Gama Aviation has moved into the London market. On September 1, 2026, the Farnborough-headquartered aviation services group took over business aviation handling at RAF Northolt in West London, becoming the sole handler at the Royal Air Force base after the expiration of Universal Aviation's contract. Universal had operated the Northolt Jet Centre for about six years; Gama secured the operation through a competitive bidding process.
RAF Northolt, ICAO code EGWU, is an unusual address for a business aviation terminal: an active military airfield six miles north of London Heathrow and about 15 miles west of central London, with relatively direct road access to the West End and the City's commercial and financial districts. It remains an RAF station, home to No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron, which handles UK government and senior military transport. Gama presents that setting as the location's main selling point: the controlled environment, privacy, and security of operating inside a military base.
The handover follows a competitive tender. Universal Aviation, which had handled business aviation at Northolt for around six years, saw its contract expire, and Gama emerged from the bidding as the station's sole handler. Single-handler status matters at a military airfield: with no competing FBO on the field, Gama controls the passenger experience end to end, from the ramp to the lounge, and visiting operators deal with one point of contact.
Gama also highlights Northolt as the closest business aviation airport to Wembley Stadium, which makes the field a natural choice for major sporting, music, and entertainment events, when demand for discreet, close-in access peaks. The company plans to invest in the existing facility, including refurbished passenger lounges and dedicated crew facilities, aimed at a more contemporary passenger experience while keeping the station's operational and security requirements intact.
“The addition of RAF Northolt represents a significant next step, giving us a distinctive gateway serving London and strengthening the connectivity of our wider network,” said Tom Murphy, Gama Aviation’s managing director of FBO services. Murphy pointed to Northolt’s location, security, privacy, and discretion as the attributes that matter most to business aviation customers.
Northolt is the fourth location in Gama's FBO network, joining Glasgow International Airport, Jersey Airport, and Sharjah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. The expansion follows the opening earlier in 2026 of Gama's Business Aviation Centre in Sharjah, a facility the company describes as including a 3,000-square-metre VVIP terminal, a 12,000-square-metre climate-controlled hangar, and a 36,000-square-metre self-manoeuvring apron. A new FBO and hangar development at Jersey Airport is in its final design phase and scheduled for completion in 2028.
The network logic is aimed at the London-based traveler who also flies to Scotland, the Channel Islands, and the Gulf. Gama already handles business aviation at Glasgow and Jersey, and its Sharjah centre, opened in 2026, pairs a 3,000-square-metre VVIP terminal with a 12,000-square-metre hangar and 36,000 square metres of apron. A new Jersey FBO is due in 2028. One handler across the network means one account, one standard of service, and no re-briefing the crew on local procedure.
The station brings history with it. Northolt opened in 1915 for the Royal Flying Corps, making it one of the oldest continuously used military airfields in Britain, and its squadrons flew in the Battle of Britain. No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron, the VIP transport unit, remains based there alongside the new civilian handling operation. The Officers' Mess has hosted prime-ministerial summits; the VIP terminal now serves a quieter kind of diplomacy.
For London-bound private travelers, the practical effect is a new option inside the M25 that trades the bustle of the capital's busiest business aviation fields for the perimeter fence of an RAF station. The refurbishment programme will determine how far the passenger experience moves from military functional toward the lounge standard the network's newest facilities set. The station's military status means prior permission and slot coordination remain the rule rather than the exception; Gama's team handles both as part of the handling request.
Photography: Harrison49
