26 SECTOR FOCUS: FBOs SECTOR FOCUS: FBOs LSYKLQER]FIPMIZIXLI1MHHPI)EWXPEGOW½\IHFEWI Toperations (FBOs) in quantity, no one can dispute the quality of the one’s they do have. FlyCorporate’s Jason Zappa Janse and Rob SeamanXEOIEGPSWIVPSSOEX½ZIXSTRSXGL FBO providers. A user’s Speaking from an FBO or service and support perspective for business aviation – the Middle East has been challenged in its ability to provide the variety and number of corporate designated travel facilities equal to the demand. As many in the FBO world have learned, the “Build It and guide to They Will Come” mentality is really more Hollywood folly than proven business acumen. Truth is, most FBOs around the world sell 150% of their capacity and hope that only 75% show up at any given time. For many, they work NYWX½RIXLEX[E]ERHSRP][MXLWYWXEMRIHERHGSRWXERXHIQERHMW FBOs in the the option for developing new facilities triggered. Let’s face it – in XLI*&3FYWMRIWWQSWXSJ]SYV[SVO¾MIWSJJMRXSXLIWYRWIX¯ ½KYVEXMZIP]ERHPMXIVEPP] Constant demand in the Middle East has driven those in the aviation support Middle East world to move forward on developing new, purpose-envisioned facilities. Gama Aviation 28 SECTOR FOCUS: FBOs As with anywhere else in the world, access is the which facilitates the passage and security of VIPs OI]½VWXWXITXLIFM^EZKY]WLEZIXS½KLXEXQSWX and heads-of-state – the company’s predominant airports. Although there still exist airports where target audience. there presently is not an FBO as such, but more a case of shared terminals with VIP designated areas Royal Jet’s AUH services range from standard ground JSVFM^EZ)\TERHIHERHRI[EMVTSVXWEVITVSZMHMRK handling to exterior and interior aircraft cleaning. the opportunity to rise up and bring in additional TVMZEXIEMVGVEJXXVEJ½GERHGVIEXIXLIWTIGM½GTYVTSWI Last year, the company also signed a memorandum designated and designed facilities that have become the of understanding (MoU) with Abu Dhabi Airports norm around the world. 'SQTER] %(%' [LMGLSTIVEXIW½ZIEMVTSVXW throughout the Emirate. Looking at the Middle East FBO market as whole, industry analyst Brian Foley says “FBOs should show The MoU enables the company to develop an FBO steady growth since the Middle East has established at Al Bateen Executive (AZI). A company statement itself as both a business center and technical fuel stop indicates that planning and development are well to other parts of the world,” he says. “This growth underway, and completion of operations is targeted will accelerate in later years as Eastern Hemisphere for Q4-2015. Facility layout includes two BBJ economies eventually improve.” LERKEVWXSXEPMRKGPSWIXSWUJXEQEMRSJ½GI administration and MRO facility, an FBO of 8600 sq As one can easily assume, the majority of FBOs are ft and ample customer parking space. congregated where airports are booming, economies EVI¾SYVMWLMRKERHFYWMRIWWEZMEXMSRMWWSEVMRK2SX Door-to-door at Al Bateen surprisingly, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has Also on the AZI premises is aviation services plenty. Several international FBO providers have TVSZMHIV(LEFM.IXXLIEMVTSVX´WSJ½GMEP*&3KVSYRH established locations throughout the country and, not handling company and MRO services provider. AZI surprisingly, most of them are located in the three is the only exclusive business aviation airport in largest cities: Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. XLI1)2%VIKMSR0MOI%9,%>-HSIWR´XLEZIWPSX restrictions. The airport’s ramp capacity goes up to A royal service 90 business aircraft – though planning is underway to First on our list is Royal Jet, located at Abu Dhabi expand this to 120 – and 284,920 sq ft of hangarage, International (AUH). Only a 20 minute drive from the city capable of parking 17 jets. center and a 50 minute drive from Dubai, the company says it is “positioned at the crossroads of the world.” As the only FBO on the airport premises, DhabiJet prides itself on being a single-point of contact for all Jointly owned by Abu Dhabi Aviation and the requirements, and on offering the fastest possible Presidential Flight Authority, Royal Jet not only door-to-door transit time for passengers and crew. The operates an FBO at AUH, but is well-known for company recently opened an Executive Gourmet, 8300 STIVEXMRKXLI[SVPH´WPEVKIWX::-4GSR½KYVIH¾IIX sq ft catering facility adjacent to its FBO facility, which of Boeing Business Jets. According to a company is staffed around the clock with highly trained chefs. statement, through its fully dedicated executive terminal, combined with the absence of slot ADAC has invested substantially to upgrade the restrictions at AUH, Royal Jet is able to guarantee a airport’s amenities, including new equipment, 40-minute turnaround time for scheduled stops. improvements to the terminal and landside access and parking. In 2013, the company handled 887 aircraft