India’s Civil Aviation Department has awarded the local affiliate of Dubai’s Empire Aviation Group (EAG) a non-scheduled operator’s permit (NSOP), enabling Empire Aircraft Management Services to provide aircraft management, operation and charter services in India.

“The India NSOP is great news for Empire Aircraft Management Services," said Paras Dhamecha, EAG managing director. "This means that it can build on its existing services to offer a broader range of integrated private aviation services, to meet the demands of one of the most exciting aviation markets in the world.”

EAG (Static S3) is celebrating its 10-year anniversary at the Dubai Airshow, where it has an Embraer Legacy 650 on display and available for sale. Today, the company has a fleet of 22 aircraft under management. Among the aircraft in the EAG fleet are three Gulfstream G650s, six Bombardier Globals—including a 6000 added in May— and a Challenger 300, two Falcon 7Xs and a 900DX, five Legacys and a Hawker 900.

“Over the last 10 years, we have built EAG into a global player in private aviation services," Dhamecha said. "Our distinctive aircraft asset management strategy has proved to be very successful, attracting aircraft owners from across the world. Year-on-year, we are still seeing double-digit growth in our revenue. The charter market is starting to pick up in the region.”

In Dubai, Empire Aviation has shifted most of its operations away from Dubai International Airport (DXB)—where up to 40 percent of Dubai’s business jet movements take place—because it is congested. “We are still getting aircraft in and out," he said. "We still have at least three aircraft based in DXB. The rest have moved to Al Maktoum International [DWC]. It is cost-effective more than anything else, with good facilities.”