Dubai, UAE. 12 December 2012 – ASIA TODAY - The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) the official representative of the Middle East and North African business aviation industry, is to begin collaboration with 23 authorities in the region to help draft a “much-needed” regional business aviation policy with Saudi Arabia and the UAE targeted in the first development stage.
The policy plan was outlined by Ali Al Naqbi, MEBAA’s Founding Chairman on the side lines of the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) event – the region’s only Show dedicated to business aviation which runs at Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai World Central (DWC) until Thursday night (December 13).
“We have reached a joint initiative agreement with the US headquartered General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), to assist us with this programme which is an essential growth driver for the sector,” said Al Naqbi. “The MENA region is on the threshold of rapid expansion in business aviation yet the growth potential is being held back by the lack of a dedicated regulatory environment for the sector.”
Al Naqbi said the region’s business aviation sector is currently governed by commercial airline policies which can often leave operators waiting two years for an aircraft licence and six months to add new aircraft type to existing licences.
“Business aviation is not commercial aviation and should not be regulated as such; it needs access to airports and airspace, airport infrastructure tailored to its needs, and the freedom to operate with flexibility and agility,” said GAMA President and CEO, Peter Bunce.
Al Naqbi has described the lack of an appropriate regulatory framework tailored for business aviation as “the single biggest obstacle to the full development of business aviation in our region” and said MEBAA’s membership of over 190 is increasingly hungry for change.
“We have to change and have our own procedures,” said Al Naqbi. “It could take a year, it could take three years but we want to get it right from day one. That is why we struck the accord with GAMA, which will help in drafting a proposed policy, because its experience and input will shorten the timeframe. Both MEBAA and GAMA will leverage the expertise resident in their member companies as well as their extensive global experience to develop a best practices set of common principles that regulatory authorities in MENA could adopt. The aim is to have appropriate regulations focused on safety that will facilitate business aviation operations while allowing authorities to focus their resources more efficiently.
“A dedicated policy for the business aviation sector is a win for the region. It will help manufacturers sell more aircraft here, it will boost traffic flow at our FBOs, it will spur the service sector and ultimately assist the growth of the MEBA show itself, which is a weathervane to how the sector is performing regionally,” he said.
Meanwhile at MEBA - the largest in the event’s five showings with 385 exhibitors from 45 countries and 45 aircraft on the static park – Abu Dhabi’s Royal Jet announced its 2013 growth including fleet expansion and refurbishment.
“Royal Jet is currently investing US $9 million in the interior refurbishment of its Boeing Business Jets,” explained Shane O’Hare, President & CEO of the international luxury flight services company. “Upgrades include a new, state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system, live TV, SATCOM, Wi-Fi and global mobile systems, while furnishings, such as luxury seats and sleeper beds will also be enhanced.
“We are assessing our long-term fleet plan which would include replacement of the existing BBJ fleet by 2016.”
O’Hare says 2012 is proving a stellar year for the company. “Last year, Royal Jet operated 3,135 flights to 370 cities in 136 countries. This year, we expect to comfortably out perform our operational and financial statistics forecast for the full period of 2012,” he said. The operator has also reported it’s busiest-ever year for medical evacuation (Medevac) missions which are up by 10 per cent on 2011 which was another record year.
Meanwhile Honeywell Aerospace announced at MEBA that, in partnership with Jet Aviation Basel, it has completed the milestone delivery of its first ‘Ovation Select Cabin Management System’ to a Middle East customer operating a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) 3. The Ovation Select is an all-digital; state-of-the-art cabin management system that Honeywell says provides passengers with the ultimate in in-flight entertainment, productivity and business connectivity.
MEBA 2012 is proving to be a crowd-puller in its new Dubai World Central home. F&E Aerospace, which organises the show on behalf of MEBAA, reported that by the end of its first day, 7,250 industry visitors from 82 countries had registered to attend.
“This completely smashes all our previous visitor turnouts and by a sizeable margin which we have to put down to the continuing growth of the sector in the Middle East,” said Ali Al Naqbi, Founding Chairman, MEBAA. In 2010, MEBA had a final visitor tally of 6,200 from 35 countries.
“The geographic profile of registered visitors (which has increased by 47 countries in two years) suggests that this is an international show with a regional focus. MEBA has transcended its regional show status.”
Caption: Ali Al Naqbi says the MENA region needs a regulatory framework for the business aviation sector to realise its growth potential
For the release in English press here Arabic press here and image press here
For F&E Aerospace, contact: Gemma L’Appanna, PR Manager – T: +971 4603 3300 M: +971 555 163 914; E: gemma.lappanna@dubai.aero