Dubai World Central (DWC) will hold talks with “several key business jet manufacturers” at the air show in the hope of attracting them to set up shop at its new Aviation City business aviation park.

With predicted sales of $800 million worth of aircraft in the Middle East over the next four years, DWC chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum remains bullish about the prospects for Aviation City, the planned home to DWC’s executive jet terminal as well as the world’s largest maintenance, repair and overhaul center.

 “Movements of small business aircraft in the Middle East are growing by 18 percent a year compared to the global average of 10 percent,” said Sheikh Ahmed. “The Middle East is a huge market for the business jet industry and its share of the overall aviation market in the region is expected to double, to 40 percent.”

Plans call for Aviation City to open for business next year and rank as the largest executive jet terminal in the region, handling an expected 100,000 movements a year.

According to Sheikh Ahmed, a number of operators have already signed up to establish bases at the $1.36 billion development, including the latest, XJet World, which plans to place a fixed base operation at the facility. Currently 22 business jet operators occupy the Middle East. DWC now hopes to use its presence at Farnborough to add business jet manufacturers to its portfolio.