Gama Aviation

Gama Aviation is a leading business aviation services group that focuses on air operations (management and charter of business aircraft) and ground operations (engineering, design, software, MRO, passenger handling and consultancy). The Group's global headquarters are located at Farnborough Airport, with its American headquarters in Shelton, Connecticut, its Middle East and North Africa headquarters in Dubai, UAE, and its Asian headquarters in Hong Kong.

History

Gama Aviation Ltd was established in 1983 by Marwan Khalek and Stephen Wright at Fairoaks Airport, initially providing aircraft charter services with one Beech Baron aircraft.

In 1984 GAL obtained its first AOC and commenced offering business aircraft management services with one aircraft under management in 1988. In 1991 the company commenced working with the Scottish Ambulance Service through Bond Aviation Limited to provide fixed and rotary aircraft. In 1997, GAL acquired Bond Aviation Limited business from Bond Helicopters Group as well as Heathrow Jet Charter, a charter brokerage business. Having established a core platform during the 1990s, GAL focused on expanding its UK aircraft maintenance and service business with the acquisition of Plymouth Executive Aviation in 2001, which provided maintenance capabilities. This was further enhanced by the acquisition of Lees Avionics in 2008, which enabled Gama Group to provide a range of design and installation capabilities.

In 2008 Gama Group acquired Airops Software, a software consultancy and developer of aviation productivity software and PrivatAir Inc (now Gama Aviation LLC), based in Connecticut, USA, which provided Gama Group with a meaningful presence in the United States, the largest business aircraft market in the world. Full FAA maintenance approval was granted in the USA in 2011. The Group opened a number of other bases as part of its international expansion, including in the UAE which offers aircraft management, charter, maintenance and FBO services. Gama Aviation FZ-LLC was awarded an AOC in the UAE in 2010.

Further acquisitions were undertaken in 2011 (trade and assets of Mann Aviation Group Engineering) and 2012 (Ronaldson Airmotive Limited) which expanded Gama Aviation's engineering and support capabilities. New bases were opened at Sharjah Airport, UAE, and Hong Kong.

On the 8th December 2014, Gama Aviation announced a merger (technically a reverse takeover) with Hangar 8 Plc, creating a company with an estimated market capitalization of £130 million. The deal is due to complete on 6th January 2015, with Gama Aviation Plc becoming the new listed stock.

Group capabilities

The Group offers the following services across its operational network:

Aircraft management Gama Aviation offers a comprehensive fleet management service to business jet owners managing a wide range of aspects of running an aircraft on behalf of the aircraft or fleet owner, including, but not limited to, the provision of management and training of crew personnel, fuel, airworthiness, engineering oversight, insurance, hangar space, valeting, as well as all travel arrangements. Gama Aviation's fleet under-management comprises 96 aircraft located at 27 operating bases across three continents. Gama Aviation manages aircraft on behalf of operators such as: Wheels Up and NHS Scotland.

Aircraft under management consist of the following types:

Charter Gama Aviation acts as a charter broker for its owned and/or managed aircraft and occasionally sub-charters aircraft. The charter offer offers a variety of services including:

Ground operations Gama Aviation offers a comprehensive range of MRO and other services to its managed aircraft fleet and to third party owners. Ground operations cover:

Special Missions Support Gama Aviation provides dedicated “Special Missions” support under contract with a number of UK Government bodies including the NHS Scotland (Air Ambulance) and the UK Ministry of Defence.

Software & IT support Gama Aviation, through its wholly owned subsidiary Airops Software Ltd, provides both software consultancy and aviation software packages under the brands “AIROPS 5” and “AIROPS Movement-Exec”. AIROPS 5 is an aviation management system designed to support aircraft operators and brokers in all aspects of commercial, operations, technical, finance, marketing and management. AIROPS 5 is positioned to improve efficiency, accuracy and the speed of response to client enquiries. First introduced in 1988, AIROPS 5 is used by a number of well-known aviation companies around the globe. AIROPS Movement-Exec is a management software system designed to reduce the administrative workload involved in running an airport, handling agent or FBO. In addition, Airops Software Ltd offers an IT solutions service which provides and supports IT systems both for Gama Aviation Group companies and for external clients.

Certification and approvals

Gama Aviation hold the following approvals to comply with all major regulatory requirements to deliver its portfolio of services:

In addition the company also maintains localised standards/certification/awards under the following schemes:

• ISO9001:2008; • ISO9001:2000; • IS-BAO; • FAA Diamond award; • Air Charter Safety; • NBAA Corporate Business Flying Award; • Wyvern Wingman; and • ARG/US.

Operational network

Americas: Santiago, Boca Raton, Hartford-Bradley International, Bridgeport-Sikorsky Memorial, Waterbury-Oxford, West Palm Beach International, San Antonio, St. Louis-Lambert, Teterboro, Van Nuys, Las Vegas, White Plains-Westchester County Airport, Shelton

Europe & Russia: Aberdeen; Bournemouth; Fairoaks; Farnborough; Geneva; Glasgow; Moscow; Stansted; Oxford; Vnukovo

Middle East: Abu Dhabi; Sharjah; Dubai

Asia: Hong Kong

References

FBO investments

Military

Wheels Up

External links

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