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United Arab Emirates aviation news

Jetex achieves IS-BAH certification for Dubai FBO

Jetex has been awarded the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) certification for its Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Al Maktoum International VIP terminal. The accreditation awarded by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) marks the first certification for a Dubai-based FBO. IS-BAH is a set of global industry’s best practices for business aviation grou...

Nicole Kidman sells Etihad Airways in virtual reality movie

Nicole Kidman is flying high. The Australian Oscar winner stars in a just-released ad campaign by Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates. The commercial, a five-minute 360-degree virtual reality film, showcases the deluxe service and accommodations of the new Airbus A380. It also raises a couple of burning questions. How do you get a falcon on the UAE’s national...

Etihad Aviation Group and Partners boost financing platform strategy to US$1.2 Billion

Etihad Airways, Etihad Airport Services, airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles and Alitalia have successfully raised a further US$500 million in a second platform financing transaction, following the success of last year's award-winning bond which raised US$700 million. A roadshow was announced on Monday 16 May 2016 to a positive response from the international financial community, followed...

Jet Aviation Dubai receives GCAA approval for A320 series aircraft

Jet Aviation Dubai has been approved by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to support Airbus A320 series aircraft.  The company already holds Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval and is currently working to secure European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval. This GCAA approval authorizes Jet Aviation Dubai to support all Ai...

Leonardo-Finmeccanica's offshore helicopter fleet grows in UAE with first AW169 delivered to Falcon Aviation

​First offshore-configured AW169 follows helicopters already delivered to customers in Europe and Australia for passenger transport, air ambulance and utility roles Second AW169 to be delivered to Falcon Aviation in August to perform VVIP transport Agreements for over 150 AW169s worldwide to date including firm orders, options and framework contracts Leonardo-Finmeccanica announced today...

‘Loss of awareness’ cause of experienced skydiver’s death at Skydive Dubai

An investigation into a fatal parachute crash that killed an experienced Saudi skydiver found that the accident was likely caused by his “loss of situational awareness". Majed Al Shuaiby, 35, from Riyadh, died in April last year after jumping from a Skydive Dubai plane while on holiday with his brothers. He was considered to be an “expert diver" who held a class D licence...

UAS in Midst of Global Expansion

UAS, the Dubai-based flight support company that is in the process of setting up offices worldwide, is making inroads in the Far East, the U.S., India and Africa, and is unveiling new software here at EBACE. “The past 12 months have seen UAS build on its capabilities in the Asia Pacific and Greater China. It has also significantly increased its portfolio of clients at its A...

Emirates needs as many as 500 new pilots this year

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, will need to hire as many as 500 new pilots this fiscal year in order to keep up with its expansion plans, a senior company executive said on Tuesday. The recruitment plan comes as Emirates takes delivery of 36 new wide-body aircraft in the 12 months to March 31, 2017. It also plans to launch new routes to Asia and the world’s lon...

Antonov An-225, the world’s biggest plane, makes a stop in Dubai

The world’s largest plane touched down in Dubai on Tuesday. At roughly 2pm, the Antonov An-225 Mriya landed at Al Maktoum International Airport, after having recently landed in Perth, Australia where it was delivering a 117-tonne generator — which is as large as a small bedroom. The plane was holding no cargo and is only making a stopover before heading to Italy, according to an...

DACC drafting heli-taxi platform masterplan

Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) is drafting a masterplan for a proposed heli-taxi platform to be centred at the Dubai South aerotropolis which includes Al Maktoum International Airport. Khalifa Al Zaffin, DACC’s Executive Chairman said the masterplan will be ready by the end of the year. “It will address the transit and tourism needs of passengers using Al Maktoum Intern...

Flying Dubai to London with Gulf Air: Low-cost business fare marred by six-hour delay

Flying to London from Dubai with a stopover is not a journey a business traveller is likely to make in place of a direct flight. But Gulf Air provides two solid reasons to fly via Bahrain: a highly competitive business class fare of Dh7,920, less than half the price of its main rivals; and personal service on smaller planes that harks back to the carrier’s golden age in the 1970s and &lsq...

Flydubai will move to DWC in 2017, Dubai Airports says

Flydubai will move its entire operations to Dubai’s second airport, Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC), by the end of 2017, freeing up space for Emirates to expand at Dubai International. Operator Dubai Airports confirmed the move on Thursday in its quarterly DWC traffic report. Traffic will continue to grow in part because of the “planned move of flydubai’s...