Wars in Syria, Yemen, and other Middle East trouble-spots, coupled with low oil prices, have acted as a brake on progress for business aviation in the region, according to trip support specialist UAS International Trip Support (UAS, Stand 563). But the company is now a true global player in flight operations support, with a network of specialists supporting customers worldwide. Its international profile was further expanded with last month’s news that Chinese business aviation services group Deer Jet—a division of airline group HNA—is to acquire a major stake in a transaction that is due to be completed in December.
UAS executive vice president Jay Ammar Husary told AIN that regional business aviation has yet to achieve its full potential, but the bright spot provided by Dubai and the rest of the United Arab Emirates has meant a backdrop of longer-term opportunity. In particular, he sees grounds for optimism based on the launch of Al Maktoum International Airport’s VIP Terminal here at Dubai World Central (DWC)/Dubai South.
“[Middle East business aviation] was headed towards fulfilling 100 percent of its potential. The problem is, you can’t isolate what’s happening in Syria, Yemen and other countries from this issue, because it has affected the whole region. When conflict in part of the region is combined with a drop in oil prices, these factors unite to slow any progress. I think it is going to get there, but it will take time,” he said. “That doesn’t mean there is no hope—I think the progress is there, but it has just been slowed down by factors such as unrest in the wider Middle East and record-low oil prices.”
Husary likens Dubai’s “pioneering vision” to that of UAS. “It thinks and does things big; it’s ambitious and innovative. It doesn’t regress—it progresses.”
DWC’s aviation district, and the VIP Terminal in particular, are leading the way, he believes. “It’s going to be a game-changer in terms of security and accessibility. People are longing to be able to operate there.”
Several regional regulatory changes, as the UAE’s civil aviation authority moves to harmonize with the EASA framework, add to no-fly-zone problems. “This has made charter more expensive. Going from point A to point B now takes longer, consuming more fuel, especially if you are going towards Europe from this region.”
UAS announced a tie-up with DC Aviation Al Futtaim (DCAF) at the EBACE show in Geneva this past May. “We partnered with them for a very simple reason: to enhance the UAS client experience,” explained Husary. “DCAF is the only integrated hangar and VVIP lounge facility in the VIP terminal [area], providing the highest levels of comfort and privacy to UAS’s clients.”
That FBO’s unique location within DWC’s aviation district means minimal distance from drop-off to aircraft steps. DCAF provides aircraft management, maintenance, FBO, and ground handling services as well as business jet charter, giving UAS clients access to hangarage, technical support and DWC handling facilities.
“The benefits are extensive personalized service, improved response times and more competitive rates at the airport. It makes a big difference, I promise you. It’s not only the distance: the facility is isolated, and that means privacy as well. And that is very important to our clients,” he said
In the run-up to EBACE, UAS announced several partnerships with Asia Pacific-based FBOs, where the company has seen great demand. “We provide value for them through the volume we deliver to them. Now we are servicing the entire Chinese mainland. I think the market is growing. We notice a lot of delivery flights going to Asia. There’s huge growth in China, and in Japan as well. With the rise of HNWIs [high net-worth individuals] in China, we also see growth in ownership.”
Africa is also on the upswing. “We have seen fast development [there] recently. We have placed 13 station managers on the continent already, and our goal is to place a country manager in every country,” Husary said.
India is a focus as well. “We are providing the UAS standard of quality [there]. That means top-notch service; attention to detail and no surprises. We have station managers in New Delhi and Mumbai to care for the finer details of our clients’ missions.”
New Flight Planning Tool
UAS launch its new FlightEvolution flight planning tool at last month’s NBAA show in the U.S. “It is a technology that we feel is at least three-to-five years ahead of anything else available on the market,” claimed Husary.
The software is built with a mobile-first approach and can also operate as a web-based system. This improves speed, functionality and efficiency, according to UAS. “It’s going to make a huge difference to pilots flying in the cockpit, with regard to accessibility, speed, and quick decision-making, and in terms of visual effect as well,” said Husary.
The system features a mapping engine that can render high-definition graphics without delay. “Its highly-intuitive interface makes for easy navigation. This tool literally puts a three-dimensional view of the mission in the palm of the user’s hand,” Husary said.
UAS surveyed pilots, dispatchers and schedulers in the predevelopment phase, and then tested it with professional pilots. “We started from scratch in terms of the design and made it mobile-friendly,” explained Husary. “This is a major distinguisher from other systems that are already available—you can only do so many modifications on existing systems, and often trying to convert them from web-based to mobile can compromise functionality. We have reinvented the wheel to accommodate the changes but this technology will see us through to the future.”
The interface is simple and user-friendly. “You will be able to do all the things you want to do as a pilot, dispatcher or scheduler. It is going to be an evolution from everything the market has seen to date.”