The Middle East has been ranked tenth in the top global market for luxury spending, according to consultancy firm Bain & Co. The consumption of luxury goods increased by 11 per cent in 2014, while Knight Frank has named Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia as the top three countries in the new luxury opportunity index. This augurs well for the business aviation market which not only falls in the luxury segment, but also as a business tool in the Middle East which is becoming a major aviation hub on the East-West axis and business aviation is contributing significantly to aviation growth. The hint of a soaring aviation industry surfaced yet again at the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) show which concluded on December 10 at the Dubai World Central.

The MEBA show this year has been the biggest and the most successful as new business deals were struck and there were strong leads. MEBA’s founding Chairman, Ali Al Naqbi, said: “It has been an incredible show. We have seen so many people exhibiting and attending from all over the world this year. Exhibitors are delighted with the quality of visitors, all of whom come to do business. Highlights from MEBA’s perspective include the amount of time Sheikh Ahmed spent touring the show and speaking with our exhibitors, the ‘Business Aviation Around the World panel session and the enthusiasm shown by exhibitors to talk to the students who attended Futures day on the final day of the show.

MEBA NOW MEBA SHOW

“As MEBA Show goes from strength to strength, we are following a careful, measured growth plan, launching the first business aviation show in Morocco next year (MEBA Show Morocco) and re-naming the next show as “MEBA Show 2016” to avoid confusion.” The show hosted 422 exhibitors plus featured 44 aircraft on static display.

Ali Naqbi explained “From 2016, the biennial show goes by the name MEBA Show. We have MEBA Show (the show) and MEBA the association and they have both become well-known brands. To reduce confusion, we are now branding everything the same: the organisation, the shows, the conferences, the training programmes, everything.”

The newly-named MEBA Show 2016 will take place from December 6 to 8 at the Dubai World Central, the aviation hub of the Middle East, featuring a new logo.

BOEING BUSINES JETS STRONG PRESENCE

Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) chose MEBA to announce the appointment of its new global president, David Longridge, who will take the reins from BBJ stalwart, Captain Steve Taylor. Longridge moves from commercial sales, while Taylor is remaining with Boeing, as Chief Pilot for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Around 35 per cent of BBJ’s fleet is used in the Middle East. Taylor pointed out the region has more wide-bodied aircraft than any other region (some 55 per cent of its wide bodied craft are in the Middle East), making it the most important global market for BBJ in terms of dollar sales value.

BBJ also revealed an order from charter operator Comlux for two BBJ Max 8s; the Swiss VIP company’s first BBJ order. Richard Gaona, President and CEO, Comlux, said the two aircraft “give customers the flexibility to fly farther and more comfortably thanks to the lower cabin altitude.”

EMBRAER’S PHENOMENAL EXPANSION

Embraer Executive Jets President and CEO, Marco Tulio Pellengrini, announced his company’s rise to power, with the phenomenal success of the Phenom – there are 500 of these smaller private jets in operation globally. The company also announced delivery of its second Legacy 500 aircraft to a Middle East customer, in December 2014.

Embraer Executive Jets focused on bringing the Legacy 500 and the smaller 450 to market. The first Embraer Legacy 500 for a Middle East customer is currently undergoing its customer acceptance process with the aim of the aircraft being delivered later in this month.

Currently Embraer has 33 executive jets operating in the region, comprising three Phenom 300s, 20 Legacy 600/650s and 10 Lineage 1000/E-Jet Shuttle aircraft. The fleet is concentrated in Saudi Arabia (two Phenoms, four Legacies and three E-Jet Shuttles) and the UAE (12 Legacies and five Lineages). Support is provided by authorised service centres in Abu Dhabi (Falcon Aviation Services–Legacy/Lineage) and Dubai (Execu-Jet Phenom 300/Legacy/Lineage). On display were a Lineage 1000E, Legacy 650 and Phenom 300.

ROYAL JET ADDING AIRCRAFT

Royal Jet, one of the Middle East’s oldest private charter companies, confirmed a raft of new aircraft are joining its fleet, including two Bombardier Learjet 60 XRs and two Global 5000 business jets. Royal Jet also confirmed it is renewing its collaboration with Boeing; with plans to take delivery of two new Boeing business jets, modelled on the 737-700. The new purchases are part of a fleet upgrade and expansion programme that will see Royal Jet’s fleet increase to 20 by 2020, at a cost of $700 million.

TEXTRON SHOWCASES BEECHCRAFT AND CESNA

Textron Aviation exhibited its Cessna Citation Sovereign+ and Citation M2 for the first time in Dubai, representing the company’s continued investment in new products to serve operators in the region and throughout the world. In addition to the Citations, Textron Aviation also featured a Beechcraft Special Mission King Air 350ER and a King Air 250.

“Our Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands have been and remain strong throughout the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf States,” said Bill Harris, Vice President, Sales. “The Citation Sovereign+ and Citation M2 are the latest in a string of newly certified Citations introduced in the past year that have garnered significant interest throughout the region.”

Textron Aviation companies support a fleet of approximately 125 business jets in the Middle East and a similar number of turboprops for business and special mission applications.

