12% rise in air traffic movements in July

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced that air traffic movement in the UAE grew at 11.9 per cent in July compared to the same month last year.

The GCAA monthly report indicated that total air traffic movements in July 2010 were around 55,000, compared to around 52,000 in June 2010. This was the highest level this year, with an average of 1763 air traffic movements per day.

GCAA's monthly report for July 2010 showed the number of air traffic movements in each UAE airport. Dubai ranked first with 24,961 air traffic movements. Overflights stood next at 11,924 air traffic movements. Abu Dhabi ranked third with 8045 air traffic movements.

According to the report, air traffic movements in Sharjah International Airport ranked fourth with 5,600 movements.

Local flights between UAE airports were in the fifth position with 3,414 movements. Fujairah International Airport witnessed 404 movements, while Al Ain Airport and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport had 210 and 75 air traffic movements respectively. The recently opened Al Maktoum International Airport witnessed seven movements.

The report indicated that as far as air safety is concerned, GCAA issued and renewed 27 certificates for aircraft maintenance companies, 11 aircraft registration certificates and 38 airworthiness certificates.

Further, GCAA conducted 33 inspections and audits, issued 2 air operator certificates, completed 5 aircraft modification transactions and issued 3 air operators and 30 simulator certificates and 30 examination permits. In terms of SAFA system, 14 inspections were carried out.

Finally, 67 aviation incidents were reported.

As for security and infrastructure operations, GCAA conducted 14 inspections and audits and issued 3 licenses for companies operating in dangerous goods shipping.

GCAA prepared 230 airport control tower reports, held 46 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 21 infrastructure safety violation tickets.

In terms of air transport, GCAA signed 3 memoranda of understanding between UAE and Panama, Jamaica and Korea. It also held talks about transport with Cyprus and Canada, and participated in the ICAN Conference in Jamaica.

GCAA issued 339 new crew licences, renewed 222 licences, issued 118 temporary permits and 33 letters certifying aircraft licence details, completed 147 type additions to licences, issued 45 replacement licences, and conducted 56 crew examinations, thereby bringing the number of crew licensing transactions in July 2010 to 960.

As for aircraft maintenance engineers licencing, GCAA issued 15 new licences, renewed 27 licences, completed 155 type additions to licences, issued 6 replacement licences and 40 temporary permits, and conducted 151 aircraft maintenance engineer examinations, thereby bringing the number of aircraft maintenance engineers licensing transactions last month to 394.

Regarding aeromedical activities, the report indicated that GCAA issued and renewed 1,031 medical certificates in various qualified categories, appointed 7 medical committees to hold medical councils, approved 7 final decisions by medical committees, and carried out 49 transactions to return crew licenses. As such, aeromedical-related transactions in July 2010 stood at 1049.

Further, the report showed that GCAA issued 6 new licences and renewed other 20 to air traffic controllers, and issued and renewed 676 crew cards. As for urgent service transactions, there were 626 crew transactions, 17 aeromedical transactions, 49 aircraft maintenance engineers transactions, and 41 aircraft crew card transactions. As such, urgent service transactions stood at 733.

Regarding training courses, there were 9 external courses attended by 25 trainees and 2 in-house courses attended by 18 trainees. Further, 7 employees participated in 7 courses abroad.

Furthermore, Captain Aysha Al Hamili, UAE's permanent representative to ICAO, participated in the executive meeting of central Europe countries held in Romania where she made a presentation about the cooperation initiatives between UAE and European Union. Participants praised UAE efforts and supported its nomination in ICAO's Executive Council elections to be held in September.

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