Trained engineer Faris Deeb sees good opportunities for Prestige Jets of Abu Dhabi to utilise a rugged short runway light jet alongside Challengers and Hawkers. "The Grob spn's ability to land on airfields means it opens up a lot of possibilities including projects where oilfield facilities are under construction," says Deeb, md of Prestige Jets, a subsidiary of the Al Yasi Group.

The two spns, due for delivery in 2009, could take the Prestige fleet into double figures as there are plans to add two super midsize jets by the third quarter of 2008.

With business and corporate charter demand building from all over the Middle East the UAE, Beirut, Oman, Syria, Egypt Prestige is also looking at acquiring another two Challengers and one Hawker 850XP as early as possible in 2008.

The spn orders, authorised by HE Sheikh Ghaith Bin Hamel Al Ghaith Al Qubaisi, founder of Al Yasi and founding partner of Prestige Jets, are part of the third phase of planned expansion to add a new dimension of charter flexibility.

Deeb says: "Prestige Jets currently has two leased aircraft in its fleet, a ten-seat Challenger 604 that can fly non-stop to destinations as far afield as London, Rome, Geneva, Nice or Bangkok, and an eight-seat 800XP suitable for flights throughout the Arab world as far as Cairo."

He adds: "We can help plan every detail of a trip including hotels and transfers in order to optimise the client's time at his destination, thereby increasing productivity and efficiency.

"The super midsize will boost Prestige's regional coverage of the Arab Gulf countries including

Saudi Arabia. And the spns will add further sophistication."

For the spn additions Deeb is thinking in terms of runway restricted airports such as Suhar in Oman which is in reach of Abu Dhabi. "The spn's operating characteristics are ideal for operations that involve such routes."

Deeb, in an interview in Geneva with EBAN, disclosed that Prestige has plans to start up an FBO at Abu Dhabi international airport in the third or fourth quarter of 2008. It wants to become an integrated private jet provider in a number of key areas including brokerage and aircraft management.

He says: "We are in discussions with top names. We would like to handle our own aircraft in-house and extend those services to third parties.

"In conjunction with this we would examine how best to set up a brokerage that will provide referrals for our managed aircraft."

Deeb points out that reputation is everything. "Managing a fleet of aircraft means getting the operational systems right, to meet the stringent safety and operational requirements of the local and international aviation authorities. But in the private air travel market, these are 'givens' and the real difference lies in the quality of service, which must be five star from end to end."

He adds: "Clients expect a very high standard of aircraft, comfort and convenience but the quality of hospitality, the standards of care and service, also make a significant difference to discerning clients who have high expectations. As a consequence Prestige Jets has invested heavily in this area."

Nicholas McHaffey, sales director of ExecuJet Aviation Group, the regional sales distributor, says he expects more sales of the Grob spn as other Middle East operators finalise their development plans.

While Prestige Jets is focused on owning a mixed fleet of aircraft for its own and clients use, its sister company Prestige Air Charter will promote and expand the fleet and offer ad hoc brokerage business throughout the Middle East region.

The overall business plan is for a one-stop charter, management, brokerage, consultancy and FBO operation.