Business aviation will once again have a strong presence in Dubai this year. This is despite the fact that Dubai also has its own biennial bizav event, the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) show to be staged by Fairs & Exhibitions next year (from December 11 to 13).
Despite the region’s undoubted potential as a hive of business and private flying, it has not been untouched by the ramifications of continuing financial instability. As in regions such as Europe, operators have had to cope with fluctuating demand and generally constrained profit margins.
But in the longer term, the prospect for yet more growth–especially in the diversifying economies of the Arabian Gulf states–has drawn all the world’s leading business aircraft manufacturers back to the Dubai show, including the following: AgustaWestland, Airbus, Boeing, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Eurocopter, Gulfstream, Hawker Beechcraft, MD Helicopters, Piaggio and Pilatus. There ranks will be swelled this year with the arrival in the bizav sector of Russia’s Sukhoi, which is introducing an executive version of its new Superjet airliner.
Also prominent in Dubai will be the growing numbers of local operators and service companies that are driving the growth of business aviation in the region. These include the following: Abu Dhabi Aviation, Al Jaber Aviation, Empire Aviation, Dana Executive Jets, ExecuJet Middle East, Gulfwings, Hadid International, Jet Aviation, JetEx Flight Support, Jordan Private Jets, MAZ Aviation, Rizon Jet, Royal Jet and Saudi Private Aviation.