Gama Aviation’s New Business Aviation Centre (BAC) at Sharjah International Airport is all set to open for regular operations from January 2026 onwards. The facility built over an investment of over $65 million represents a defining step forward for private aviation in the UAE,combining a purpose-built design, operational efficiency, and refined luxury in one seamless experience.
Spanning more than 80,000 square metres, the new BAC is located within easy reach of both Dubai’s commercial districts and the fast-growing Northern Emirates, offering a convenient and discreet alternative to the region’s more congested hubs.
Recently, Aviation World Managing Editor, Vishal Kashyap had an firsthand experience of visiting the upcoming FBO in Sharjah and interact with Mr. Tom Murphy, Managing Director – FBO at Gama Aviation. In this exclusive interview, Tom Murphy shares the importance of this project as it aligns with the UAE’s Vision 2030 and reinforces Gama Aviation’s commitment to delivering world-class aviation infrastructure and service excellence. Excerpts…
Q: The new Gama Aviation BAC seems huge. Could you please highlight the key details of the upcoming facility and its USP?
A: The upcoming GAMA Business Aviation Centre (BAC) will have 12,000 square metre hangar and a VIP terminal which will be equipped with different lounge spaces including an airside lounge, a cigar lounge and crew lounges. We’ve really been very generous to the client spaces and designed them for a luxury feel and experience. In addition to that, to complement the luxury facility, we’ve really put a lot of emphasis on the operational USPs.
In Sharjah, there is no slot restriction as the airport isn’t as congested and it’s a short taxi time from the runway to the aircraft parking positions. Once operational, from our site it will take about a 90 second to two-minute taxi time to the runway. We’re going to provide in-house fuelling with bowsers on our apron dedicated to fuelling only business jets.
Our apron is also going to be a self-manoeuvring apron, meaning aircraft can just taxi in and out on their own power. All of these things are a rarity to find at FBOs or at international airports. So, we’re very-very proud of what we’re about to produce and what we’re about to
Q: At the upcoming hangar, how many aircraft can be parked at one time? And, will it support the MRO services as well?
A: The hangar will be able to accommodate, depending on the mix of aircraft, maximum around 12 aircraft in each hangar. The biggest aircraft it will accommodate in our hangars would be like a B-757 and then down to a Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) or an Airbus corporate jets( ACJ).
The hangars will also serve some maintenance services as well. As within one of our hangars will be the office space, stores and parts area for our in-house MRO.We have capability for the Global Series, Embraer Legacies, Gulfstream 650, Challengers and a few other types that we’re looking to increase our range of services from an MRO perspective as well.
Q: With few prominent FBOS in the region, how you see the market in terms of the business, the growth potential and also demand?
A: Yes, I think it’s very- very competitive. There are two FBOs in DWC and two in DXB, so in a very short area, numbers of FBOs are competing. And obviously, we are already in Sharjah.
We’ve successfully grown our market share as we’ve got the market and clients more familiar with Sharjah and its USPs that are existing today. We’ve gradually increased our market share and last year was our busiest year on record in the last 10 years in terms of volumes. We’re 50 per cent up year-on-year on volumes and the number of passengers that have passed through this present terminal is 30 per cent up year-on-year.
All in all, Sharjah is 30 minutes away from downtown Dubai and it’s also the bridge between downtown Dubai and the Northern Emirates. There is lot of developments happening in Ras Al Khaimah, so we’re perfectly positioned to serve both of those markets.
If we look slightly further ahead, with Dubai International ceasing operations in the future, we will then be, if it wasn’t for Gama investing in this project and producing this facility, the only option for business owners would be DWC. We’re giving a really strong option to the market with the world-class facility as we’ll be the closest airport to downtown Dubai.
Gama Aviation Newly Built Hangar at Sharjah International Airport
Hangar Details:
• Size: 12,000 sqm
• Function: Purpose-built for Line Maintenance operations, as well as secure aircraft parking, adding sizeable capacity to hangar capacity in the region
• Design: Engineered with wide-span doors, optimised apron access, and a clear internal height to accommodate multiple large-cabin aircraft simultaneously
• Efficiency: The hangar layout allows direct taxi-in/taxi-out capability, minimising towing time and ensuring faster aircraft turnaround
• Integration: Adjoining workshops and technical areas support on-site maintenance teams with dedicated tooling, parts storage, and client viewing areas
• Environmental Design: Advanced lighting, insulation, and airflow systems enhance working conditions and energy efficiency
Q: The investment is huge in developing this BAC. What factors will define the ROI for this project?
A: This is not the first project as our company was established 42 years ago and our CEO is the founder of the company. I believe we have already a good penetration into the market and we want to expand those capabilities at a much higher scale into this FBO. We’ve built hangars in the UK before and we have another project in the UK where we’re building a hangar and an FBO. So, this is not new to Gama Aviation and it’s something that we’ve been proving concept for 10 years.
We’ve been dedicated to proving this concept and then we made this decision that this is something that we want to embark on. So, of course, we need to make a return on the investment but for all of the things I’ve outlined with the momentum that we’ve generated and also the future landscape of the UAE market for business jets, it all supports a successful business.
Gama Aviation Lounge ( Projective Image)
Facilities of the FBO:
VVIP Terminal
• Size:2,000 sqm across two floors
• Luxury Lounge: Contemporary interiors with designer furnishings and bespoke detailing
• Private Lounges: Equipped with entertainment systems and business facilities, attended by dedicated staff
• Relaxation Area: Recliners, soundproofing, and ambient lighting for a peaceful pre-flight environment
• Observation F&B Bar: Overlooks the apron, offering gourmet dining and refreshments
• Cigar Lounge: Elegant wood and leather finishes with a curated collection of premium cigars
Q: For this BAC, how much manpower will be required to streamline the smooth operations?
A: In the FBO, we have about 30 staff and we’ve taken on some additional roles specifically for this project. Actually, moving to our new facility, I see it as it’s going to be much simpler, more straightforward and streamlined.
For the last 10 years, we’ve fit into the airport rather than build something. We’re kind of spread out around the airport and we could have aircraft parked in one of four or five different locations around the airport. When we all go to the new facility, everyone in the team is going to be under one roof.
From an air side point of view, everything’s happening in that one apron, so operations will be streamlined and therefore we will have enough manpower. It should be more straightforward than how we do it today.
Q: What are the initiatives taken to make this facility eco-friendly?
A: Apart from our ground service equipment, we’ve had to procure some more equipment and a lot of that is electric. We have had some initiatives put into the design of the hangar to try and reduce the power requirements.We have some other initiatives in the future, potentially for solar panels. But this is something that we’re looking at after opening to see if we can get it in place.
Q: What’s the plan for opening the facility, is it in stages or at one go?
A: There have been times where we were thinking of operating the hangar first because the hangar is basically finished.The FBO, some of the finishing still needs to be done, as of now. So, it might be that we sort of deploy that strategy where we open the hangar first and then the FBO as soon as possible after. In an ideal word, we’d like to open everything at the same time.
