Gama Aviation

Last updated

Gama Aviation Plc
Company type Public limited company
Founded1983;41 years ago (1983)
Headquarters
Farnborough, United Kingdom
Key people
Simon To, Chairman
Marwan Khalek, Group Chief Executive Officer
Neil Medley, Chief Operating Officer
RevenueUS$432.4m Total Group revenue (2016)
Website www.gamaaviation.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Gama Aviation (AIM: GMAA) is a British business aviation services company specializing in providing aviation support for individuals, corporations, and government agencies. The company has two service divisions: Air and Ground. It was founded in 1983 by Marwan Khalek and Stephen Wright, who currently hold the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer respectively. [1] Sir Ralph Robins, who formerly served on the board for Rolls-Royce, is the group's chairman. [2]

Contents

Air division

Air services

Since 1983, the company's managed fleet has increased through organic growth and mergers and acquisitions, including the reverse takeover of Hangar 8, [3] the acquisition of Aviation Beauport, [4] and most recently the merger of its US Air division with that of BBA Aviation. [5]

Further specialist services were added with the addition of FlyerTech, [6] the organic development of flight training services, [7] and its own in-house pilot ground school.

The Scottish Air Ambulance Services (SAS) contract involves the provision of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters in addition to the coordination and operational management of all flights. [8] This long-term contract resulted in the company investing in the development of new infrastructure at Glasgow Airport, with the creation of the SCOTSTAR facility. [9]

In the USA, the company provides similar turnkey support for the private aviation membership club Wheels Up. The business currently provides all operational support, pilots and pilot training for a fleet of King Air 350i and Cessna Citation XLS aircraft. [10] [11]

Ground division

Ground services

Gama Aviation conducts maintenance support for a variety of business aircraft types across its network of bases. [12]

The company also provides fleet support. In the US, this extends to the aircraft of Wheels Up utilizing Textron Aviation's Citation XLS+ and the Beech King Air. In January 2017, the company's Europe Ground division announced a 15-aircraft fleet deal with Wijet to provide maintenance support across Europe for AOG, line and base maintenance. [13]

As with the Air division, the company operates a number of contracts with organisations such as NHS Scotland, the Ministry of Defence, [14] and primary contractors such as Atkins. [15] These contracts have included updates to the Royal Air Force primary trainer fleet and the Army Air Corps Gazelle fleet, [16] amongst others.

Geographic development of the ground division

Gama Aviation has a network of bases in the US (Bedford HF, Bridgeport, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Palm Beach, St. Louis, Teterboro, Van Nuys, White Plains) and UK (Farnborough, Aberdeen, Fairoaks, Glasgow, Jersey, Kennington, Doncaster, Waddington, Oxford). There are also additional maintenance facilities in Nice, Sarjah, and most recently, Hong Kong. [17]

Controversies

As of July 2017, Gama is facing a High Court claim brought against it by Dustin Dryden, CEO of Hangar8, for £6.1 million. [18] The counterclaim is a reaction to an allegation made against Dryden in November 2016, which alleged that Gama Aviation provided services and spare parts to Dryden, who failed to pay. [18] Dryden claimed in response that the work was not performed properly and some of the spare parts had been pledged to another company. [18]

Dryden claimed that, rather than a dispute over his conduct as director, there had been a "departure agreement" including a promise to sell his 5% stake in Gama and spend the proceeds with the company in order to help it hit second-half financial targets in 2015. [18] Gama also attempted to impound one of Dryden's planes, which they claim Dryden unlawfully seized back. [18] Dryden admitted to taking the jet back, but denied any legal wrongdoing. [18]

Gama Aviation informed investors only after the suit was made public by newspapers, making an announcement to the London stock exchange. [19] Its share price fell shortly afterwards. [19] In response to the allegations made by Dryden, Gama Aviation announced that it would not comment while legal action was ongoing, but did release a background statement. [19] Following this, Gama took out an injunction, forbidding newspapers from naming most of its clients. [20] Dryden and Gama had settled the case in June 2018, with Dryden handing over cash and assets. [21]

