance Director at ExecuJet Middle East, explains that although the Middle East’s closest competitor geographically is Europe, rates and charges in the region are much more closely aligned to the Asian market. Companies may rely on expat forces for the kinds of technical specialists needed, which drives up overall operating costs. “The MRO market only really began to grow in the mid-2000s. Prior to this, aircraft would have to be taken into Europe to be serviced. Now we have the capability to fully service aircraft at home, but it can be difficult to remain marketable in comparison to Europe.”

Peaks and troughs

Business aviation in the Middle East is extremely seasonal, with peaks and troughs more pronounced than in any other market. In the summer months, aircraft disappear for weeks to Europe or Asia along with their holidaying owners, so movements drop off dramatically. Nevertheless, says Berry: “We have been experiencing an overall 5% year-on-year growth in business aviation movements through ExecuJet’s two FBOs in Dubai.”

This trend dropped, however, in October 2017, with a significant market slowdown directly related to the Saudi anti-corruption clean-ups. But, according to Berry: “we predict that by mid-2018 the aircraft that are currently grounded should be serviceable and flying again,” bringing the market back to a more consistent pattern of growth.

Preferred aircraft

Single-owner aircraft often fly as much for leisure as for business, which can mean extended families, replete with nannies and pets, flying together. This has led to a preference for larger models with more seats – a trend which is supported in the global market, too. Jetcraft’s market forecast predicts that the period from 2017-2026 will see less units sold for more revenue, as buyers increasingly pick widebody aircraft. Though ‘widebody’ immediately brings converted Dreamliners and Boeing 747s to mind, this category also includes long and ultra-long range business jets.

“We’re seeing more Legacys, Challengers and increasing numbers of Globals coming through the doors,” commented Weber. The trend is evidently driven by the range capabilities of these jets as much as the additional space – the Global 6000 achieves 5,900nm, the equivalent of flying non-stop from Dubai to Boston.

A still-maturing market

As a market, the Middle East still has some maturing to do. The authorities are still geared much towards commercial aviation, and can be reluctant to recognise the value of implementing general aviation-specific regulations. For instance, ExecuJet’s fleet of 15 aircraft (changeable according to demand) is held under the same regulatory structure as Emirates airline. Running an AOC can be taxing under these cost structures – just one of the growing pains companies experience in the region.

Yet opportunities abound, and the steady upsurge in the value and types of aircraft entering the region is telling: Gulfstream 650s, Global 6000s and new model Falcons are increasingly popular, with Dassault Aviation’s ultra-long range Falcon 8X debuting at Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2018. It is still a very young market, but a rich one – and rich with possibility for the companies that choose to set up shop there.

The post Expert Opinion: Making it in the Middle East appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

Yet while new infrastructure spells a sunny outlook for Dubai, and the Middle East in general, statistics that support this market positivity can be difficult to find. The industry’s font of all knowledge, the WingX Advance report, focuses primarily on bizav movements to and from Europe. Therefore its analysis on the Middle East is, naturally, Euro-centric, and does not look at the Middle East as a standalone market. It is also tricky to glean accurate statistics from authorities like GCAA (the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority) or GACA (the Saudi Arabia General Authority of Civil Aviation), as the authorities favour commercial over general aviation, and collect data predominantly for the former.

UHNWI & growth

This means that we have to rely on other indicators of growth, such as the region’s accelerating population of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs). Jetcraft’s annual market forecast, published in 2017, tells us that total UHNWI wealth in the UAE is around USD $810bn, with UHNWI population growth expected to hit 60% by 2026.

This makes the UAE the fourth fastest growing market for new wealth in the world, after India, China and Russia.

“In the Middle East, wealth is around every corner,” says Mike Berry, Executive Vice President Aviation Services Luxaviation Group and Vice President of ExecuJet Middle East. Berry has worked in the region since 2002, when he joined ExecuJet as a financial director; the company itself has been in the market since 1998. Yet despite a dramatic increase in bizav movements since the early 2000s, he contends the Middle East is still a young market – and not without its growing pains.

“Ownership of aircraft is predominantly VVIP, UHNW individuals,” says Berry. “In 2007 and 2008, there was the start of a shift from the single owner to the use of aircraft by corporations as a business tool. Yet there has been no significant recovery in this corporate market since the economic downturn of 2008 – it is still vastly a single owner market.”

