Medevac boost for Royal Jet

Royal Jet, the Abu Dhabi-based executive jet company, marked its 10th anniversary by unveiling a bold new corporate identity, and announcing plans to change its fleet and operating base.

Royal Jet's existing fleet would be replaced by newer models. Above, aboard a Royal Jet Boeing 737. Philip Cheung / The National

Royal Jet, the Abu Dhabi-based executive jet company, marked its 10th anniversary yesterday by unveiling a new corporate identity, and announcing plans to change its fleet and operating base.

Presenting the company's 2012 annual review, the president and chief executive Shane O'Hare said Royal Jet had delivered 6 per cent earnings growth over the year and achieved a 263 per cent increase in monthly cash balance compared with 2011.

He declined, however, to give other details of the company's financial performance. Overall however, 2012 had been a year of growth, said Mr O'Hare. "In 2012 alone, our FBO [fixed base operation] handled 1,591 aircraft while our cockpit and cabin crew worked a combined 13,910 days last year," he said.

"We flew an average 1,186 hours for our BBJ [Boeing Business Jet] fleet and had an overall 91 per cent on-time performance.

"We flew 333 patients last year as part of our medevac missions [medical patient transportation] and are increasingly being referred to as the medevac operator of choice for emergencies in the region.

"We topped 2012 by flying to 313 airports through 2,818 flights across 148 countries." In the next seven years Royal Jet's existing fleet of six Boeing Business Jets, two Gulfstream G300 and one Bombardier Learjet 60 are set to be replaced by newer models, added Mr O'Hare. And next year the company would move its operations into Al Bateen Executive Airport, Abu Dhabi's dedicated private jet airport.

All line maintenance, aircraft parking, VIP terminal facilities and office space would transfer from Abu Dhabi International Airport.

"While we will continue to maintain our fixed base operation there, Al Bateen will become our principal operating base and integrated operations centre for our existing aircraft and for any new additions to the fleet," explained Mr O'Hare.

"Luxury is in our DNA. To protect our dominance of the VIP charter sector and secure future growth, we will need to renew our fleet and acquire new aircraft to help extend our market leadership.

"Our new mission is to constantly set new benchmarks for the business aviation industry and the luxury segment. The new corporate identity reflects their vision to be the leader in shaping the future of business aviation and global luxury travel."

Royal Jet is jointly owned by the Presidential Flight Authority and Abu Dhabi Aviation, and is chaired by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.

It has been in its 10 years of operations a pioneer in Middle East business aviation and was a founding member of the Middle East Business Aviation Association.

Since it was founded in May 2003 the company's pattern of business has changed from 80 per cent government and presidential flight operations to just 25 per cent government flights, while corporate and business customers now make up 55 per cent of its business.

Over the same period, medevac flights have grown from 11 per cent to 20 per cent of operations.