Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
www.viadubaionline.com
Issue 66 November 2018
Inside DCAA 6th edition of World 7 Aviation Safety Summit DCAA launches smart 8 investigation programme at GITEX Staff training programme
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DCAA showcases smart 12 services at GITEX National Air Cargo Co chief calls on DCAA
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DCAA and Dubai Statistics Center sign MoU on collaboration
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DCAA INTERVIEW A remarkable Global Achievement in Issuing Landing Permits at Dubai 16 Airports Matar Al Ketbi
UAE News UAE to use AI in air traffic control
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Abu Dhabi airport going into a new Era of Digitization
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Dubai Civil Aviation Authority participates in Helishow Dubai Blockchain technology taking off in aviation industry
Middle East News 22
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ATM 26
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Opinion Airport resilience Angela Gittens
Arabian Gulf sets the global development pace 24
Cargo & Logistics 28
Ian Dixon
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Technology 29
Message
from the President
Many reasons to smile
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y 2025, Dubai Airports is expecting to carry 143 million passengers through Dubai International and Al Maktoum International, which will help achieve the ambitions target of 25 million tourists annually by 2025 set by the Dubai Tourism Strategy to become one of the largest tourism destinations. Over 15.8 million people visited Dubai in 2017. Dubai bagged the sixth position in the world in the latest global ranking of tourist destinations by Euromonitor International. The Top 100 City Destinations Ranking shows there are now more tourists visiting Dubai than many other places on earth. Taking all parameters into account, it has been predicted that aviation will contribute US$88.1 billion or 45 per cent of Dubai GDP by 2030. Last year, DXB was ranked the world’s third largest airport in terms of passenger traffic after Atlanta International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport. Dubai is catering for 66 passengers per head of population, which is higher than any other country and by 2025, it will have an airport system which is busier than the current day London, New York City or Tokyo. There are many other reasons to cheer about. A record of sorts, Emirates Airlines has a wide-body fleet of 259
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
aircraft flying to 157 destinations, while flydubai boasts of a fleet of 62 aircraft serving 95 destinations. Dubai’s success story is worth its salt among over 3,200 air traffic hubs that connect our world’s population centres. The Dubai Airport connects 240 destinations around the world through 75 international airlines and is expected to serve 90.2 million passengers in 2018. The Airport Council International has revealed that the intercontinental connectivity of Dubai International is equivalent to that of the Top 3 European hubs – London Heathrow, Frankfurt and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. The extraordinary growth will continue - and even exceed - its tempo as we work towards realising the ambition of being the world’s first global hub.
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The value of a person is his knowledge and work, and work is immortal.
Sayings by Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan
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In 2007, the functions of the Department of Civil Aviation were restructured. Accordingly, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) was established as a regulatory body, by a decree of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, on proclamation of law No. 21 of 2007, as amended by law No. 19 of 2010, to undertake development of Air Transport Industry in the Emirate of Dubai and to oversee all aviation-related activities.
Via Dubai is the official bilingual monthly newsletter of DCAA, designed to highlight the initiatives and developments in the aviation industry and act as a knowledge-sharing platform for all the stakeholders and aviation professionals.
CONTENTS
Inside DCAA 07
6th edition of World Aviation Safety Summit
08 DCAA launches
11
Staff training programme
12 DCAA showcases smart
smart investigation programme at GITEX
services at GITEX
General Supervision Mohammed Abdulla Ahli Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf Marketing Manager Fahed Mohammed E-mail: viadubai1@naddalshiba.com
14 National Air Cargo Co chief calls on DCAA
15 DCAA and Dubai Statistics Center sign MoU on collaboration
Legal Disclaimer
The views expressed in the articles are of the writers and not necessarily belong to DCAA. We take all reasonable steps to keep the information current and accurate, but errors can occur. The information is therefore provided as is, with no guarantee of accuracy, completeness or timeliness. The DCAA or Via Dubai does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. Via Dubai does not endorse or recommend any article, product, service or information mentioned in the newsletter. Any perceived slight of any person or organisation is completely unintentional.
