Royal Air Force Shadow R1 fleet achieves 10,000th operational flight hour.

Saturday 8th September 2012

Gama Group, the global business aviation service provider celebrates the significant achievement of the Royal Air Force's Shadow R1 special mission fleet's 10,000th operational flight hour.

Gama Support Services Ltd, a Gama Group company, was happy to attend yesterday's ceremony held at RAF Waddington by the RAF's No.14 Squadron, to mark its achievement of its Shadow R1 aircraft fleet's milestone.

Wing Commander Rich Moir, Officer Commanding 14 Squadron, said:

"Marking the 10,000th operational hour for the Shadow R1 is very important as it is a significant milestone, and stands as testament to the hard work, dedication and determination of all those associated with the success of this unique platform.

Since it was first introduced into service it has had an outstanding serviceability rate and delivered consistently in the skies over Afghanistan. It is an achievement that all associated with the project should be very proud of."

The Shadow R1 is one of a number of platforms Gama supports. As well as providing UK-based support and logistics supply, Gama provides service engineering teams and supply chains to support the platform around the world.

Gama's contribution as a member of the Shadow Team headed by Special Project Multi Air Platform Project Team, was recognised earlier this year with the award of a Chief of Defence Material's (CDM) Commendation in recognition of exceptional support to the Royal Air Force and its Shadow R1 special mission fleet in particular.

In addition to the provision of maintenance support both in the UK and overseas, Gama has also been recently appointed to provide specialist training for RAF engineering personnel.

"We appreciate the confidence the MOD have placed in the Gama team in supporting Shadow R1 operations," said Paul Bristow, Engineering Director, Gama Support Services. "We are committed to expanding our support for the MOD as and when requested, in what we appreciate are particularly challenging operational circumstances and are proud to have the RAF team engineers working under our maintenance approvals as an integral part of the Gama team at our home base of Farnborough and overseas in support of the Shadow Program."

""About Gama Group:

Gama is a global business aviation services organisation, founded in 1983 in the UK by Marwan Khalek and Stephen Wright.

Gama employs over 400 personnel and operates over 80 business aircraft around the globe and over 30 operating bases across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.

Gama Group is headquartered at Farnborough Airport in the UK, with its American headquarters in Stratford, CT, its Middle East and North Africa headquarters at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and its Asian headquarters in Hong Kong.

The group's companies and affiliates hold EU-OPS, FAA Part 135 and UAE GCAA Charter Certificates, EASA, FAA and GCAA Part 145 Maintenance Approvals, EASA Part 21 Design and Manufacture Approvals and offer business aircraft charter, management, FBO, maintenance, valeting and aviation software services.

Recent expansion of services have included the exclusive provision of executive aircraft ground services at Sharjah International Airport, UAE and the establishment of Gama Engineering Ltd, affording fixed and rotor wing aircraft operators a comprehensive design, manufacturing, certification, maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification service at Fairoaks Airport, UK. Gama's most recent acquisition Ronaldson Airmotive is fully EASA Part 145 certified for the provision of engine and component overhaul services.

www.gamagroup.com