There are several effects that individual owners can have on a market. These include customer expectations impacting service costs; market fluctuations being linked to social, political and diplomatic events; and specific types of aircraft being favoured in the region.

High expectations

Firstly, customers in the Middle East often have very high expectations of the services and costs that come with an aircraft. Many use consultants that are advising based on the American or European markets – with the result that customers can get inaccurate advice around issues such as costings for parts, services and repairs. In addition, challenging environmental conditions can spell a higher frequency of maintenance, as climactic conditions such as sandstorms cause erosion to aircraft as well as buildings.

Nick Weber, Maintenance Director at ExecuJet Middle East, explains that although the Middle East’s closest competitor geographically is Europe, rates and charges in the region are much more closely aligned to the Asian market. Companies may rely on expat forces for the kinds of technical specialists needed, which drives up overall operating costs. “The MRO market only really began to grow in the mid-2000s. Prior to this, aircraft would have to be taken into Europe to be serviced. Now we have the capability to fully service aircraft at home, but it can be difficult to remain marketable in comparison to Europe.”

Peaks and troughs

Business aviation in the Middle East is extremely seasonal, with peaks and troughs more pronounced than in any other market. In the summer months, aircraft disappear for weeks to Europe or Asia along with their holidaying owners, so movements drop off dramatically. Nevertheless, says Berry: “We have been experiencing an overall 5% year-on-year growth in business aviation movements through ExecuJet’s two FBOs in Dubai.”

This trend dropped, however, in October 2017, with a significant market slowdown directly related to the Saudi anti-corruption clean-ups. But, according to Berry: “we predict that by mid-2018 the aircraft that are currently grounded should be serviceable and flying again,” bringing the market back to a more consistent pattern of growth.

Preferred aircraft

Single-owner aircraft often fly as much for leisure as for business, which can mean extended families, replete with nannies and pets, flying together. This has led to a preference for larger models with more seats – a trend which is supported in the global market, too. Jetcraft’s market forecast predicts that the period from 2017-2026 will see less units sold for more revenue, as buyers increasingly pick widebody aircraft. Though ‘widebody’ immediately brings converted Dreamliners and Boeing 747s to mind, this category also includes long and ultra-long range business jets.

“We’re seeing more Legacys, Challengers and increasing numbers of Globals coming through the doors,” commented Weber. The trend is evidently driven by the range capabilities of these jets as much as the additional space – the Global 6000 achieves 5,900nm, the equivalent of flying non-stop from Dubai to Boston.

A still-maturing market

As a market, the Middle East still has some maturing to do. The authorities are still geared much towards commercial aviation, and can be reluctant to recognise the value of implementing general aviation-specific regulations. For instance, ExecuJet’s fleet of 15 aircraft (changeable according to demand) is held under the same regulatory structure as Emirates airline. Running an AOC can be taxing under these cost structures – just one of the growing pains companies experience in the region.

Yet opportunities abound, and the steady upsurge in the value and types of aircraft entering the region is telling: Gulfstream 650s, Global 6000s and new model Falcons are increasingly popular, with Dassault Aviation’s ultra-long range Falcon 8X debuting at Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2018. It is still a very young market, but a rich one – and rich with possibility for the companies that choose to set up shop there.

The post Expert Opinion: Making it in the Middle East appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.

Yet while new infrastructure spells a sunny outlook for Dubai, and the Middle East in general, statistics that support this market positivity can be difficult to find. The industry’s font of all knowledge, the WingX Advance report, focuses primarily on bizav movements to and from Europe. Therefore its analysis on the Middle East is, naturally, Euro-centric, and does not look at the Middle East as a standalone market. It is also tricky to glean accurate statistics from authorities like GCAA (the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority) or GACA (the Saudi Arabia General Authority of Civil Aviation), as the authorities favour commercial over general aviation, and collect data predominantly for the former.

UHNWI & growth

This means that we have to rely on other indicators of growth, such as the region’s accelerating population of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs). Jetcraft’s annual market forecast, published in 2017, tells us that total UHNWI wealth in the UAE is around USD $810bn, with UHNWI population growth expected to hit 60% by 2026.

