Dubai: Abulhoul Aviation, a new charter company based in Fujairah, was launched Sunday and will carry tourists in and around the UAE.
Using a Cessna 206 Station Air, the company will begin operations in January with its first flight from Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, to Fujairah International Airport.
It will have the ability to land on water, and airport authorities will provide special services and a hanger for the aircraft's maintenance.
Starting with one aircraft, the company will gradually ramp up its assets and destinations to include Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The aircraft will carry up to five passengers at a time and fly within a two-hour radius.
It will also be available for mail, package and passenger services besides charter flights. Additional services include accessing remote diving, fishing, kite surfing locations and desert resorts in Abu Dhabi.
Ahmad Abulhoul, chief executive of Abulhoul Aviation, said, "This will be the birth of the first domestic airline service in the UAE linking the East Coast with the capital. And our prices will be attractive to our customers too."
The aircraft will use floats to land on water and other places that don't have runways.
Khalid Al Mazroui, general manager of Fujairah International Airport, said, "We will provide all assistance and services to make such operations very successful. This is part of our marketing strategy to attract different companies and operations to Fujairah International Airport."
Hired
The new aviation company has hired Bill Payne as chief pilot, who has 25 years of flying experience and 12,000 hours of flight time.
He also has 8,000 hours of experience on floats in Alaska.
"This will be a very safe and successful operation and I'm looking forward to meeting and delighting our customers with the scenic flights in this beautiful part of the UAE," Payne said.
