Dubai ranks first in UAE air traffic movements

Dubai ranked first in the UAE with 24,127 air traffic movements in August, according to a General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) monthly report released on Monday.

Overflights stood next at 11,776 air traffic movements followed by Abu Dhabi, which ranked third with 8,003 air traffic movements.

The GCAA monthly report indicated that total air traffic movements in August 2010 were 53,525, at an average of 1,727 air traffic movements per day. The air traffic movements in the UAE grew by 8.7 per cent in August 2010 compared to the same month last year.

Air traffic movements in Sharjah International Airport ranked fourth with 5,540 movements. Local flights between UAE airports were in the fifth position with 3,408 movements. Fujairah International Airport witnessed 352 movements, while Al Ain Airport and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport had 206 and 93 air traffic movements, respectively. Al Maktoum International Airport witnessed 20 movements.

The report indicated that as far as air safety is concerned, GCAA conducted 23 transactions related to licensing aircraft maintenance companies, including three licence issue certificates, 13 renewal transactions, and seven temporary licence extension transactions. It issued four aircraft registration certificates and 45 airworthiness certificates.

Further, GCAA conducted 23 inspections and audits, completed six aircraft modification transactions and issued three air operator certificates, 13 simulator certificates and 31 examination permits. In terms of SAFA system, 14 inspections were carried out. Finally, 76 ROSI reports were recorded.

As for security and infrastructure operations, GCAA conducted six inspections and audits and renewed 4 licences for companies operating in dangerous goods shipping. GCAA prepared 187 airport control tower reports, held 35 internal and external meetings in relation to security and infrastructure operations with several institutions and companies operating in the civil aviation sector in the UAE, provided 1 emergency training course, and issued 4 infrastructure safety violation tickets.

With regards to air transport, in August, GCAA held two discussion meetings in Abu Dhabi and Paris about the air transport between the UAE and Canada.

As for crew licencing, GCAA issued 540 new crew licences, renewed 389 licences, issued 35 temporary permits and 77 letters certifying aircraft licence details, completed 301 type additions to licences, issued 60 replacement licences, and conducted 102 crew examinations, thereby bringing the number of crew licensing transactions in August 2010 to 1504.

As for aircraft maintenance engineers licensing, GCAA issued 42 new licences, renewed 50 licences, completed 222 type additions to licences, issued 2 replacement licences and 6 temporary permits, and conducted 67 aircraft maintenance engineer examinations, thereby bringing the number of aircraft maintenance engineers licensing transactions last month to 389.

Regarding aeromedical activities, the report indicated that GCAA issued and renewed 1360 medical certificates in various qualified categories, appointed 9 medical committees to hold medical councils, approved 3 final decisions by medical committees, and carried out 35 transactions to return crew licenses. As such, aero medical-related transactions in August 2010 stood at 1407.

Concerning air traffic controller transactions, the report showed that GCAA issued 1 new licence, renewed 3 licences, and completed 18 type additions to licences. In terms of crew cards, 142 cards were issued or renewed. As for urgent service transactions, there were 748 crew transactions, 49 aeromedical transactions, 78 aircraft maintenance engineer transactions, and 6 aircraft crew card transactions. As such, urgent service transactions stood at 881.

On the other hand, GCAA continued last month its coordination with various countries as well as civil aviation organizations and authorities to support the re-nomination of the UAE in the ICAO Council elections to be held on 10 October. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributed by diplomatic efforts to this end.

Other activities of GCAA included a road show on Reporting of Safety Incidents (ROSI) system for staff from UAE airports air traffic control and aerodrome operation units.

The Road Show, presented by the GCAA Air Navigation and Aerodrome Regulations Section team, commenced at Sheik Zayed Air Navigation Centre in Abu Dhabi and ended in Fujairah international Airport. GCAA also hosted, at its regional office in Dubai, in the first week of August, the coordination meeting of Cooperative Development of Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Programme (COSCAP-GS) and signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Statistics Centre to benefit from its training and consultation experience in establishing an information section for the civil aviation sector in the UAE.

Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, Director General, GCAA, said "We look forward to enhancing the civil aviation sector internationally by ensuring the re-nomination of the UAE in the ICAO Council elections to be held at the beginning of next October. We spared no effort during this last period to achieve this goal which will benefit the civil aviation sector in the UAE and the Arab region."

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