Aircraft
Gama Aviation Set To Start China Managed Fleet
Gama is expanding rapidly but JV with Hutchinson Whampoa is key to its Asia Pacific strategy

Gama Aviation (Booth P706) is preparing to start its Asia Pacific aircraft management joint venture, with the first two customer aircraft to be based in Hong Kong, taking its global managed fleet to 146 aircraft. The development follow’s the Farnborough, UK-based company’s announcement in January that it had reached an agreement with Hutchison Whampoa (China) Limited (HWCL).

Speaking with AIN as he prepared to board a flight to Shanghai on Sunday, Gama CEO Marwan Khalek said the first two customers had been secured for managing “heavy metal” long-range private aircraft, while ABACE would provide an important opportunity for publicizing the new offering to other potential customers. “We also need to know where potential customers want us to be,” he said. “But we do want to be in mainland China.” Khalek said the focus would be on private owners so it would not be necessary for Gama to obtain an air operators certificate (AOC) straight away.