DUBAI, 1 February 2007 — Sheikh Ahmed ibn Saeed Al-Maktoum, president, Department of Civil Aviation, and chairman of the Emirates Group and Dubai Central, has unveiled the master plan for Middle East’s largest executive jet center at the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) exhibition at Airport Expo Dubai. He unveiled a model of the world class facility which will be among the industry’s best competing with Van Nuys in California, Teterboro in New York, Le Bourget in France and Farnborough in the UK.
The Executive Jet Center will be built at the $33 billion Dubai World Central, the 140-square kilometer urban aviation city taking shape at Jebel Ali, home to flight center designed to be a one-stop center for business jet operations.
The Executive Jet Center will be built adjacent to Dubai World Central International Airport (JXB), which will be the world’s largest airport having the size of Chicago’s O’Hare and London Heathrow combined.
“Going by recent industry trends, the Middle East’s burgeoning business aviation sector will see further growth and we need to be prepared,” Sheikh Ahmed said.
Delivering the keynote address at the MEBA conference, he said civil aviation authorities in the GCC need to cooperate more to free up the region’s growing business aviation sector.
“Middle East business aviation growth has been fueled by economic success, but as much as being a product of success, business aviation could be a further economic driver. That is, of course, if we give it a helping hand,” he told the delegates.
“For the sector to further develop, particularly within the GCC, there needs to be greater cooperation among civil aviation authorities toward open skies policies, which will free up the market, increase competition, generate new opportunities and deliver greater economic success,” he pointed out. Sheikh Ahmed told the conference that the commercial proposition for business aviation in the Middle East has become more compelling as the region makes its mark on the world stage for tourism, international events and global commerce.
“At the last MEBA in 2005, the region’s business aviation fleet numbered 250, it now stands at over 300,” he added.
He further said that research carried out by the Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) states that the region’s charter airline business will double over the next five years and account for 40 percent of the total aviation market in the region.
