Why the Future of MENA’s Skies Will Be Built by Outsiders

Executive Summary

While MENA’s digital economy grabs headlines, its aviation sector is quietly undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation. From fleet expansion and training shortages to sovereign ambitions in aircraft manufacturing — the market is booming, yet fractured. The real opportunity? Tapping into aviation infrastructure gaps with deep sector expertise, speed, and capital efficiency.

What’s Happening Now?

1. Massive Fleet Expansion

• Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 includes $100+ billion investment in aviation. Riyadh Air launched in 2023; expansion targets 330 million passengers by 2030 (source: Saudi GACA).

• UAE carriers are growing aggressively: Emirates, Etihad, and FlyDubai have over 300 new aircraft on order.

• EgyptAir, Qatar Airways, and Oman Air are reconfiguring fleets and expanding regional hubs.

2. Pilot & Crew Shortages

• Boeing forecasts 58,000 new pilots needed in the Middle East by 2042 (source: Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook).

• Current local training capacity covers less than 20% of that demand.

• Airlines are increasingly outsourcing training and leasing — not just aircraft, but also flight school pipelines.

3. No Dominant Aviation Education Platform

• Scattered national academies.

• Very few EASA-compliant schools in the region.

• Most UHNW and airline-sponsored cadets still train in Europe or South Africa.

What This Means for Investors

This is not just about planes. It’s about infrastructure arbitrage:

• Own the training pipeline, not just the aircraft.

• Lease out full flight school systems (aircraft + instructors + curriculum) to state or private operators.

• Set up SPVs backed by tuition revenue, not speculative startups.

• Offer sovereigns something they desperately need but can’t yet build themselves: a turnkey EASA-standard aviation platform.

Our team has over 30 years of operational, financial, and regulatory expertise in general and business aviation. We speak aircraft and numbers — and we’ve done it before.

What’s Next?

• We’re structuring vehicles to invest in:

  • EASA-certified aviation academies for pilots, engineers, and ATCOs

  • Aircraft leasing for training and executive aviation

  • Digitized training platforms and LMS tools tailored to MENA regulatory needs

• Our focus regions: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Morocco, and Oman.

• Our preferred investor partners: Family offices, sovereign co-investors, and long-term asset allocators.

Final Note

While others chase headlines, we’re building runway — literally and financially.

If you’re an investor looking to own the aviation backbone of the next 30 years in MENA, we’re opening access to our dealroom for a limited number of qualified partners. Request access to our aviation investment pipeline.