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DCAA Interview
Matar Al Ketbi
A remarkable Global Achievement in Issuing Landing Permits at Dubai Airports
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Our Vision
The World Airport, Dubai
Our Mission
Leading and sustaining Civil Aviation Sector by providing capacity, building a competitive edge through innovating, developing people and leaders and achieving customers’ happiness. Toll Free:80083222 Contact number:+97147770000 Fax:+97142244573 Email: info@dcaa.gov.ae; dcaa@dcaa.gov.ae http://www.facebook.com/dcaadubai
DCAA website:www.dcaa.gov.ae Working Hours:Sunday – Thursday, 0730 - 1430 (GMT+4) Location:Dubai International Airport, Terminal (1), Level (1), Gate no. (4), (Arrivals Side) P.O. Box:49888 Dubai - United Arab Emirates twitter.com/dcaadubai
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youtube.com/user/dcaadubai
Message
from the Director General
Making the most of technology
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pecialised exhibitions of an industry are a great way to reach out to a target market, create brand awareness and promote products and services to a broader group. The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and its predecessor have been in the forefront in participating at the exhibitions. Our exhibition calendar is selected to reflect the current developments and services which needs to be popularised. A good place, perhaps, is the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) right here in Dubai. This year marked the 11th continuous year of our participation in the 38-year-old exhibition. In the past editions of the world’s third largest ICT expo, we displayed smart services provided by DCAA to make the application process of its customers easier and faster. DCAA’s first e-Service was launched in 2013 which dealt with issuing safety and security related No Objection Certificate (NoC). In 2014, we launched 14 smart services. We changed many of our DCAA customer services to e-services. Today, the bouquet of services include approvals for Aircraft Landing, Dangerous Goods and Firearms transportation, Issuance of No Objection Certificates (NoCs), Airport Security Programme/Heliport Security Programme (ASP/HSP, Aircraft Operator
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Mohammed Abdulla Ahli
Security Programme (AOSP), and Airport Tenant Security Programme (ATSP). This year, DCAA launched “IIAN” service which is part of the processes of implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in our work through a system dedicated to inspectors to help them investigate aviation accidents. Another launch was of “Synergy” system, which smartly shows performance indicators and reports. DCAA also introduced a RPAS tracking system. At DCAA, we remain committed to enhancing and implementing the strategies envisaged in Dubai Vision 2020 and Smart Dubai.
Inside DCAA
6th edition of World Aviation Safety Summit
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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) will host the 6th edition of the World Aviation Safety Summit on 11 and 12 December in Dubai. The Summit will discuss the safety challenges facing the aviation sector on local, regional and international levels. Serving as a unique platform for reviewing and studying the implementation of the latest aviation safety measures and related regulatory frameworks, the Summit will be attended by a number of local and international experts and officials, including representatives of regulatory authorities, airline companies, airport operators, aircraft manufacturers, safety institutions, air traffic control service providers and others. Through its different sessions, participants in the Summit will examine response means to emerging threats in the field of aviation safety, while also highlighting key strategies and tools to maintain the position of air transport as the safest form of collective transport in the world. The Summit will evaluate a number of aviation safety topics, including ground handling, accident prevention, communications, special rules for handling dangerous goods, flight data usage, effective management to mitigate and reduce flight overlaps, and safety performance management, in addition to reviewing best practices and lessons learned from these topics.
Flying high
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ong before oil gushed out from its desert, the necessities forced airplanes to ‘hop’ between many airstrips en route to their final destinations. The only airport was in Sharjah since 1932. Abu Dhabi Airfield opened in 1955 and Dubai got its airport in 1960s. Hardly, few imagined civil aviation growing by leaps and bounds in the UAE since the days of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Abu Dhabi joined other Arabian Gulf states to create the Gulf Air in 1974. Dubai changed the course of aviation history by launching Emirates Airlines in October 1985 with Sheikh Zayed’s blessings. Etihad Airways and Air Arabia, opened in 2003, a year before Sheikh Zayed’s death. It was followed by flydubai in 2008. Today, the UAE is out to firmly grab the world of aviation. The four UAE airlines have a combined fleet of over 512 modern aircraft. The UAE’s aviation sector investments is on its way to cross the AED1 trillion mark. The aviation industry will contribute US$88.1 billion or 45 per cent of the Dubai GDP by 2030. The UAE started observing, since 2014, its own Civil Aviation Day on October 5 each year to reinforce pride of UAE’s success. The UAE aviation employs nearly 500,000 people and contributes approximately AED 169 billion or 15 per cent to the country’s GDP. The UAE is home to one of the busiest air traffic control centres in the world, controlling approximately 124,000 square kilometres of airspace, serving nine international airports. The number of travellers going through the country’s airports increased to over 126.5 million, and the number of flights within the country’s airspace reached around 882,600.
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Inside DCAA
DCAA launches smart investigation programme at GITEX
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is Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), launched the Integrated Investigation and Notification Programme (IIAN) on the sideline of GITEX Technology Week. IIAN is a programme that integrates investigators’ intuition and the machine learning of artificial intelligence to create together a smart application to be used in investigating accidents. One-of-a-kind in the world, IIAN is set to be a milestone in the field of civil aviation. The programme aims to organise the operations of accident investigation and develop investigation outputs in a way that improves the efficiency of safety reports, which will eventually the safety of the civil aviation system in line with the future visions of DCAA and the Government of Dubai in particular and the UAE in general. The Programme has the ability to manage the notification system in a smart and automated way instead of phone calls. The system represents the ability to manage all coordination processes related to accidents with the General Authority of Civil Aviation using a single electronic portal.
