Special Features
57, 000 Air Traffic Movements In The UAE In October 2010
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced that air traffic movements in the UAE grew at a rate of 9.11 per cent last October compared to the same month last year. The GCAA monthly report indicated that total air traffic movements in October 2010 were 57295, with an average of 1848 air traffic movements per day.The monthly report for October 2010 showed the number of air traffic movements in each UAE airport. Dubai ranked first with 25192 air traffic movements. Over flights stood next at 12515 air traffic movements. Abu Dhabi ranked third with 8057 air traffic movements. According to the report, air traffic movements in Sharjah International Airport ranked fourth with 5273 movements. Local flights between UAE airports were in the fifth position with 5224 movements. Fujairah International Airport witnessed 405 movements, while Al Ain Airport and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport had 213 and 391 air traffic movements respectively. Al Maktoum International Airport witnessed 25 shipping movements.
The report indicated that as far as air safety is concerned, GCAA completed 12 licensing transactions for aircraft maintenance companies, 4 aircraft registration certificate transactions and 43 airworthiness certificate transactions. Further, GCAA conducted 29 inspections and audits, issued 3 air operator certificates, completed 7 aircraft modification transactions and issued 14 simulator certificates and 44 examination permits. In addition, 7 foreign aircraft were inspected. In terms of ROSI system, 68 aviation incidents were reported.
As for security and infrastructure operations, GCAA conducted 11 inspections and audits and issued 5 licenses for companies operating in dangerous goods shipping. GCAA prepared 224 airport control tower reports, held 40 internal and external meetings in relation to security and infrastructure operations with several institutions and companies operating in the field of civil aviation in the UAE, provided 1 emergency training course, and issued 10 infrastructure safety violation tickets.
As for crew licensing, GCAA issued 457 new crew licenses, renewed 56 licenses, issued 148 temporary permits and 19 letters certifying aircraft license details, completed 103 type additions to licenses, issued 167 replacement licenses, and conducted 142 crew examinations, thereby bringing the number of crew licensing transactions in October 2010 to 1092.
As for aircraft maintenance engineers licensing, GCAA issued 40 new licenses, renewed 31 licenses, completed 382 type additions to licenses, issued 2 replacement licenses and 16 temporary permits, and conducted 202 aircraft maintenance engineer examinations, thereby bringing the total number of aircraft maintenance engineers licensing transactions last month to 688.
Regarding aeromedical activities, the report indicated that GCAA issued and renewed 1241 medical certificates in various qualified categories, appointed 10 medical committees to hold medical councils, approved 2 decisions by medical committees, and carried out 34 transactions to return crew licenses. As such, aeromedical-related transactions in October 2010 stood at 1287.
Further, concerning air traffic controller transactions, the report showed that GCAA issued 9 new licenses, renewed 6 licenses, and completed 60 type additions to licenses. As for urgent service transactions, there were 570 crew transactions, 9 aeromedical transactions, 151 aircraft maintenance engineer transactions, and 48 aircraft crew card transactions. As such, urgent service transactions stood at 778.
Regarding training courses, there were 8 external courses attended by 11 trainees and 6 in-house courses attended by 114 trainees.
From another side, last October witnessed a number of events and activities, including the re-election of the UAE as a member of ICAO Council for the next three years during ICAO General Assembly meetings held in Montreal, Canada. The GCAA investigation team continued leading the international investigations into the accident involving UPS cargo aircraft which crashed in Dubai on 3 September 2010. Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre organized " Civil Air Navigation Services Organization’s (CANSO) Seminar on best practices in the Middle East, and started providing approach area monitoring services at Al Ain International Airport. Further, GCAA signed air transport agreements and memoranda of understanding with a number of African and Latin American states.
Commenting on October report, Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, Director General, GCAA, stated that "the re-election of the UAE to the membership of ICAO Council helps establish the international presence of the UAE in the civil aviation sector, drives us towards developing our mechanisms, strategies and plans and makes us feel it is important to continue our efforts at developing our work locally, regionally and internationally."