This makes the UAE the fourth fastest growing market for new wealth in the world, after India, China and Russia.

“In the Middle East, wealth is around every corner,” says Mike Berry, Executive Vice President Aviation Services Luxaviation Group and Vice President of ExecuJet Middle East. Berry has worked in the region since 2002, when he joined ExecuJet as a financial director; the company itself has been in the market since 1998. Yet despite a dramatic increase in bizav movements since the early 2000s, he contends the Middle East is still a young market – and not without its growing pains.

“Ownership of aircraft is predominantly VVIP, UHNW individuals,” says Berry. “In 2007 and 2008, there was the start of a shift from the single owner to the use of aircraft by corporations as a business tool. Yet there has been no significant recovery in this corporate market since the economic downturn of 2008 – it is still vastly a single owner market.”

There are several effects that individual owners can have on a market. These include customer expectations impacting service costs; market fluctuations being linked to social, political and diplomatic events; and specific types of aircraft being favoured in the region.

High expectations

Firstly, customers in the Middle East often have very high expectations of the services and costs that come with an aircraft. Many use consultants that are advising based on the American or European markets – with the result that customers can get inaccurate advice around issues such as costings for parts, services and repairs. In addition, challenging environmental conditions can spell a higher frequency of maintenance, as climactic conditions such as sandstorms cause erosion to aircraft as well as buildings.

Nick Weber, Maintenance Director at ExecuJet Middle East, explains that although the Middle East’s closest competitor geographically is Europe, rates and charges in the region are much more closely aligned to the Asian market. Companies may rely on expat forces for the kinds of technical specialists needed, which drives up overall operating costs. “The MRO market only really began to grow in the mid-2000s. Prior to this, aircraft would have to be taken into Europe to be serviced. Now we have the capability to fully service aircraft at home, but it can be difficult to remain marketable in comparison to Europe.”

Peaks and troughs

Business aviation in the Middle East is extremely seasonal, with peaks and troughs more pronounced than in any other market. In the summer months, aircraft disappear for weeks to Europe or Asia along with their holidaying owners, so movements drop off dramatically. Nevertheless, says Berry: “We have been experiencing an overall 5% year-on-year growth in business aviation movements through ExecuJet’s two FBOs in Dubai.”

This trend dropped, however, in October 2017, with a significant market slowdown directly related to the Saudi anti-corruption clean-ups. But, according to Berry: “we predict that by mid-2018 the aircraft that are currently grounded should be serviceable and flying again,” bringing the market back to a more consistent pattern of growth.

Preferred aircraft

Single-owner aircraft often fly as much for leisure as for business, which can mean extended families, replete with nannies and pets, flying together. This has led to a preference for larger models with more seats – a trend which is supported in the global market, too. Jetcraft’s market forecast predicts that the period from 2017-2026 will see less units sold for more revenue, as buyers increasingly pick widebody aircraft. Though ‘widebody’ immediately brings converted Dreamliners and Boeing 747s to mind, this category also includes long and ultra-long range business jets.

“We’re seeing more Legacys, Challengers and increasing numbers of Globals coming through the doors,” commented Weber. The trend is evidently driven by the range capabilities of these jets as much as the additional space – the Global 6000 achieves 5,900nm, the equivalent of flying non-stop from Dubai to Boston.

A still-maturing market

As a market, the Middle East still has some maturing to do. The authorities are still geared much towards commercial aviation, and can be reluctant to recognise the value of implementing general aviation-specific regulations. For instance, ExecuJet’s fleet of 15 aircraft (changeable according to demand) is held under the same regulatory structure as Emirates airline. Running an AOC can be taxing under these cost structures – just one of the growing pains companies experience in the region.

Yet opportunities abound, and the steady upsurge in the value and types of aircraft entering the region is telling: Gulfstream 650s, Global 6000s and new model Falcons are increasingly popular, with Dassault Aviation’s ultra-long range Falcon 8X debuting at Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2018. It is still a very young market, but a rich one – and rich with possibility for the companies that choose to set up shop there.

The post Expert Opinion: Making it in the Middle East appeared first on Corporate Jet Investor.