The decision maker can, on the other hand, monitor tasks easily and quick review developments to make necessary decisions. IIAN also manages the investigation process fully beginning with the response to the site of the accident and ending with the release of the final report. The Artificial Intelligence features of the system enable it to read and display the inputs of previous incident types in the local and international database to suggest what can be done by the investigators. With more inputs, the system will automatically develop and will be able to direct and significantly assist investigators to perform their tasks.
Mr. Abdullah Al Hammadi - Director of Accident Investigation and Aircraft Control Department - Mr. Abdullah Al Balushi - Head of Accident .Investigation Department during the introduction of the system
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Mr. Mohammed Abdullah Lengawi, Executive Director of Aviation Security and Accident Investigation, addresses the launch of the programme
It is worth mentioning that the system was planned and developed by the Accident Investigation and Aircraft Oversight Department in coordination with the company concerned.
Inside DCAA
Honoring Strategic Partner
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is Excellency Eng. Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman, Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) and Dubai South, has been honoured by His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Al Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), during a ceremony organized by Dubai South to honour strategic partners from the government sector.
Staff perform Umrah
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he Happiness and Positivity Team of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) organized for a number of employees a trip to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage to the Holy City of Makkah, Saudi
Arabia, which can be performed by Muslims at any time of the year. This initiative forms part of the bouquet of initiatives aimed at making employees happy and raising their level of job satisfaction.
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Inside DCAA
Flag Day
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.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of DCAA, Jamal Al Hai, Senior Vice President of Dubai Airports, and other senior officials of the Authority and Dubai Airports during celebrations on the occasion of the national Flag Day.
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Inside DCAA
Staff training programme
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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) organized a training programme for its staff to hone their communication skills and impart them the knowledge about the art of dealing with others. The aim of
the programme was to define the concepts, methods of analysis and the management and development of professional strengths. It also included successful strategies for self-control and the use of creative thinking styles.
The training programme was graced by Hamad Al Janahi, Director of Human Resources Department, and Hussain Al Gohary, Consultant for Training, Institutional Development and Human Development.
A Week Without Service Centres
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ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) participated in the “Week without Service Centres” initiative, where the Authority formed a team of its employees to devise plans to achieve the objectives of this initiative. The Week without Service Centres represents an important initiative with a view to putting these smart services in the spotlight and highlighting the efforts aimed at facilitating the delivery of services provided to all customers, while giving them a smooth and effective communication experience. This is bound to enhance the use of electronic services and ensure customer happiness. The Authority’s services are all electronic and do not require customers to visit the Authority to avail them. DCAA’s website and the customer smart application allow customers to apply for and receive the service electronically. The participation of the Authority was represented in reducing the delivery time of 8 services identified by the Authority. Delivery time was reduced only for
those customers who provide all requirements of the service fully from the first time without requesting more information from the employee in charge, thus contributing to the quick completion of transactions. The initiative reflected the concerted efforts of all entities in Dubai to enhance cooperation among them to achieve the strategic goals of the Government of Dubai in terms of electronic and intelligent transformation.
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Inside DCAA
HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, visiting the DCAA platform at GITEX Technology Week.
DCAA showcases smart services at GITEX
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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) participated in GITEX Technology Week 2018 as part of the Smart Dubai stand, where the Authority showcased its latest smart and innovative services provided with view to enhancing customers’ experience.
The participation of the Authority falls in the framework of its keenness to showcase its range of different services and application and to introduce visitors to its latest achievements in relation to the development of innovative services being displayed in the prominent annual event.
visitors to smart services and new projects that are in line with the wise leadership’s vision aimed at
establishing Dubai as one of the world’s smartest cities. We stress the importance of participating each year
His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of DCAA, said: “GITEX is the region’s premier event and is an ideal platform to enhance communication with customers and enable them view the latest market offering in the field of the technologies.” “Dubai Civil Aviation Authority’s participation in the event comes as part of its keenness to introduce
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Mr. Mohammed Abdullah Lengawi , Executive Director of Aviation Security and Accident Investigation Sector and Mr. Nasser Al Najjar - Head of Technical Services and Technical Support Section during GITEX Technology Week.
Inside DCAA
to highlight the leading role of the Authority on the level of development and innovation. The efforts made by the Authority combine with those made by Smart Dubai government to provide an innovative experience to GITEX visitors.� Ahli said. It is worth mentioning that DCAA has been participating annually in GITEX Technology Week, which is one of the most important events in Dubai, as it brings about under one roof hundreds of leading companies and organisations interested in IT and smart services.
