Charter company setting up Shannon base
A leading worldwide private aircraft charter operator is establishing a base in Co Clare.
Athens-based GainJet Aviation has begun the process of establishing its new Irish operation within Shannon Group’s International Aviation Services Centre (IASC).
The IASC is the business unit within Shannon Group plc, established in 2014, tasked with building on the already well-established aviation cluster at Shannon Airport.
GainJet Ireland will base three aircraft at the mid-west airport including a medevac/air ambulance and expects to begin operations early next year.
GainJet CEO, Captain Ramsey Shaban said: “GainJet has been looking at expanding our operations in support of our current structure as we continue to grow. We examined several EU options, but we felt Ireland has a lot going for it and hence major companies have moved their bases there.”
“We chose Shannon because, similar to Athens, it is a European base that is strategically located and connects continents. Moreover, Shannon has become a major aviation hub for leasing companies and for Atlantic crossing traffic,” he said.
“The team at IASC in Shannon Airport have been very supportive of our efforts and have been easy to work with as we inch closer to finalising the set-up of our new subsidiary base at Shannon.
We are planning to base 3 aircraft in Shannon as part of GainJet Ireland within the next six months, including two business jets and a medevac aircraft. While we continue to look at expansion into Africa and the Middle-East, our primary base of operation is still very much in Europe. We are very excited with GainJet Ireland,” Capt. Shaban added.
IASC Managing Director Mr. Patrick Edmond said: “Shannon is putting a particular focus on the area of business and corporate aviation, and a commitment such as this by a leading player such as GainJet is a vote of confidence in the aviation ecosystem developed here over decades and reaffirms Shannon’s attractiveness for aerospace and aviation related activity.”
The International Aviation Services Centre, IASC, is the business unit within Shannon Group plc tasked with building on the well-established aviation cluster at Shannon.
IASC helps existing aerospace firms here develop their business, as well as working alongside IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland to bring new companies to Shannon.
GainJet Aviation is a private aircraft charter airline and management company with its headquarters based in Athens, Greece. Its network also includes a sales office in London, U.K at Heathrow Airport. GainJet commenced operations in April 2006, upon acquiring its EU-OPS-1 Air Operator’s Certificate, allowing the company to commercially operate worldwide.
