Gama Aviation introduces Category Zero handling at Sharjah International Airport

May 19, 2016
New system used to meet the growing needs of Middle Eastern light aircraft business aviation.

Sharjah, 19th May 2016 – Gama Aviation Plc, the global aviation services company, has introduced Category Zero handling for its Fixed Base Operations (FBO) at Sharjah International Airport. These bespoke handling rates have been designed to encourage light aircraft users to use the airport by ensuring the appropriate charging mechanism is available.

Gama Aviation has seen an increase in the popularity of light aircraft types in the Gulf Region; as such, its new Category Zero class of aircraft and existing extensive offering at Sharjah, which include a range of hangar and parking solutions, will accommodate a more diverse range of visiting and based aircraft. In fact, new research1 by Gama Aviation has revealed there are 128 light aircraft in the Middle East, accounting for 16% of its overall business jet fleet.

Martin Ringrose, Managing Director for Gama Aviation Middle East, said: “We want to ensure that the excellent service at our Sharjah FBO is extended to all private aviation users.  The introduction of our Category Zero class of aircraft ensures that smaller aircraft types have an appropriate charging mechanism, and we hope this move will enable a greater number of clients to take advantage of our services and use us as a gateway to Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates.”

This extension of services follows an announcement earlier this month that Gama Aviation had been given formal approval to expand its operations at Sharjah International Airport with the building of a new business aviation facility.  The facility is designed to meet the needs of the Middle East business aviation market which is expected to grow by 7% a year between now and 20242.

This new proposition is an extension of Gama Aviation’s existing global offering for smaller aircraft, where the Kennington engine repairs and components centre in Oxford, UK, specialises in light and rotary aircraft. The facility is one of the company’s few non-airfield based locations and has several decades of experience with all engine types, with a particular specialism in maintaining Lycoming, Teledyne and Continental Motors engines.