General Aviation Middle East returns to Dubai - 6-7th April, 2009, Paul Griffiths key note speaker

Thursday 12th March, 2009

Under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports, the Middle East market’s general aviation community will gather at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai, UAE, from 6th to 7th of April for the second annual General Aviation Middle East (GAME-09) conference.

The agenda for the audience, which will embrace OEMs, suppliers, general and business aviation operators, FBOs, MROs, consultants and legal representatives either working in or looking to expand into the ME region, will feature new market opportunities and an appraisal of new business models emerging in an ever challenging economic climate. Aircraft selection, e-commerce, security, training and safety in the region are among the speaker topics. The two day event, organized by UK and Dubai-based MIU Events, will also look at innovations in special mission activity in the region -including helicopter and medevac operations.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, will deliver the Keynote Address on the morning of 6 April, setting the scene for the conference’s primary theme -the key factors shaping the development and expansion of General Aviation in the Middle East. The timing of the conference is good - as the new Al Maktoum Airport in Jebel Ali prepares to open in the third quarter of this year- already with the distinction of being one of the world’s largest aviation hubs.

Chairman for the first day, Jamal Zaal Bin Krishan, Head of Executive Services, Operations unit for Dubai Airports will open discussions addressing the issues, challenges and aims related to developing airports for the future in the diverse Middle Eastern region. Delegates will hear about aviation infrastructure, security and airport operations.

Other confirmed speakers include Dr Mark J Piierotti, CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Al Jaber Aviation (AJA) Business Jets who will address ‘Selecting the right aircraft’ - risk and options’ and Greg Thomas, CEO of PrivatAir, marking his second year as a speaker at this event on the ‘Economics of business jet options.’

Matthijs de Haan of Eclipse Jet Aviation International will appraise the role of the emerging Entry Level Jet/VLJ market. Chris Jennings, Senior Manager - Ground Operations of Istithmar World Aviation will explore the opportunities and challenges for growth in the Middle East, while Robert Rickets, Principal of Clark Ricketts LLP will debate how to make appropriate aircraft purchasing decisions in the current market place.

Day two will focus on the diverse issues of modern technology and its place in general aviation, chaired by Dr Donald H Bunker, Legal Consultant at Donald H Bunker and Associates, and the only legal firm specializing in aviation law in the Gulf. Delegates will hear from Mohammed Humaidan Al Zaabi, General Manager at Horizon International Flight Academy about the important issues of pilot training.

A series of panel discussions will deliberate how to match infrastructure in the air to ground infrastructure, modern technology and its innovative uses for safety and security and financing and leasing of aircraft. Oscar S Lucia from Interflight Consulting and Capt. Sakeer C. Sheik, Managing Director, Titan Aviation will close the conference with a workshop focused on the debate between owning and operating aircraft and will include operators, users and investors perspectives

Among this year’s exhibitors at GAME 09 is the pioneer of lunar gravity and weightless flights - SpaceLand. The company is offering a special prize draw for all conference participants to train as a Spacelander and fly in Lunar-gravity on board a SpaceLand research flight.

With thanks to this year’s sponsors Dubai Aerospace, Dubai Airports, Spaceland, Airtaxi Association, Go Now, Titan Aviation and Interflight Consulting.

To register and for full conference programme:

See www.miuevents.com/game-09