HE Mohammed Abdullah Al Ahli, Director General of DCAA, Mr. Abdul Rahim Al Mulla, Executive Director of Corporate Support and Communication Sector, and Mr. Mohammed Al Ali, Director of IT Department
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Inside DCAA
National Air Cargo Co chief calls on DCAA
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is Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), received in his office Mr Jacob Matthew, President and Board Member of National Air Cargo Co. The meeting was attended by Mr Abdul Rahim Al Mulla, Executive Director of Corporate Support and Communications Sector, Mr Khalid Al Aref, Executive Director of Aviation Safety & Environment Sector, and Mr Abdullah bin Khediya, Director of Air Traffic Department.
HE Ahli and Mr Matthew discussed the air cargo sector’s latest developments and achievements made, in addition to the services it provides to companies, freight forwarders and logistic services providers. HE Ahli stressed that the air cargo sector is one of the fundamental pillars of Dubai economy, and indicated that Al Maktoum International Airport will provide a capacity of 16 million tonnes of cargo upon the full completion of the Dubai World Central in the next few years, making it the most
Training course for language skill
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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) organised a training course for its non-Arab speaking employees with the aim to teach them Arabic language skills. At the end
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attractive hub for leading air cargo carriers around the world. Mr Matthew expressed his deep appreciation for the distinguished services DCAA provides to air cargo companies operating in Dubai, and for providing all factors of success that serve the shipping industry in the Emirate. At the end of the meeting, HE Mohammed Abdulla Ahli received a commemorative shield from Mr Matthew in recognition of DCAA’s efforts to serve the aviation industry in the Emirate.
of the training session, Mr Abdulrahim Al Mulla, Executive Director of Support and Corporate Communication, honoured the course lecturer Mr Mohammed Abdul Muniem Attiyah.
Inside DCAA
DCAA and Dubai Statistics Center sign MoU on collaboration
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ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and Dubai Statistics Center have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that aims to support the Air Statistics project and collaboration in the field of statistics.
Taking place at Smart Dubai stand in GITEX Technology Week 2018, The MoU was signed by H.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of DCAA and CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services, and Arif Al Muhairi, Executive Director of Dubai Statistics Center, at the Smart Dubai stand during the GITEX Technology Week. “This agreement has a significant importance especially in relation to providing Dubai Statistics Center with the data needed to serve the database, which is currently very important with regards to contributing to the development of this country through statistics, and which quickly and clearly facilitate access to
needed data with the aim of conducting the consultancies and studies that are bound to strengthen the UAE and Dubai,” said HE Abdulla Ahli. Arif Al Muhairi, Executive Director of Dubai Statistics Center said: “The experience of DCAA in the field of UAVs will represent a great support to the Air Statistics project, which is one of the innovative statistical projects and is a firstof-a-kind on the level of statistical systems worldwide. The project will complement the data which will feed the systems of artificial intelligence being developed by the Centre.” Al Muhairi also commended the level of unprecedented cooperation provided by DCAA, and stressed that the governmental partnerships and
complementarities play a major role in upgrading governmental performance and enhancing its efficiency in light of the exchange of expertise, knowledge and capabilities. The MoU promotes partnership with regards to the exchange of statistical data, building systems, techniques and consultations, as well as the advisory and regulatory support in the field of UAV techniques. It also provides support to many other areas including training and exchange of knowledge, expertise and successful institutional experiences in innovation and the making of happiness, in addition to the rest of institutional areas that contribute to work development in pursuit of integration towards achieving the objectives of Dubai Plan 2021.
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DCAA Interview
Matar Al Ketbi, Head of Air Transport Operation Section, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
A remarkable Global Achievement in Issuing Landing Permits at Dubai Airports
Smart Application Reduces Lead Time to Issue Permits to Airlines to Only 15 Minutes
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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) is gearing up to launch a new smart Artificial Intelligence-based Application to process application for landing permits at Dubai airports in a record time amounting in its first phase to only 15 minutes per permit. This Application (App) is expected to contribute to further consolidate Dubai’s role as a global civil aviation hub. The Authority expects a 10% growth in landing slots numbers in Dubai airports by this year-end. This was highlighted in a special interview conducted by Via Dubai with Matar Al Ketbi, Head of the Air Transport Operation Section at DCAA. Excerpts from the interview:
How do you evaluate the performance of DCAA, and what are the achievements made by the Air Transport Operation Section since the beginning of this year?
This is a very special year for DCAA in as far as it continues to upgrade its service offered to clients, including airlines and other aviation related companies. The Air Transport Operation Section has made an important and unprecedented global achievement, which is about an Artificial Intelligencebased application that will, when
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officially launched and implemented early next year, make a drastic change in the field of issuing landing permits at Dubai airports. The team responsible for the completion of the project was keen to have the application’s results cope with our wise government’s aspirations aiming to contribute to UAE lead in all possible areas, especially in the civil aviation sector, which accounts at present for more than 25% of the GDP of the Emirate of Dubai.
