Never content standing still, the past few months have been exceptionally busy – and rewarding – for the UAS International Trip Support team, led by Co-Owner/Founder and Executive President Mohammed Husary and Co-Owner/ Founder and CEO Omar Hosari.
In 2016, UAS embarked upon delivering the UAS Evolution tech suite. What does the app offering look like two years on? Does UAS consider itself a leader in flight planning apps?
Mohammed Husary: Our aviation technology suite, UAS Evolution is steadily gaining more users with the popularity of UAS FlightEvolution – our flight planning and weather technology – and UAS LinkEvolution, the cost-saving communications technology. Our flight planning and weather app, UAS FlightEvolution increases efficiency with its powerful capabilities and offers a better user experience through speed and accuracy. It effortlessly optimises flight plans, and makes the best use of route constraints, ETPs/ETOPS and drift down analysis.
We continue to be incredibly focused on refining and further promoting the products. This year our implementation team has travelled extensively, visiting operators and dispatchers in flight departments all over the world, demonstrating how they can extract the most from UAS FlightEvolution in terms of usability, efficiency and cost effectiveness.
When we began researching and developing our technology, we set out to transform the way pilots and dispatchers plan their missions. We wanted to design tools that would make their lives easier and more time and cost effective. And we are succeeding. UAS FlightEvolution has brought a new level of inflight situational awareness to flight planning.
In addition, operators seeking solutions for common pain points, like inconsistent coverage in flight and spiralling data costs, eradicate both issues with UAS LinkEvolution. It provides unrivalled global connectivity with unlimited data and no hidden datalink charges, helping operators radically reduce their datalink costs. We’ll continue to refine the capabilities of the suite for as long as demand remains and we forecast that will be for the foreseeable future.
How is the partnership with Deer Jet progressing?
Mohammed Husary: Our partnership has been a tremendous success. The alliance was designed to significantly enhance both our capabilities and accelerate our strategic goals to revolutionise international business flight and user experience. Since then, UAS has become the flight support partner for Deer Jet and the HNA Group, gained access to the impressive fleet of 90 aircraft that Deer Jet operates and manages, and become the official charter agent for the world’s only VVIP-configured Boeing 787 – the Dream Jet – thereby strengthening our air charter offering immeasurably. And, most recently, UAS clients can enjoy priority treatment at Deer Jet’s magnificent FBOs – 11 world-class facilities located at key commercial and travel hubs, comprising China’s largest FBO network. From a strategic viewpoint, this partnership has delivered on our objectives and continues to do so.
UAS offers exclusive charter management of the Dream Jet. Has the aircraft helped generate even greater awareness of the UAS brand?
Mohammed Husary: UAS air charter has exclusive rights to the Dream Jet – the world’s only VVIP-configured 787. We also have access to Deer Jet’s fleet, which includes the Gulfstream G450, G550, and Boeing 737 BBJ, so we can take care of a range of charter needs.
The Dream Jet is in high demand, particularly from ultra-high net worth customers in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, and royal and presidential entourages. I would definitely say that a huge amount of brand familiarity has been generated by our association with the Dream Jet, particularly for our air charter offering, which is growing exponentially.
Has UAS added to its global offering in recent months?
Omar Hosari: UAS has four continental headquarters, in Houston, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Johannesburg, as well as regional offices covering China, the Indian subcontinent, East Africa, and West and Central Africa. All in all, we have UAS employees at 23 global locations, with the option to move our VIP supervision resources anywhere.
Meanwhile, our partnership with Deer Jet has enhanced our ground presence and customer care capabilities in China. In May 2018, we gained priority access and pricing within the country’s best and largest FBO network, thanks to the partnership with Deer Jet. The expanded UAS China network also guarantees the UAS standard of quality at each of the FBOs, some of which are the only fixed-base operators available at their destinations. On-the-ground supervision by UAS station managers is also available at these eleven FBOs as well as across 180 Chinese airports, thanks to Deer Jet’s extensive ground presence.
From a connectivity point of view, this offers massive benefits to our clients, since they now have access to the highest levels of service and cost-efficiency throughout China. This is integral to our commitment to exceeding expectations and enhancing the user experience.
With regard to the Asia-Pacific region, our China ops team has had a year of great success, expanding as a result of the growing demand for UAS solutions in the market. Our focus is to continuously strive to build a seamless customer experience for China-based operators wherever they fly globally, and we recently relocated our offices to Beijing International Airport to be even closer to all stakeholders.
Can you tell us more about the FBO network in China?
Omar Hosari: It has massively extended our influence in the country. Our clients receive special privileges across Deer Jet’s FBO network in terms of preferred pricing and priority of service provision. In terms of customer service and the UAS standard of quality, these facilities are five-star and offer a wide complement of aviation services, including ground handling and fuel, VIP airport services, executive lounges, passenger and crew services, and maintenance services. Our station managers in China also ensure the standard remains uncompromised. UAS is the only international trip support provider with such an extensive presence in China.
Judging by the UAS website, it seems you consider Africa a very promising area for business aviation growth? Is UAS committed to the continent for the long term?
Omar Hosari: We have huge hopes for, and belief in, the future of the industry in Africa, as we have always had. Our commitment can best be seen in our investment on the continent, in terms of our African headquarters in Johannesburg, West and Central Africa office in Lagos, and East African office in Nairobi.
Africa is still developing, so operators really want people working on their behalf on the ground, supporting their crew and ensuring the smoothest operations possible, often in very rural stations. Our UAS station manager network satisfies these requirements. Our clients can expect to deal with one point of contact at the station and this means easier and faster exchanges and no miscommunication. Having a station manager on the ground is the difference between a lot of uncertainty and mishaps, and a seamless mission.
Mohammed Husary was recently listed in NBAA’s Top 40 Under 40 globally, for his leadership of UAS and accomplishments in business management. What does the award mean at the personal and company levels?
Mohammed Husary: I’m delighted to have received this accolade from NBAA, along with so many other great contributors to our magnificent industry. I’m thankful for this great honour and I’m certain that I’ll continue my commitment to business aviation for many years to come. I was also honoured for Lifetime Achievement in Business Aviation at the Sapphire Pegasus Business Aviation Awards at the EBACE show in Geneva.
Also, earlier this year, Omar Hosari received an award for his outstanding leadership and was named as one of the best 100 Arab CEOs at the Arab Best Awards 2018. We are both tremendously proud and moved to be recognised with these honours.
Can you summarise the company’s achievements over the past 12 months or so? What can we expect from UAS over the next 18 months?
Mohammed Husary: Our purpose going forward is to consistently enhance the customer experience in every aspect of UAS – our global network, air charter, trip support and aviation technology. We’ve once again had a productive and successful year that saw us receive many industry accolades, including Service Provider of the Year at the Sapphire Pegasus Business Aviation Awards; we were also shortlisted in four categories for the AsBAA Icons of Aviation Awards. I think this recognition from fellow industry stakeholders and influencers reinforces the fact that UAS is a dynamic and innovative company, continuously evolving within a highly competitive, ever changing industry.