Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association to host MEBAA Conference in Dubai

The conference, supported by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), will include a keynote presentation from Homaid Al Shimmari, CEO of Aerospace and Engineering Services, Mubadala followed by Laila Ali Hareb Almuhairi, Assistant Director General of the GCAA.

Presentations will include an in-depth overview of the MENA region business aviation outlook from Mike Beazley, VP Global Sales, Honeywell. Panel discussions will include continuous improvement in safety and security, examining ways in which security measures are implemented in business aviation, best practice implementation in audits and oversight and tracking safety ratings; while another will address the importance of FBOs at airports, paying particular attention to the challenges of the Middle East market, the region’s infrastructure and how FBOs can optimise income. The final panel will address the personnel shortage in the industry including preventing permanent dependence on expatriates, and training of local staff to meet demand.

“Business aviation in the UAE is still a growing industry,” said Ali Alnaqbi, founding chairman of MEBAA. “There is a wealth of opportunities here, in addition to some region specific challenges. The MEBAA Conference, taking place on the eve of the MEBAA Show, will gather industry leading experts together in order to share knowledge and insights in order to facilitate the growth of the industry into the future.”

He added: “We are pleased to host this conference the day before the MEBAA Show opens, giving the industry key players a chance to benefit from both events in the same week.”