When will the Application goes into official operation? The smart application named “Chatbot” is still in beta testing at present and is expected to be officially launched early next year under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group. We have received the full support of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed and His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli,
Director General of DCAA, to reach this remarkable result. “ChatBot” is available in four languages: English, French, Chinese and Russian. When it goes into operation, it will make a major leap in the speed of processing permits, ease of delivery and response to airlines’ inquiries, as the Section’s team is working round the clock to provide best services to clients.
Issuing landing permits is one of the essential tasks of the Authority. What is the lead time needed to issue this type of permits after the new Application goes into operation?
Upon actual operation, this Application will contribute to reducing lead time for issuing this permit to between 10-15 minutes compared with 30 minutes at present. This is unprecedented at global level, not to mention that the current lead time (30 minutes) is an achievement in its own right compared to other cities that require several days to issue same permit.
DCAA Interview
Dubai International Airport handles more than 1,100 air traffic movements daily including scheduled, private and charter flights. The importance of this new smart application will manifest itself with the airport daily operations expected to increase to more than 1,500 in the coming years.
What type of permits you issue to airlines?
There are two types of permits. The first type is for national carriers and other carriers that operate scheduled flights throughout the year. The duration of this permit is six months and is renewed according to the needs of the carrier and the seasonal IATA schedules. The second type is a permit for specific periods, according to the requirement of operators, such as charter flights, or private flights. Previously, airlines’ representatives used to come in person to the Authority’s headquarter to submit their applications on a regular basis. At present, this is done through the Authority’s website, where the staff of the Air Transport Operation Section respond to airlines’ applications within 24 hours.
Would you please inform us of the stages of demand growth on using Dubai airports, and what are your expectations for this year?
The operations of issuing special permits to use Dubai International Airport have witnessed a 10% growth during the past two years, with private flights accounting for about 70% of total permits issued, while charter and cargo flights, and training and helicopter flights account for 20% and 10% respectively. The number of total permits issued has increased from 9,300 in 2016 to 10,200 in 2017, and we expect to issue
around 11,000 permits this year as a result of the increased role of Dubai as a global trade centre and a unique tourist destination. This owes as well to the growing role of Dubai International, which occupies top spot on the list of the busiest airports in the world in terms of international passengers, in addition to the excellent services it provides to passengers and people visiting Dubai.
Would you tell us about the Air Transport Department to which the Air Transport Operation Section is affiliated, and what are the major tasks it carries out? We represent an essential part of the Air Transport and International Affairs Sector of DCAA. As previously mentioned, our section is responsible for issuing permits to land at Dubai airports. The Section has 11 employees working around the clock to meet the needs of Dubai’s civil aviation sector. The Air Transport Department together with the other Departments is responsible for the development of the general policy of civil aviation in the Emirate in line with Federal legislations. It is also tasked with representing the Emirate as part of the UAE’s delegation that handles the negotiations on issues related to air navigation, air transport and permits for foreign air operators authorised by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to operate regular or chartered flights to the airports of the Emirate. The Department also handles the monitoring, organisation and following up of all air transport related activities in the Emirate of Dubai, in addition to coordinating with local and federal authorities in this field. Last but not least, it supervises and regulates the protection of the consumers in the aviation sector in Dubai.
The Air Transport Operation Section handles the following tasks: •
Issuing permits and approvals for air transport companies and ensuring compliance of air carriers and private aircraft owners to implement the basic rules and related laws, in addition to coordinating cooperation between the Authority and air transport institutions. The functions of the Section are as follows:
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Ensure air transport companies comply with relevant legislations
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Adopt airlines schedules for scheduled trips
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Verify compliance with the requirements of air transport operations
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Verify aircraft technical documents
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Audit and inspection of air transport operations
The Air Transport and International Affairs Sector has two departments and four sections in all, with each of these having its special mandate that serves the Authority’s interests aimed at making Dubai the most prominent hub for the civil aviation industry in the world. These are: the Air Transport Department comprising the Aviation Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Section, and the Air Transport Operation Section; and the International Affairs Department comprising the International Affairs Planning and Statistical Section, and the International Affairs and Agreements Section.
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Cover Story
Shaikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, visiting the DCAA platform
DCAA participates in Helishow Dubai T
he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) showcased a number of services in the field of helipads at the Helishow Dubai 2018, the international event for helicopter technology and operations.
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Cover Story
The participation was with the aim to introduce users to these services and raise awareness on the importance of registering helipads at DCAA to ensure compliance with local and federal standards and best international practices. Companies specialised in this field were introduced to the standards of building private, commercial and emergency helipads.
A meeting was also held with strategic partners and specialists in the field with the aim to ensure sustainability of safety.
services include spare parts recognition, and transportation of aircraft, helicopters or their components.
