Gama Aviation FZC, the newly-founded Middle East arm of the UK headquartered Gama Group, has expanded its managed fleet to three aircraft with a Challenger 605 and a Challenger 850 joining a Challenger 604.

Dave Edwards, the group's md who has been heading the development in the region, says: "We're absolutely delighted to be increasing our regional fleet with the addition of these two aircraft in Dubai. It cements our launch into the market here. For the past 12 months we've been steadily building the business and finalising plans for our FBO and hangar development at Sharjah international airport. We added these two aircraft to our startup fleet before our AOC was awarded so it represents an incredibly positive leap forward in our plans."

He adds: "The initial focus is on providing aircraft management and charter services before significant expansion throughout the region."

Group ceo Marwan Abdel Khalek, who founded the company in 1983, adds: "The Middle East region has always been of central importance to us, whether as a provider of customers as we've grown our business or as a very popular destination for our European and American fleets. The development here is a natural progression for the group.

"While we're relatively new to the region as a based operator, we're certainly not new to the market and we're keen to bring the exceptionally high standards we're known for worldwide throughout all of our operating businesses to Gama Aviation FZC."

Richard Lineveldt, Gama Aviation FZC's operations manager, says: "Having worked in business aviation in the region for over five years I jumped at the opportunity to join Gama last year as news of the group's expansion began to circulate. We are clearly an attractive proposition for business aircraft owners who are looking for a new and fresh approach to running their aircraft - but without the risks usually involved in moving to an inexperienced startup operation.

"It's very refreshing for my team to be focussing on delivering what our aircraft owners actually want, not what the industry perceives they want." The Gama group employs more than 300 staff at bases in Europe, North America and the Middle East and operates over 75 business jet aircraft.