MEBA 2012 Becomes a Game-Changing Event

Dec. 26, 2012
The three-day aviation event drew an industry audience of 7,549 attendees from 84 countries.

Dec. 26--DUBAI -- The new venue of 5th edition of Middle East Business Aviation (Meba) proved very successful for the show as 20 per cent more visitors attended the event held at Al Maktoum International Airport for the first time.

The three-day aviation show, which concluded on December 13, considered a 'game-changing' event with an industry audience of 7,549 attendees from 84 countries.

The proposed regulatory framework, fleet upgrades in the pipeline, and more FBO infrastructure is expected to increased footfall further at the next show in 2014, according to industry specialists.

Meba packed the future passenger terminal with 385 exhibitors from 45 countries while 45 aircraft from most of the world's mainline manufacturers dotted an easy-to-navigate static park which fronted packed corporate chalets.

And as the show celebrated its fifth and largest showing -- exhibitor levels were up by 14 per cent on 2010 -- the industry was abuzz with upbeat forecasts for an industry regional leaders claim is on a clear growth threshold.

The show took off with a high level opening with Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of the Emirates airlines and Group and Chairman of Dubai Airports who spent two hours touring the 19,033 square metres show including the new-to-market pavilions representing the USA and Malta. Dubai World Central will soon have a dedicated show site, mentioned by Shaikh Ahmed is an engine for growth.

"We have invested here to accommodate growth and to create demand -- an approach we are known for," he said. "We will press ahead with the development of the dedicated show site which will open next November and we could see passenger aircraft arriving here before then."

The opening delegation's power line-up included: Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE Minister for Foreign Trade; Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways' CEO; Ali Ahmed Al Naqbi, Founding Chairman of the Middle East Business Aviation Association (Mebaa) and Khalifa Al Zaffin, Chairman of Dubai World Central. All stamped the show a "must-attend" as it climbs the rankings to the world's third largest business aviation exhibition.

Al Naqbi delivered a bullish forecast saying the regional business aviation market, currently valued at $493 million, will be worth $1 billion by 2018. "Quite simply there is huge growth potential here. Regional business aviation traffic has risen 12 per cent in the past year and its installed fleet will expand from the current 500 to 1,300 aircraft by 2020," he added.

Spurring the growth, said Al Naqbi would be moves towards regional regulation of the sector. Mebaa, he explained is to collaborate with 23 regional authorities to help draft a "much-needed" regional business aviation policy with Saudi Arabia and the UAE targeted in the first development phase.

"We have reached a joint initiative agreement with the US-headquartered General Aviation Manufacturers Association (Gama) to assist us with the draft which is an essential growth driver for the sector. The Mena region is on the threshold of rapid business aviation expansion yet the potential is held back by the lack of a dedicated regulatory environment for the sector," he said.

Qatar Airways' outspoken CEO, Akbar Al Baker was effusive in his assessment of opportunities. "Everyone in the industry is waking up to the fact that this is an important market," he said. "There is infinite potential here."

It didn't take long for the potential to emerge with the second day seeing Dassault Falcon, the business jet arm of Dassault Aviation, concluding the sale of a pre-owned Falcon 900EX EASy II and a new, tri-engine Falcon 900LX to Saudi Arabia's Wallan Aviation and Abu Dhabi-headquartered Royal Jet unveiling on MEBA's second day 2013 plans for fleet expansion and refurbishment.

"Royal Jet is currently investing $9 million in the interior refurbishment of its Boeing Business Jets," explained Shane O'Hare, President and CEO of the international luxury flight services company.

If Royal Jet's experience is anything to go by; they have had a stellar 2012 outperforming its operational and financial targets with it's busiest-ever year for medical evacuation operations.

The second day also saw the UAE capital's Falcon Aviation Services (FAS), which provides corporate jet and helicopter services, disclose it has fleet changes on the way as its Chairman and CEO, Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan toured the static park paying particular interest to the Bell 429 twin-engine helicopter on display.

Copyright 2012 - Khaleej Times, Dubai, United Arab Emirates