Celebrating Rotary Expertise in the United Arab Emirates

It is a year of celebration in Dubai as Jet Aviation achieves 20 years in the “Golden City”. In 2005, we opened our first MRO and FBO facilities. In 2018, we acquired two rotary wing sites, and a new team joined the Jet Aviation family in the United Arab Emirates. With their own anniversaries to celebrate this year, we catch up with our rotary colleagues to look back at their legacy of excellence in the UAE.

In 2018, Jet Aviation acquired rotary base maintenance facility in Fujairah, now known as Jet Aviation Airservices (JAAS), and RBIH a joint venture rotary blade repair business with Bell Helicopter (now Bell Textron Inc).

The acquisition brought a long legacy of rotary expertise in the region into the Jet Aviation portfolio, and as we celebrate 20 years of Jet Aviation in Dubai, we also take a moment to also look back on and celebrate our decades of rotary excellence in the region.

Jet Aviation Air Services (JAAS) was founded in 1979 as Arabian Aviation Corporation E.C, in Bahrain. 30 years ago, in 1995, the company relocated and arrived in Dubai to provide support to rotary customers in the United Arab Emirates.

The initial focus was on marketing and selling Bell Helicopter (now Bell Textron Inc.) products, in addition to providing spare parts, component repair and overhaul management.

In 2004, a joint venture was formed with Bell for specialized rotor blade repair, as the entity now known as RBIH. RBIH commenced operations in Dubai in 2005, and this year marks 20 years of our rotary blade support in Dubai – and beyond.

Ian D’Arcy, VP Rotary Wing & Aircraft Sales Middle East, has been there since the beginning: “when RBIH started out (as RBI Hawker back then), there was no real precedent in the region for dedicated rotor blade repairs. From those beginnings, the team’s offering continued to grow to include new aircraft and capabilities,” he explains. 

“From those trailblazing beginnings, the team’s capabilities continue to span an ever-widening range of rotary-wing models and ever-more complex repairs.”

Ian was one of the first team members on the ground in Dubai: “Personally, hiring the first team for RBIH in Dubai is of course a major highlight. Some team members have been with us throughout the duration, which is testament to their commitment and passion, and fills me with great pride.”

Both JAAS and RBIH joined the Jet Aviation family in 2018 as part of the latter’s acquisition of Hawker Pacific, forming our rotor blade service offering in the Middle East. The expansion enabled Jet Aviation to grow its regional presence, and support customers in even more aspects of aircraft operation.

“With the acquisition of rotary maintenance, modification, blade repair and sales in the Middle East, we were able to complement our existing fixed wing, FBO and management offering in the region, supporting customers across the operation of their entire fleet,” says Vincent Rongier, Senior Vice President Regional Operations EMEA.

“With the acquisition of rotary maintenance, modification, blade repair and sales in the Middle East, we were able to complement our existing fixed wing, FBO and management offering in the region, supporting customers across the operation of their entire fleet.”

Today, JAAS operates out of a new facility in Fujairah, offering turn-key solutions for heavy maintenance, full repaint, modification and upgrades for Bell aircraft, in addition to comprehensive
sales, acquisition, sustainment, maintenance, and aftermarket support.

“JAAS has continued to expand its services over the years as the market evolves. At every milestone in our history, we have prioritized meeting our customers’ needs. Whether through our extension beyond helicopter sales into Part 145 MRO activities, or aftermarket support and turnkey helicopter sustainment services, we work for and with our customers. This part of the world is growing quickly and is at the forefront of many global initiatives. As one of the world’s leading business aviation companies, we are uniquely placed to support many of these, as well as to continue to support the growth of aviation across the region and beyond,” says Dominic Freienstein, General Manager JAAS. 

Since opening its doors, RBIH has also continued to expand its approvals across the entire range of Bell helicopters, while also adding Leonardo AW139 and A109/119 models to its capabilities. It is an authorized Bell Customer Service Facility and Leonardo Service Centre, offering one of the world’s largest arrays of OEM-approved expanded Rotor Blade Repairs.

“We will continue to draw on our long-term presence in the UAE and the deep-rooted understanding of the market, culture and business environment that we have built,” shares Ian. “Our long-standing relationships here position us excellently to keep on listening to our customers and partners, remaining agile to meet the ever-changing needs of the market.”

Discover more about our rotary maintenance services and blade repair.