A further case was brought against Gama Aviation by Credit Suisse. [22] The bank filed a High Court claim stating that Gama had not turned over a private jet that Credit Suisse was entitled to sell after Challenger-Mondel, who financed the purchase of the aircraft, defaulted on a loan. [23] In addition to this, the millionaire Andre Serruys has also taken action, alleging that the company overbilled him and performed sub-standard technical upgrades while under the management and maintenance control of Hangar8. [24] As of January 2018, Gama is potentially exposed to $15.3 million in damages from claimants. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cargolux</span> Flag carrier of Luxembourg

Cargolux, legally Cargolux Airlines International S.A., is a flag carrier cargo airline of Luxembourg with its headquarters and hub at Luxembourg Airport. With a global network, it is among the largest scheduled all-cargo airlines in the world. Charter flights and third party maintenance are also operated. It has 85 offices in over 50 countries as of 2018, and operates a global trucking network to more than 250 destinations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Business jet</span> Jet-powered executive transport aircraft

A business jet, private jet, or bizjet is a jet aircraft designed for transporting small groups of people, typically business executives and high-ranking associates. Business jets are generally designed for faster air travel and more personal comfort than commercial aircraft, and may be adapted for other roles, such as casualty evacuation or express parcel deliveries, and some are used by public bodies, government officials, VIPs, or even the military.

CityJet is an Irish regional airline with headquarters at Dublin Airport. It was founded in 1992 and has gone through a series of corporate structures. The airline was sold to Air France in 2000 and then by Air France to Intro Aviation in May 2014; in March 2016 the airline was bought by founder Pat Byrne and other investors. CityJet ended its own-brand scheduled services in 2018 and is now a major provider of wet leasing to European airlines. As of Summer 2023, CityJet operates wet lease services on behalf of Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and Scandinavian Airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CHC Helicopter</span> Helicopter services company

CHC Helicopter is a Texas-based helicopter services company.

Marshall Group, formerly Marshall of Cambridge, is a British company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Subsidiaries include Marshall Aerospace, an aircraft maintenance, modification, and design company located at Cambridge City Airport. Other subsidiaries are Marshall Land Systems, Marshall Slingsby Advanced Composites, Marshall Fleet Solutions and Marshall Property. Marshall also owns and operates the airport itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PrivatAir</span> Defunct Swiss airline

Privatair SA was a Swiss airline headquartered in Meyrin, which operated business jets as well as scheduled services on behalf of major airlines. In addition the company operated crew and pilot training facilities. PrivatAir SA was a registered air carrier with two air operator's certificates, in Switzerland and through its subsidiary PrivatAir GmbH in Germany. On 5 December 2018, PrivatAir filed for insolvency and ceased operations.

NetJets Inc. is an American company that sells fractional ownership shares in private business jets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Signature Aviation</span> British aviation services company

Signature Aviation is a multinational aviation services company headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The company was founded as W. Wilson Cobbett Ltd in 1879 and subsequently specialised in the manufacture of industrial supplies, particularly in the automotive and aviation sectors. During the Second World War, the company produced materials for British military aircraft, such as the Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, and Hawker Typhoon. During the 1980s and 1990s, the firm decided to increasingly orientate itself towards the aviation industry via a string of acquisitions and divestitures. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange until it was acquired by Cascade Investment, Blackstone Group, and private equity firm Global Infrastructure Partners in May 2021.

VistaJet is a global business aviation company founded in 2004 by Thomas Flohr. The firm flies between any two points, under a "pay for hours flown" fare structure.

Blink was a British commercial aviation operation which provides private jet travel using Cessna Citation Mustang very light jets. The company began operations in London in May 2008. Its French parent company, Wijet, placed it in administration in July 2018.

Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore, formerly Bond Air Services , is an operator of air ambulance, police, and offshore windfarm helicopters in the UK. Babcock operates a mixed fleet of light twin-engine helicopters custom designed to perform specific and specialised tasks. It operates from 17 bases around the UK. It has base maintenance facilities in Staverton and Glasgow.

Kenneth C. "Kenn" Ricci is an American aviation entrepreneur, the principal of Directional Aviation Capital, which owns or invests in various aviation enterprises including Flight Options and Flexjet, where he is chairman. He is an operating partner at Resilience Capital Partners, a private equity firm with a variety of portfolio companies, including an investment in Flight Options, and has helped found or lead other companies, including Nextant Aerospace and Constant Aviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superior Air Charter</span> Private jet charter company

Superior Air Charter is a private jet charter company based out of Dallas, Texas. The company was founded in 2006 by Alex Wilcox. In 2008, the company was re-branded from Magnum Jet after a push from financial backers. Wilcox is CEO of the company.

