December

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The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) said deliveries of business jets were 32 percent lower than the same period a year ago. According to the organization’s shipment report for the third quarter of 2003, the fall in business-jet deliveries contributed to an overall 9-percent decrease in shipments of general aviation aircraft for the quarter. For the quarter, the industry delivered 338 business jets compared to 498 in the same quarter a year ago. These numbers also indicated that some manufacturers were faring better than others, as Embraer announced the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding with Flight Options for the purchase of up to four Legacy business jets. The aircraft are slated for entry into the Cleveland-based company’s operation immediately upon final contract signing. Embraer said the average price of the Legacy Executive in the company’s backlog was $20.8 million U.S., but declined to put a value on the Flight Options deal. In early December, Embraer said it had delivered 20 jets in the third quarter of the year, 10 fewer than in 2002. Nevertheless, the company maintained its annual target of 110 deliveries, leaving it with 39 jets to deliver in the final three months of the year. On Dec. 8, at the Dubai Air Show, Boeing signed an agreement with Alsalam Aircraft Company, making the company the first authorized service center for the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ)in the Middle East. During the Dubai Show, Jet Aviation unveiled construction plans for a new facility to be located at the Dubai International Airport. In addition to its facilities in Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, the Dubai location will be the third Jet Aviation facility in the Middle East and will primarily offer maintenance service and fixed-based operations. Jet Aviation Dubai, a joint venture with the Almulla Business Group of Dubai, is expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2004 and will include a large hangar capable of accommodating two BBJs or Airbus Corporate Jets in addition to 1,000 square meters of workshop space.

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