movements, divided between 597 Royal Jet Only 50 minutes down the road from Abu Dhabi ¾MKLXWERHTVIWMHIRXMEP¾MKLXWVITVIWIRXMRK is Dubai, which has been the center of attention an 18% increase on 2012. The Abu Dhabi FBO in the business aviation realm for quite some time has 32 landside staff in total, including drivers, – predominantly due to runway closures at Dubai housekeepers, waiters and gardeners. The FBO International (DXB) and the opening, enhancing also has Royal Jet security personnel onsite, as and expanding of the UAE’s largest aviation hub, Al well as a customs and an immigration department, Maktoum/Dubai World Central (DWC). DhabiJet 30 31 SECTOR FOCUS: FBOs SECTOR FOCUS: FBOs What can easily be noted is that both DXB and DWC have multiple FBO 7IXYTEWETVS½XGIRXIV[MXLMRXLI5EXEV%MV[E]W 2SXI[SVXL]EW[IPPMWXLEXXLIMVQEMRXIRERGIJEGMPMXMIW service providers on site, such as Jet Aviation and ExecuJet, both well- Group, the plan from day one was to build rapidly on at DXB and DWC are approved to conduct scheduled established names in the aviation industry, along with DC Aviation-Al Futtaim MXWMRMXMEP¾IIXSJXLVII&SQFEVHMIVEMVGVEJXMRSVHIVXS maintenance packages on Bombardier, Gulfstream, and Jetex. tap into the Middle East’s growing demand for executive Embraer and Hawker aircraft by the UAE General Civil XVEZIP3ZIVXLIPEWX½ZI]IEVWXLISRGIWQEPPGLEVXIV Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the European Aviation Showing off at Sharjah operation has evolved into a world-class corporate Safety Agency (EASA). At Sharjah International (SHJ), the only FBO on premise is UK-headquartered jet company with a comprehensive business aviation Gama Aviation. The company opened its brand-new lounge facility earlier this service portfolio, comprising not just worldwide on- ExecuJet operates two other FBOs in the region, one in summer. According to Sharjah General Manager Richard Lindveld, “It was built demand charter, but also Airliner charters, FBO and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and one in Istanbul, Turkey. from the ground up by the Gama Aviation management team, with contributions 1EMRXIRERGIWIVZMGIWEXXLI±&SQFEVHMIV%YXLSVM^IH from our London headquarters and the UAE regional headquarters, meaning that Service Facility” in Doha. The company’s Riyadh facility is located in the private a multitude of combined skills have shaped an FBO from the perspective of being aviation terminal at King Khalid International (RUH) an operator, a crew member and, most importantly, a VIP passenger.” 8SQE\MQM^IXLIMVKVS[XLTSXIRXMEP5EXEV)\IGYXMZIMW – approximately 21 miles from the city center – and investing into its infrastructure and building a stand-alone MWSTIVEXIHMRTEVXRIVWLMT[MXL2EW.IXXLITVMZEXI “In essence, we have used the more than 30 years’ experience we have in state-of-the art private jet lounge and a dedicated hangar EZMEXMSRHMZMWMSRSJ7EYHM%VEFME´W2EXMSREP%MV7IVZMGI operating aircraft and visiting FBO’s around the world and have tailored this facility at Hamad International at Hamad International The private aviation terminal at RUH has a large ramp to what we believe caters to every conceivable need of crew and passengers,” (DOH) in Doha. While already in partial use, the entire with ample space to accommodate many wide-body he continues. facility – in particular the FBO addition - will be considered corporate jets. complete and fully operational in the early part of 2015. 0MRHZIPHXJYVXLIVI\TPEMRWXLEXXLIPSYRKIMWEOMRXSE½ZIWXEVLSXIP[MXLIZIV] According to a company statement, ExecuJet’s Riyadh detail considered, “even down to smells and sounds, in order to make it a special ExecuJet and Jet Aviation: veterans in the fi eld location is a true market differentiator, due to its high environment for the ultra-high net worth individuals travelling through Sharjah.” ExecuJet arrived in the Middle East in 1999, when it service standards, attention to detail and the fully trained IWXEFPMWLIHEFEWIMR(YFEM9%)FIGSQMRKSRISJXLI½VWX and experienced FBO team. According to Lindveldt, the most remarkable difference between operating an FBO DhabiJet independent companies to offer business aviation services MRXLI1MHHPI)EWXERHSRIMRXLI97SVMR)YVSTIMWXLEXXLITVS½PISJTEWWIRKIVW in the region. The company has two locations in Istanbul – one at is generally different. “A high proportion of the passengers moving through the Istanbul Atatürk (IST) and one at Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) Gama Aviation Sharjah FBO are heads of state and royalty,” he explains. “There are obvious cultural 8LI½VQVIGIRXP]EHHIHJYPPEMVGVEJXLERHPMRKERHPMRI – which are both operated in partnership with local differences we [also] need to take into account – we have prayer rooms and ablution maintenance services to their DXB location. “We are aviation services provider Bilen Air Service. facilities