Surf Air is a Los Angeles-based aviation marketplace offering regional flight services and a strong focus on developing electric aircraft solutions. Surf Air is a subsidiary of Surf Air Mobility.

Delta Private Jets, Inc. was an airline of the United States. Its corporate headquarters was on the property of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Boone County, Kentucky. It operated business jet aircraft as a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines. Its main base was Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviation Beauport</span>

Aviation Beauport is a Jersey-based aviation company offering private aircraft charter, aircraft management, hangarage and handling services. The company is the only executive jet charter company in the Channel Islands to hold an Air Operators Certificate (AOC), and is the only fixed-base operator (FBO) in Jersey.

Wheels Up is a provider of "on demand" private aviation in the United States and one of the largest private aviation companies in the world. It was founded in 2013 by Kenny Dichter, using a membership/on-demand business model. Wheels Up members can book private aircraft from the company fleet and third-party operators using a mobile application.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Business aircraft</span> Aircraft typically used by corporations for own purposes

Business aircraft are aircraft typically used by companies and corporations to transport people or goods related to the needs of said businesses. Most business aircraft are general aviation aircraft variants of piston or turboprop or business jets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flexjet</span> Airline of the United States

Flexjet is an American provider of fractional ownership aircraft, leasing, and jet card services. Founded in 1995 as a division of Bombardier Aerospace, it is currently owned by Directional Aviation, an aviation private investment firm.

Aviation Consultants Inc. operating as ACI Jet is a privately owned aviation services company based in San Luis Obispo, California. It was founded in 1998 by William Borgsmiller.

References

  1. ↑ "Company Overview". bloomberg.com. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Gama Group announces appointment of Sir Ralph Robins". corporatejetinvestor.com. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "Hangar 8 to buy Gama Aviation in reverse takeover".
  4. ↑ "Gama Aviation buys Aviation Beauport". Corporate Jet Investor. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "BBA Aviation to merge aircraft management business with Gama Aviation's US unit". 29 September 2023. Archived from the original on 3 January 2017.
  6. ↑ "Gama Aviation acquires FlyerTech and Aerstream".
  7. ↑ "Gama, CAE Partner for New EASA Base Training Requirement". Aviation International News. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  8. ↑ "Gama Aviation awarded new Scottish Air Ambulance contract".
  9. ↑ "Gama Aviation opens unique new base for NHS Scotland".
  10. ↑ "Wheels Up Gama Aviation".
  11. ↑ "Wheels Up, Gama Aviation 'democratising' business aviation".
  12. ↑ "Gama Aviation maintenance".
  13. ↑ "Gama Aviation wins Europe wide contract from France's Wijet".
  14. ↑ "Shadow R1 team awarded CDM".
  15. ↑ "Atkins & Gama Aviation win contract to conduct airworthiness reviews for RAF aircraft".
  16. ↑ "Gama Aviation's part 21J team wins new defence contract".
  17. ↑ "Gama Aviation Hutchison commences long-term business aviation maintenance collaboration with China Aircraft Services Limited". 25 August 2017.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Shah, Oliver. "Legal dogfight erupts at VIP private jet operator Gama Aviation". thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  19. 1 2 3 "Gama Aviation responds to article on Dryden legal action". stockmarketwire.com. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  20. ↑ Bourke, Joanna (3 November 2017). "More woes for Gama Aviation as finance boss jets off". standard.co.uk. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  21. ↑ "Dustin Dryden pays to settle case against Gama Aviation". Corporate Jet Investor. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  22. ↑ "Gama still likes to fly under the radar". London Evening Standard. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  23. ↑ Crump, Richard (3 January 2018). "Credit Suisse Sues Aviation Co. For Possession of Private Jet". law360.com. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  24. ↑ Shah, Oliver (2018). "Private jet firm Gama set for hard landing". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  25. ↑ "Gama Aviation reports strong year amid ongoing legal battles". Hargreaves Lansdown. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.