The Authority’s Accident Investigation & Aircraft Oversight Department also showcased its services in the area of import, export and transportation of helicopters. Provided to specialised companies in this field, these
The participation was also with a view to fostering cooperation with local partners and take their suggestions to provide services in accordance with the highest standards of safety and airworthiness.
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UAE in Focus
UAE to use AI in air traffic control
Dubai airport tries out ‘Smart Tunnel’
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he General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai) has rolled out the pilot phase of its ‘Smart Tunnel’ at Dubai International’s Terminal 3, thereby facilitating passengers to go through the passport control procedures in just 15 seconds.
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he General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has signed an agreement with Canada’s Searidge Technologies to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the UAE’s air traffic management. The agreement is the first of its kind in the region in digital airport solutions. Working with industry leaders such as DFS, FAA, EUROCONTROL and NAV CANADA, Searidge solutions are installed in sites throughout Europe, the Middle East and North America.
Remarked Ahmed Al Jallaf, Assistant Director General for Air Navigation Services at GCAA: “We believe this collaboration will help advance the use of technology in aviation to optimize safety and efficiency in the UAE and around the globe. The MoU will promote, develop and reinforce administrative, technical and scientific cooperation.” The UAE is in the forefront of adopting the AI, dubbed as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Airport Show gets 375 exhibitors from 60 countries
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he world’s largest annual airport exhibition is going to be powerpacked when it returns for its 19th year run in April 2019 with a record 375 exhibitors expected from 60 countries. To be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and
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Group, the Airport Show, organised by Reed Exhibitions Middle East, will take place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC from April 29 to May 1. About 7,500 attendees are expected to attend the B2B show, with 75 per cent exhibitors returning after a highly-successful 2018 participation. The show will take place over an exhibition space of over 15,000 square meters across three Zabeel halls of the iconic DICEC.
It said passengers who use the new system will simply walk through the biometric recognition system without having to stamp their passports. Using facial recognition, the tunnel’s technology will allow the traveller to complete the passport control procedure within 15 seconds and without the need for human intervention.
flydubai integrates AMOS with FedEx technology
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ubai’s budget airline, flydubai, has integrated its Engineering Maintenance System (EMS) with FedEx Web Services to enhance waybill generation The move will reduce processing time by up to one minute per shipment and save approximately 340 employee hours per month. The Dubai carrier is the first in the UAE to implement the integrated AMOS and FedEx Web Services system. FedEx Web Services technology will help avoid duplicate data entry, ensuring that air waybills are created error free, and provide flydubai with real-time tracking and transit times.
UAE in Focus
Dubai International 18th most internationally connected
Abu Dhabi airport going into a new era of digitization
ubai International (DXB) has improved its global ranking among mega aviation hubs by climbing two positions in a latest index by OAG, a provider of digital flight information and their customers span the entire global travel ecosystem.
isco, a worldwide technology leader that has been making the Internet work since 1984, and Abu Dhabi Airports (ADAC) have signed an agreement that will give Abu Dhabi Airports commercial benefits on Cisco solutions in support of Abu Dhabi Airport’s digital transformation strategy.
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The world’s number one airport in terms of international passenger volume is now the 18th most internationally connected airport as it improved its score in a connectivity index from 183 to 194 in OAG Megahubs International Index 2018.
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This agreement highlights Cisco’s commitment to collaborate with ADAC on its vision to build the airport of the future by delivering world class airport services and infrastructure. This collaboration will help Abu Dhabi Airports to enhance the digital capacity, operational efficiency and customer experience of the Capital’s airport. Additionally, Cisco’s solutions and IoT portfolio will help Abu Dhabi Airports to securely connect devices, analyze data, and deliver business value to its customers and partners.
Emirates cancels flights to prepare for capacity cuts
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he runway maintenance at the Dubai International next summer will cause the diversion of some flight operations to Al Maktoum International in Jebel Ali along with reduction in the capacity of some airlines as well. Emirates Airlines confirmed that it has already started cancelling some flights for next year in preparation for the major refurbishment work at the southern runway of Dubai International (DXB). All flight schedules have yet to be finalized, though, but during the repair period in 2019, the number of available flights will be reduced by about 28 per cent. Emirates logged more than 3,600 flights on average per week, or more than 191,000 flights in 2017 alone. Also last year, Emirates expanded its network to 158 destinations.
Hard Rock Cafe to open at DXB
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ubai Airports has finalised an agreement with Hard Rock International and their regional franchise partners that will see the former launch its first Hard Rock Cafe, opening in November in DXB’s Concourse B. The new location will feature a licensed restaurant, grab and go food, live entertainment, rock memorabilia and a Rock Shop loaded with its world-famous merchandise. Hard Rock International is one of the world’s most globally recognised brands and it will complement Dubai Airports’ very own musicDXB programme. This is the latest in a series of outstanding food and lifestyle concepts to be rolled out at the world’s busiest international airport. Hard Rock Cafe will be located in Terminal 3 B Gates, adding to DXB’s remarkable array of leisure and entertainment offerings, which include over 100 eating options for passengers, catering to all tastes and budgets. With venues in 74 countries, including 185 cafes, 25 hotels and 12 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies.
