Story ID: 399 GAMA Aviation
GAMA Pitching for Long-Term Success
By: Ian Sheppard
Caption: Farnborough-based GAMA Aviation has grown substantially in recent years but believes its global, full-service offering is unique.
Word Count: 470
GAMA Aviation—best known in the U.S. for operating Wheels Up’s fleet of King Air 350is—continues to grow its international presence and develop what it believes to be a more-or-less unique model, combining FBOs, a managed/charter aircraft fleet and an MRO. 
  
Marwan Khalek, founder and CEO, told AIN at NBAA 2016 that its managed fleet continues to grow, noting that the company (Booth 3319) will soon add three more aircraft in Hong Kong. In addition, he said, GAMA it is preparing to build a new facility in Sharjah, where it already has an operation, that will allow it to tap far more into the lucrative Middle East market. The company will be expanding more on these plans next month at the MEBAA show.
  
Meanwhile, AIN recently visited GAMA Aviation’s new FBO in Jersey, where the company held a private viewing event with a range of aircraft from OEM dealers in the UK. 
  
As well as its Wheels Up contract, GAMA Aviation also manages aircraft that it charters out for the owners, and this fleet is growing, Khalek said. “For us, the U.S. has been a good growth market. Wheels Up is evidence of that but we mustn’t lose sight of the success in our core business in the management business, particularly in the U.S.
  
“Europe remains flat, but the maintenance side is still pretty good. And it’s pleasing that we’re seeing movement in the Far East and Middle East now.” He said the model of managing aircraft for owners and using them for charter remains robust and popular, “particularly in places like Sharjah.”
  
On Wheels Up starting up in Europe, he said, “It is very much on the horizon and we’re putting in place a complex plan for when they decide it’ll happen.” He suggested that the only reason it hadn’t happened already was the amount of resources being used for growth in the U.S. “We’re really excited about rolling that out,” Khalek said.
  
Further afield, the GAMA Aviation CEO also said, “We’re relaunching the Africa business,” without elaborating, before concluding that the company has “a well defined strategy, partly through organic growth and some by acquisition.” He suggested that “consolidation must continue,” and GAMA has a list of possible opportunities that it is pursuing, but will not risk rushing and doing the wrong deal.
  
Aircraft-wise, the company will not purchase any more aircraft itself, but will keep those it has on long-term contracts such as the Scottish Air Ambulance (King Airs). But this special missions part of its business is something he hopes to expand on an international basis. “We’re looking to use our experience in new opportunities.”