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The inaugural Saudi International Airshow got underway at Riyadh’s Al-Thumamah Airport this week at the headquarters of its host, the Saudi Aviation Club.

The three-day event attracted aircraft manufacturers, regional sales agents for private aircraft, business and general aviation aircraft manufacturers, airlines, terminal operators, ground handlers, MRO services, airport equipment and suppliers, aerospace and defence experts, and participants from other areas of the aviation and aerospace industry.

The airshow is aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which delineates the aviation sector’s indispensable role in the diversification and expansion of the national economy through the establishment of new airports and the expansion of existing facilities. Opportunities for both established companies wanting to expand their business and new players seeking to enter the Kingdom’s aviation sector are expected to increase dramatically.

The event was organized in response to a huge demand from leading regional industry professionals and will be the first in a series which will take place over the next five years.

Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the Saudi Space Agency and Founder and Chairman of Saudi Aviation Club said, "“The Kingdom is ready to be the most attractive country for exhibitions and conferences in the region. This has been done over the last five years by the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences, which organized this market and put in place the appropriate frameworks that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is reaping the fruits of this organized action in support of this important industry at the global level.”

Business aviation in the Middle East continues to see strong growth with both movements and the number of aircraft registered increasing steadily. This sector comprises private aircraft manufacturers, flight schools, helicopter makers, helicopter operators, and corporate and private jets.

“Saudi Arabia represents 30% of the aircraft registered in the Middle East and is one of the largest private jet and GA markets in the Middle East. The rapidly growing economies of the GCC are helping to cement business aviation as a cornerstone of the Middle East Aerospace Industry for years to come. The Middle East regional fleet [is expected] to triple [in size] by 2036,” the organisers said.

During the event, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) handed over two operational licences for the ground services to two companies, Sky Prime Aviation Services and Jet Aviation, at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

“The delivery of land services licenses is in accordance with the general regulations of the General Authority of Civil Aviation related to the ground services of the airports and the licensing of all the providers of land services at the Kingdom’s airports in accordance with international standards,” GACA said in a statement.

“This is in view of the urgent need to regulate ground handling services, licencing of suppliers and operators of ground services, and inspection and auditing of airports, in order to achieve the objectives and strategies of the Authority to develop the civil aviation system.

“This is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 which aims to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development and to build a prosperous future for the country.”

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 14th March 2019 | Issue #502

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