Dubai FBO Benefits from Early Switch to New Airport

DC Aviation-Al Futtaim (DCAF), a joint venture of Germany’s DC Aviation and the Dubai-based Al-Futtaim Group, is reaping the benefits of its decision in 2012 to establish a presence at Al Maktoum International Airport, which is part of the Dubai World Central (DWC) development.

            DCAF set up an FBO with maintenance facilities at the new location before any other business aviation companies showed interest in migrating from the main Dubai International Airport. It claims to have been richly rewarded for its initiative and remains the only service provider with standalone facilities at the new site.

“We made a gutsy decision in the early days [of the Dubai World Central development],” Holger Ostheimer, general manager of DC Aviation-Al Futtaim, told AIN. “I just hope it will pay off in the long term. Ours is the only hangar capacity there is at the airport.”

This has allowed Ostheimer to steer clear of the politics bedeviling the new FBO terminal planned for the airport. Last month Middle East Business Aviation Association chairman Ali Al Naqbi drew attention to the hesitancy on the part of operators to buy in to the shared FBO at DWC, seated in dislike for several of the building’s common-user features.

Growth Plans           

In February, DCAF secured an air operator certificate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and added a Challenger 604 to its managed fleet in July. In September, DCAF’s parent, DC Aviation Group, announced the addition of a Challenger 300.

We have the prospect of bringing charter capacity to market in the first quarter of 2016. One of the aircraft we are going to sign will be commercially operated, providing charter opportunities,” he said.

Last month DCAF announced the signing of ground handling agreements with several flight-support companies and aircraft operators. These included World Fuel Services, Hadid International, TAG Aviation, Amac Aerospace, Palm Aviation, Avjet Routing, Ramjet, Aviation Services Management and Skyplan Services.

In May, DCAF obtained access to U.S. pre-clearance for customs and immigration at its DWC hub. “In Dubai, you will find Emirati, Pakistani, Indian and Western aircraft owners,” Ostheimer said.

DCAF also offers line maintenance support at a 61,000-sq-ft maintenance hangar at DWC to customers operating the A320 series, Global Express, Challenger 604/605 and Global 6000 and Global 5000 Vision.