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Middle East News
EgyptAir to launch routes to Rwanda and Cameroon
Bahrain airport upgrades air navigation systems
gyptAir, one of the oldest airlines in the world, will launch two new routes in the African continent in January 2019 – Kigali in Rwanda and Douala in Cameroon. The two routes are part of the plans to strengthen the cooperation with African countries. This comes within the framework of the efforts to promote the continent’s air transport industry by establishing routes to meet the future needs.
ivil Aviation Affairs (CAA), the aviation regulator of the island Arab nation of Bahrain, in cooperation with Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator of Bahrain International Airport (BIA), has completed the first phase of an air navigation and instrument landing system (ILS) upgrade.
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The government is seeking to develop cooperation with African countries, develop a plan to improve and maintain the level of the aviation industry in the continent, modernize airports infrastructure and develop air navigation systems.
Iraq’s Sulaimaniyah on Air Arabia’s network
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ir Arabia, the Sharjah-based first and largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, is launching in November first week a direct non-stop service to the city of Sulaymaniyah in the north of Iraq. It will offer two weekly flights between its hub in Sharjah and Sulaimaniyah, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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The new upgrade is set to markedly improve the airport’s landing safety procedures and efficiency, it said in a statement. The initiative is in line with the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications’ efforts to ensure that the kingdom’s air navigation system meets the standards and requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Kuwait plans US$20 billion aviation investment
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he State of Kuwait has plans to ratchet up investments of up to US$20 billion in the aviation sector within the next few years, its Directorate General of Civil Aviation said. The plan fits into a development strategy that the Gulf state has devised for the year 2035, the chairman of Kuwait’s aviation authority, Sheikh Salman AlHumoud Al-Sabah said at a meeting involving the region’s aviation safety body. He pinpointed flight safety as an integral factor that contributes to the development of the aviation industry, citing the Regional Safety Oversight Organization in the Middle East and North Africa as
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a prominent body that has the support of many Arab nations. Kuwait serves as a centre for the oil industry and a logistics hub for the rebuilding of Iraq. The governmentowned Kuwait Airways, until 2005, had a monopoly on aviation operations in Kuwait. Kuwait Airways operates scheduled
international services throughout the Middle East, to the Indian subcontinent, Europe, Southeast Asia and North America. Since the liberalisation of air services, the sector has opened up to two new carriers, Wataniya Airways and the Low Cost Carrier Jazeera Airways.
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Opinion
Airport resilience A
voiding, minimizing and mitigating environmental impacts are increasingly being recognized as equally crucial and a fundamental pillar of the aviation industry. As part of its commitment to maximize the contributions of airports to maintaining and developing a safe, secure, environmentally compatible and efficient air transport system, the Airport Council International (ACI) has published a policy brief. The Airports’ Resilience and Adaptation to a Changing Climate is to encourage airports to conduct risk assessments, consider various adaptation measures, and develop mitigation measures for the potential impact of climate change on infrastructure and operations. With case studies from airports in Norway, Australia, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Amsterdam and Singapore, it provides guidance in conducting risk assessments to define their adaptation plans for operations and for existing and new infrastructure. It also provides recommendations, and an extensive listing of potential climate stressors and their related potential impacts on infrastructure and operations. It is well understood that climate change could have far-reaching effects and airports are certainly not immune to them.
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The aim of this policy brief is to provide airports with practical information, advice and real-life examples that they can use to examine their own practices. Each airport can then make decisions on how they may introduce, improve, or adapt their own procedures and resilience plans that best suit their infrastructure and local conditions. Members of ACI, the trade association of the world’s airports which serves over 623 members operating 1,940 airports in 176 countries, adopted a resolution on resilience and adaptation to climate change at the World Annual General Assembly in Brussels in June 2018, recognizing the potential impact of climate change on airport infrastructure and operations. This policy brief, launched at this year’s Air Transport Action Group Global Sustainable Aviation Summit in Geneva, addresses many of the resolution’s intentions. A day after ACI provided an update on the latest developments among the community of 246 airports currently in the global carbon management standard, Airport Carbon Accreditation. Global climate action by airports is up 25 percent in the past year.
