Paras Dhamecha, EAG ceo, says Empire Aviation Group will respond to the growing demands of the rapidly developing regional market for comprehensive general aviation services, including aircraft sales, finance, insurance, charter, management and maintenance.

He adds: "We are ready to begin the aircraft management and charter service operations. Our AOC is currently being processed and a number of aircraft owners and charter customers have already committed their business to us. The regional aviation market represents an enormous opportunity as it rapidly matures."

EAG, which operates from a dedicated facility at the Dubai airport free zone, has been appointed by Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, as distributor for the GCC region. The distributor agree-ment was signed at the Paris Air Show 2007, by H.E. Sheikh Tariq Bin Faisal Al Qassimi, chairman of Empire Aviation Group and chairman of Emirates Investment Group.

Dhamecha is a qualified jet pilot and was the co-founder and ceo of Dubai-based Elite Jets, established in 2004, prior to taking up his new position with EAG.