Soaring in style: a home away from home... in the air
Market research suggests the global business plane market could be worth more than 33 Billion dollars by 2020 and customers pacing orders here on the ground at the Expo are paying skywards of 4.5 million dollars for their luxury jets And for that hefty price tag - they're not just buying privacy in the air...they're buying time.
"We see the chairmen, the top executives of the companies flying those machines. Basically, to make them more productive when they travel," said Claudio Camelier, Vice President of Sales, Embraer Middle East and Asia Pacific.
"And the market is certainly growing."
At one end of Embraer's scale there are 'modest' four-seaters suited to business meetings at 40,000 ft - and at the very top end there are aircrafts which could comfortably sleep a VIP family of up to ten - given its five cabin zones, queen size beds, fine dining and on-board showers - with bells and whistles - for around 55 million dollars.
"You can pick and choose between very exclusive leathers and veneers, stone flooring in the kitchen and bathroom area of the aeroplane," said Camelier.
"It's our home away from home. All of the conveniences that you'd have in a top end hotel."
Trends in zooped up exec jets include high-speed internet connectivity, top entertainment systems and crystal-clear satellite phone lines, which is handy when calling ahead to reserve a hangar spot at Abu Dhabi Al Bateen Executive Airport - the MENA region's only dedicated private jet base with capacity for 50 jets .and the 60,000 square metre venue for this year's Air Expo.
The airport is the lynchpin in the capital's masterplan to become the number one destination for regional private jets owners to park their planes.
Some analysts predict that the market in the Middle East could triple in the next 10 years, a forecast Abu Dhabi's General Manager of Aviation Airports Nasser Juma agrees with.
"Otherwise you wouldn't see the four major manufacturers to come all the way and start exhibiting in an Air Expolike, like we are today here."
And if you're wondering whether private jets will forever be the reserve of the super-rich and celebrities...then think again.
"Fortunately, now the concept has changed New players in the market and also new beneficiaries came into this business where we've seen private people are travelling on a private jet where they don't own them, they just charter them.It's very simple, say 20 people. They want to fly them for any show or any meeting abroad. They have to calculate the ticket cost for the first class. From that, you can make out whether this will be reasonable that I charter a flight and I will depart on my own timing,and I'm sure someone gonna choose that I will go with that private aircraft," said Juma.
Emirati Women in Aerospace: Building Planes and Breaking Down Barriers
Next time you board a commercial plane to somewhere exotic take a moment to look at the tail fin or spoiler of your Boeing or Airbus jumbo - because there's every chance they were made right here in the UAE by a dedicated workforce of female Emiratis in Al Ain.
In the traditionally male dominated sector of aerospace engineering women have taken matters into their own hands in the UAE city of Al Ain
They're assembling and they're manufacturing vital parts for industry titans like Boeing and Airbus and the Emirati nationals are doing it en masse....meaning that of the 700 employees they make up 51% workforce and 86% of them are female.
For now Junior Supervisor Meera Al Shamsi at Strata, rising up the ranks was a dream come true.
"To be part of this industry, in knowing that the components my team and I manufacture with their own bare hands, are flying around the globe and making a difference in people's lives makes me so proud," she said.
Aircraft rudders and wing flaps have for decades been made in cities like Toulouse, and Seattle and that's why the UAE has taken the industry by surprise.
For on a spot which used to be just sand dunes less than ten years ago there now sits Strata's gleaming production HQ.
The company has provided a shot in the arm to the local economy - and helped with the UAE's wider diversification plans delivering a record number of more than 9,700 parts last year - resulting in sales of more than 136 million dollars.
"We have over 2500 aircrafts that carry parts made in Strata, or from Strata - which is quite significant," said Saif Al Dahbashi, the Head of Production at Strata.
"Tomorrow we want to do a lot more with the Boeing program that we already make parts for and aircrafts such as the A350, Airbus A350 Dash 900 and Dash 1000."
Strata's master plan is for Al Ain to become a world-class aerospace manufacturing hub by 2030 .and they're arguably off to a flying start.
However, the question now is whether the UAE has the adequate infrastructure in place to cope with higher demand from global players?
"The industry is still new to the region and the local supply chain is going to need to take its course to achieve a certain level of existence in the UAE," said Al Dahbashi.
Keeping Strata's strategy 'on course' and giving its ambitions full throttle in the years to come will continue to be its young Emirati female workforce. Their dedication passion and acquired skills for the highly technical business of aerospace manufacturing is 'plane' for all to see.
Superyachts are Towing Investment into the Region's Luxury Hospitality Industry
Sales in luxury yachts are looking equally buoyant according to others. Now, while some analysts remain bullish about sales off private jets in the Middle East this year.
Welcome to the world of the one percent where if you have a million or a more dollars to spare - this is where you go shopping
Yachts and superyachts are the epitome of luxury living on water. The Dubai boat show
this year highlights this year's development from manufacturers to international investors. aiming to create a Monaco in the Middle East.
With 450 boats from about 850 global companies the event aims to rake in money from investors the global ocean industry is set to top three trillion dollars by 2030 and the UAE has a large stake in that as one of the top ten builders of superyachts in the world
"Because the infrastructure of the UAE and Dubai everything was available and the people that come to Dubai from different continent(s)... we have (people) from Asia, we have from Africa, we have from Europe, they come to Dubai and they find the facility is available," said Saeed Hareb, Senior Advisor to the Dubai International Boat Show.
Despite vessels on display valued at more than 400 million dollars , believe it or not. Dubai's annual boat show is not all about boats. It's an opportunity for the UAE to market itself as a leading harborside destination and a luxury cruising hub.
"When you are coming also here it's not only for boat show, it's also for tourist. Why not? I have a small boat or big boat, why don't I have (a) nice villa, why not I have a small flat floating in the creek, said Hareb.
Also given the time to shine this year at the boat show where local manufacturers like Gulf Craft and their 16.5 million dollar mooring of aquatic real estate boasting ever-changing views.
"The first temptation is to consider this like a floating palace almost, people come on board and see a property and they see a villa on water with all the amenities almost exactly the same or more as what they have on land," said Erwin Bamps, CEO of Gulf Craft
At a hundred and forty feet long - that's twice the length of a cricket pitch.This nine-bedroom superyacht represents what buyers want today - on water.
"We see that that's an indication of how people look at yachting today blurring boundaries are an indication of how they want to make sure that on water living is something they want to embrace to a much larger extent than just a one or two week holiday per year," said Bamps.
Having been in the business for decades Erwin has handled every kind of client request such as helicopter pads and tables descending from ceilings but there was one that really stood out.
"Planting trees on a yacht is not an obvious request where we had to tell people there is a difficulty to maintain them on a yacht," said Bamps.
If you have the money, it seems like in the world of luxury yachts - you can have anything that floats your boat.
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