Gama Aviation bolsters senior management team.

Monday 12th September 2011

Gama Aviation, the international business aviation services company, has strengthened its senior management with four promotions in its flight operations team. Each individual brings a broad range of experience and extensive international knowledge of the industry.

• Captain Steve Wright has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager. Formerly Operations Director, Steve co-founded Gama with Marwan Khalek in 1983 and was the company's Chief Pilot until 1991. As an experienced commercial pilot, Steve continues to maintain his flying role at Gama with current type ratings for the Boeing Business Jet, Bombardier Learjet 45 and Beechcraft King Air 200. He is widely respected across the aviation industry and maintains close links with many of the UK's leading airlines acting in an advisory capacity. His extensive experience in flight operations management and interfacing with leaders of major airlines is a strong asset to the company.

• Capt. Steve Woodfine has been promoted to Chief Pilot. A five-year Gama employee, he was previously a Fleet Manager and brings over 30 years' commercial flying experience to the role having previously held management positions at South African Airways, Dan Air, Virgin Express and easyJet having started his flying career in the South African Air Force. Over the course of his career, Steve has logged more than 12,000 flight hours and earned pilot type ratings on 33 different aircraft types.

• Ian Cheese has been appointed Director of Flight Operations. Ian is responsible for all aspects of Gama's domestic and international flight operations. He brings over 30 years' relevant experience to the role including management positions in flight operations at British Airways and Brymon Airways. Most recently, Ian was General Manager for Turboprops at UK low fare regional airline Flybe, responsible for flight operations management of 58 Dash 8 Q400s. Ian is an experienced professional pilot who has logged over 10,000 hours flying as a pilot and flight engineer. Ian has also previously served in the British Royal Air Force as a Flight Engineer.

• Capt. Brian Cozens is newly appointed Head of Training, responsible for all of Gama's crew training worldwide. He brings over 35 years' professional aviation experience to the role with particular expertise in flight training, flight safety and engineering. Prior to joining Gama Brian held the position of Head of Training at XL Airways. A commercial pilot for over 15 years, Brian previously held flying positions with major airlines including Dan Air, Air India and Sabre Airways.

"These appointments add significant experience and expertise to our already strong and longstanding management team as we continue our global expansion plans and shape our business for the future," said Gama Group CEO Marwan Khlalek. He paid particular tribute to Steve Wright who has been his right hand man at Gama for 28 years.

The Gama Group of companies will participate at next week's Business Aviation Europe Conference and Exhibition at Biggin Hill - 14-15 September, 2011.

Photo caption: Director Flight Operations Ian Cheese; Chief Pilot Director of Flight Operations and Capt Brian Cozens, Head of Training

The Gama Group:

The Gama Group is an international business aviation services organisation. Founded in 1983 in the UK by Marwan Khalek and Stephen Wright, it is one of the industry leaders in aircraft management charter, operations, maintenance and technical support.

It has a global fleet of 80 aircraft and employs over 300 at bases across Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. It runs one of the most advanced aircraft operations departments in the world with cutting edge IT systems to ensure that flights operate safely and efficiently. The group's companies and affiliates hold EU-OPS, FAA Part 135 and UAE GCAA Charter Certificates, FAA Part 145 Maintenance Approvals, Part 21 Design and Manufacture Approvals and offer business aircraft charter, management, FBO, maintenance, valeting and aviation software services. The Group is headquartered at Farnborough Airport in the UK, with its Americas headquarters in Stratford, CT and its UAE headquarters at Sharjah in the UAE (Gama Aviation FZE). All three bases are Wyvern approved.

www.gamagroup.com