Gama Group, the global business aviation services provider, today announced a major expansion to its Middle East fleet.

Gama Aviation FZE, a Gama Group company, is significantly expanding both the number and diversity of its managed and charter aircraft fleet.

Over the course of the past two months Gama has added an additional Embraer Legacy 600 and a Challenger 604 to its UAE charter fleet and an Embraer Legacy 650, Hawker 800XP and VIP Boeing 737 to its growing management fleet in the region.

Although Gama is firmly established at Sharjah International Airport, with an additional base in Dubai, this major fleet growth marks the company's expansion into the UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi.

The year 2012 has been a remarkable year of expansion for Gama Aviation FZE in the Middle East region. Highlights include:

• The opening of the Gama FBO at Sharjah International Airport;

• The opening of Gama's Jeddah, KSA office and Abu Dhabi base

• The award of UAE GCAA CAR 145 Approval; and

• The award of UAE GCAA CAR Part M Maintenance Management Approval.

"To enter our fourth year of operations in the Middle East on such a positive note is very rewarding. The market in the region for business aviation remains positive but slow, so it's pleasing to see that the hard work and customer service ethic of our entire team here at Gama is producing strong results and gaining significant traction. Whether it's our executive aircraft handling and maintenance services at Sharjah, the opening of our Abu Dhabi and Jeddah bases, the on-going growth of managed aircraft fleet of providing our charter customers with more aircraft choices, Gama Aviation is totally committed to providing a complete range of business aviation products and services to our Middle East based clients," said Dave Edwards, Regional Managing Director, Middle East and Asia, Gama Aviation.

Gama Group is exhibiting at MEBA Dubai 2012 this week at its new Dubai World Central Exhibition venue (Dec. 11-13) Stand No. 110.

About Gama Group

Gama is a global business aviation services organisation, founded in 1983 in the UK by Marwan Khalek and Stephen Wright. The group's investors include Growth Gate Capital Corporation who lead a consortium including Crescent Enterprises LLC and a number of other regional investors.

Gama employs over 400 personnel and operates over 80 business aircraft around the globe and over 30 operating bases across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.

Gama Group is headquartered at Farnborough Airport in the UK, with its American headquarters in Stratford, CT, its Middle East and North Africa headquarters at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and its Asian headquarters in Hong Kong.

The group's companies and affiliates hold EU-OPS, FAA Part 135 and UAE GCAA Charter Certificates, EASA, FAA and GCAA Part 145 Maintenance Approvals, EASA Part 21 Design and Manufacture Approvals and offer business aircraft charter, management, FBO, maintenance, valeting and aviation software services.

Recent expansion of services have included the exclusive provision of executive aircraft, FBO and maintenance services at Sharjah International Airport, UAE and the establishment of Gama Engineering Ltd, affording fixed and rotor wing aircraft operators a comprehensive design, manufacturing, certification, maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification service at Fairoaks Airport, UK. Gama's most recent acquisition Ronaldson Airmotive is fully EASA Part 145 certified for the provision of engine and component overhaul services.

Contributed by Gama Group