The first delivery of a Bell 429 to a Middle East client, Strong Aviation headquartered in Kuwait City, is further confirmation that manufacturers are enjoying a welcome upturn in demand in the region for both rotary and fixed- wing aircraft.

"The Bell 429's outstanding hot-and-high performance along with its expansive cabin were key features for us," said Capt Salem Safar, aviation manager of Strong Aviation. "The 429 is quite simply the newest generation of helicopters. It is so advanced it does the pilot's work for him. And when it came to customer care, Bell Helicopter surpassed our expectations."

Falcon Aviation of Abu Dhabi has formally accepted a new Lineage 1000 and its home base airport, Al Bateen Executive, has officially received its Cat 1 ILS certificate, allowing business jets and helicopters to land accurately and safely in low visibility conditions. "This will dramatically increase the airport's capability," says gm Stephen Jones.

Al Jaber Aviation (AJA) has announced expected delivery of two further Airbus aircraft in 2011 adding to the existing fleet of four A318 Elites and two A319s bringing the total fleet size to eight. "We're championing the UAE as a business aviation centre and have maintenance approval for the region for Airbus," says Mark Pierotti, of AJA's expansion plans. "We plan to have a fleet of 13 heavy jets within the next four years."

Meanwhile, ExecuJet Middle East is partnering with Qatar's Al Faisal Holdings to create a new facility. "Top quality aviation services are in demand in Qatar and the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council states," says Al Faisal's owner HH Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani.

The Middle East business aircraft fleet has grown to around 450 aircraft and Dave Edwards, md of Gama Aviation ZFC, which has added a privately owned Global XRS to its Middle Eastern fleet, says the company is among those planning further expansion.

"The biggest challenge for the UAE's GCCAA is to keep up with the demand for certification of operators as aircraft and their operators arrive," he says.

Larry Flynn, svp, marketing and sales Gulfstream, is also upbeat. "Gulfstream has more than 100 aeroplanes in the Middle East, a number that has more than doubled in the last decade."