UAE newcomer GI Aviation is now accepting bookings following the award of its GCAA AOC in December. Several demonstration flights have been performed from its Al Bateen Executive airport base in Abu Dhabi and the operator made history in recent weeks by landing its Pilatus PC-12NG on Skydive Dubai's 750 metre runway. This is the first commercially operated aircraft to land there since it first accepted fixed wing aircraft in 2011.

“This is an auspicious occasion for us,” comments general manager Marios Belidis. “We are the first company to operate the PC-12NG commercially in the region and we are pioneering an all-new business model for the Gulf.

“Our goal is to deliver a competitively priced, reliable private charter service that will encourage fresh clients into this sector and stimulate the market.”

He is looking forward to engaging with charter brokers, travel agencies, businesses and individuals to demonstrate the capability of the Pilatus prop. “We expect demand will initially focus on key city pairs in the region where we will serve Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Sir Bani Yas from Abu Dhabi and Dubai.”

Adds MEBAA chairman Ali Alnaqbi: “Entrepreneurial com-panies like GI Aviation with its flagship PC-12NG and approach to marketing are going to help widen the customer base for business aviation in a region where larger jets typically dominate. On short routes within the Gulf region, the PC-12NG makes commercial sense.”

More than 250 units of the PC-12NG have been sold globally, and GI is expecting to take delivery of its second unit this month.