DASSA ULT AVIATION’S FALCON FAMILY SOARS

Dassault Aviation announced the sale of a Falcon 5X ultra-wide body twin jet to Wallan Aviation, the prominent Middle East general aviation company. The 5,200 nm 5X will be delivered in 2018 and Wallan Aviation will operate the aircraft for the company’s own use with the option to charter. According to Wallan Aviation, Falcons, including the new Falcon 5X and 8X, are wellsuited to the needs of the region, offering long range, spacious and comfortable cabins with low cabin pressure, and large luggage storage capacity. Wallan Aviation has already experienced and operated a Falcon 900EX EASy and a Falcon 900LX.

The Middle East region accounts for 20 per cent of worldwide sales for the Falcon 5X, which was introduced in 2013. With a range of 5,200 nm, it can fly passengers nonstop from Dubai to Cape Town or from Riyadh to Tokyo. The 5X is on track for a first flight in the second quarter of 2015 and is expected to begin entering Middle East inventories in the second half of 2017.

Gilles Gautier, Vice President Falcon Sales for Dassault Aviation, said: “We are delighted to announce this Falcon 5X sale to Wallan Aviation, which is a well-established and highly respected general aviation company in the Middle East and with whom we have built a close working relationship. The 5X has been very strongly received in the regional market, where we continue to invest and expand our infrastructure and support team. Falcons are increasingly proving themselves with operators in the region and this helps develop experience and build confidence in the Falcon range, which also has attractive emissions and environmental credentials.”

There are around 65 Falcon business jets already operating in the region. “Falcons are well-suited to the demands of our Middle East customers, offering long range and large, roomy cabins which are ideal for work or rest,” added Gilles Gautier. “Falcons burn 20 to 40 per cent less fuel and offer up to 50 per cent lower operating costs than many aircraft in their class.”

GULFSTREAM BULLISH

Gulfstream had three aircraft on display – the G450, G550 and the G650ER and Qatar Executive’s keen interest in its products has boosted the Savannah based aircraft company. Qatar Executive in October had placed an order for up to 20 Gulfstream aircraft.

Gulfstream Senior Vice President (worldwide sales and marketing) Scott Neal said: “For some people here the extra 500 nm [926 km] range that the ER variant offers is very important. It is garnering ‘significant interest’ in its latest large-cabin duo - the G500 and G600. These latest models have filled the gaps in our product line which spans the 3,600 nm [midsize] G280 to the 7,500nm G650ER. This move-up market is very important.”

BizJet International Sales & Support signed a supplier agreement for engine maintenance services with Gulfstream. The three-year agreement will provide Gulfstream with options for quality engine maintenance and customer support for the Gulfstream GII, GIII, GIV, G350 and G450 aircraft worldwide.

QATAR EXECUTIVE EXPAN DING FLEET

Qatar Executive displayed its brand new Bombardier Global 5000 Vision private jet. Executive Vice President of Qatar Executive, David Edwards, said: “Qatar Executive continues to go from strength to strength and MEBA is a great opportunity for us to showcase our rapidly expanding fleet and demonstrate our industry leading offerings to partners and customers alike.” Qatar Executive showcased its growing business aviation service portfolio and raise interest for its new General Aviation Terminal (FBO), which is currently being constructed at the new Hamad International Airport and is set to open in the first half of 2015.

AIRBUS HIGHLIGHTS CLAS

Airbus’ modern corporate jet family displayed the ACJ319 operated by MJet, which features several different lounge-areas at the front, capitalising on the greater space that every Airbus corporate jet delivers plus a bedroom with en-suite bathroom and shower at the rear.

HONEYWELL FEATURES WORLD’S FIRST 3D COCKPIT

Honeywell Aerospace featured the world’s first 3D cockpit and cabin visualisation suite in an immersive environment. Spokesman Chris Martin said: “We wanted to showcase our products in as interesting ways as possible and try to present our components – that the public don’t necessarily see – in new, compelling ways.” Martin revealed that Honeywell Aerospace had secured three deals at the show. Construction and facilities management giant Saudi Oger has signed with Honeywell Aerospace as its first Boeing Business Jet avionics maintenance plan customer in the Middle East. Another deal, with “an undisclosed Middle East-based Boeing Business Jet operator” is for the Auxiliary Power Unit Maintenance Plan (AMP) which is an aftermarket warranty programme for Boeing Business Jets (BBJs), all of which come with Honeywell’s 131-9B Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) as standard on Boeing 737NG aircraft. Honeywell’s third deal was with US-based aircraft modification centre, GDC Technics, to bring its JetWave satellite communications system to in-service Boeing and Airbus airplanes.

CAE PLANS FOR MIDDLE EAST

CAE, the global training provider, announced the expansion of its training network in the Middle East. The company plans to deploy full-flight simulators and training programmes for a range of aircraft including training for the Boeing 747-8 and 787 and Dassault’s Falcon 5X; alongside full-flight simulators for Bombadier, Gulfstream, Bell and Sikorsky, starting in the next 18 months. CAE is set to deploy a Bombardier Global Vision full-flight simulator at the Emirates-CAE Flight Training Centre in early 2015, adding to its existing network of 16 Level D FFSs across the region.

It was not all corporate business. MEBAA donated $25,000 to Fly & Feed, the recent initiative between World Food Programme and MEBAA, kicking off an annual pledge from MEBAA members to support the vital humanitarian work. The initiative enables MEBAA operator members to donate $20 to the United Nations’ World Food Programme for every flight.