Angela Gittens Director General ACI World
Opinion
Arabian Gulf sets the global development pace I
n comparison to the US and Europe, the Gulf is developing new key infrastructure assets at a more robust pace. Why? A main reason is that the region does not have this issue of “crumbling infrastructure”, in part because this part of the Middle East had little infrastructure to speak of 50 years ago. The older economies of the US and EU have had trouble gaining momentum and public acceptance of putting more money towards repairing an old infrastructure. Conversely, the Gulf is building on limited infrastructure before the 1960s and is very much gaining ground. The region has been spending more in infrastructure development in comparison with the US and Western Europe. There is now political will in the region to drive forward new legislation to help privatisation and a range of public private partnerships to facilitate the use of long-term private financing to underpin a large proportion of capital projects. The railways will be a major development in the region. Further proof of the significance of infrastructure in the region will be the World Expo 2020, to be hosted by Dubai.
less dependent on hydrocarbons. On the other hand, investment in the industry continues to exceed that in other sectors. Historically, the region relied upon attracting foreign partners to help develop their hydrocarbon businesses as well as build infrastructure. Across the region FDI has not seen substantial growth in the past few years. The evolution of infrastructure in the Gulf is striking compared to the pre-oil and gas developments in the mid-1960s. Diversifying away from hydrocarbon revenues and building the tourism sector, developing other technologies and businesses and using economic free zones has helped to diversify the Middle East’s economy. The region continues to invest in major infrastructure at a pace well ahead of the western economies even after the global financial crisis over a decade ago lowered hydrocarbon revenues.
Ian Dixon Managing Director Fitch’s Global Infrastructure Group
Excerpts from The National
The Gulf economies are still very much dependent on oil and gas. Governments have been diversifying their economies to be
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Speech recognition technology for ATCOs
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he popularity of air transport continues to grow, placing an even greater workload on Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs). Their predicament can be solved through an automatic speech recognition system closely integrated with an arrival manager developed by European Union (EU) and SESAR-funded researchers. The European air traffic network handles an average of 27,000 flights and 2.27 million passengers per day. Europe is investing heavily in modernising the Air Traffic Management (ATM) system
ATM market to touch US$97.30 billion mark by 2022 through the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) programme which is contributing to the EU Single European Sky (SES) legislative framework. One of the greatest hurdles to introducing higher levels of automation in ATM is the intensive use of voice radio communication to convey Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions to pilots. Automatic speech recognition, which converts human speech into texts, can provide a solution to significantly reduce ATCOs workloads and increase ATM efficiency.
Swedish body lowers air traffic forecasts
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in 2018 and three per cent in 2019. Foreign traffic is expected to increase while domestic is expected to decrease.
The number of departing passengers from Swedish airports is expected to increase by three per cent year-on-year
It attributed the relatively weak passenger increase to the Swedish air tax of EUR6 per passenger on domestic routes and up to EUR39 on long haul routes since April 2018, and Nextjet’s bankruptcy, which resulted in reduced supply, particularly in the domestic aviation market.
wedish Transport Agency, which is working to achieve good accessibility, high quality, secure and environmentally aware rail, air, sea and road transport, has lowered its air traffic forecast for the years 2018 and 2019 compared to the forecast issued in spring 2018.
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he Air Traffic Management (ATM) market is projected to grow from US$ 50.01 billion in 2016 to US$97.30 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 11.73 per cent during the forecast period. According to a report, the global air traffic passenger demand in 2017 increased by 8.1 percent on the year before. By 2018, traffic is projected to grow with another seven percent. On a global scale, passenger air travel is expected to maintain positive growth rates up to 2030.
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Honeywell’s data tool helps airlines reduce fuel waste
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etter flight data should mean less fuel is needed for commercial passenger planes, according to the US firm, Honeywell. Those involved in flight planning and dispatching a plane decide how much fuel is needed for an aircraft’s trip, but before take-off the pilot has the option to load between 5 to 10 percent of contingency. Honeywell has said that amount usually involves little formal calculation and could result in unnecessary amounts of fuel being burned at an additional financial and environmental cost.
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Cargo & Logistics
Three European airports strengthen cargo services
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udapest (BUD), Düsseldorf (DUS) and Hamburg (HAM) airports in Europe have joined forces to promote their cargo operations under the slogan ‘Connect Differently’. The second-tier hubs all have a special focus on cargo, offering flexible operations 365 days a year and all are investing in new facilities and equipment, as cargo volumes at
the three airports continue to grow. Budapest Airport in Hungary has started construction of its 20,000 square metre Cargo City, part of its €160 million development programme called BUD2020. The hub, which saw a 39 per cent increase in cargo volumes from 2015 to 2017, handled 141,500 tonnes of air cargo in the period from October 2017 to September 2018.
Delta and Cathay to offer end-to-end air cargo tracking
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he race to implement Bluetooth in unit load devices (ULDs) has seen Delta Cargo and Cathay Pacific take the lead, and Delta said its real-time tracking could now be extended beyond the airport into customer facilities, and would be ready to launch in January 2019. Not only will the technology help track cargo, but it will also eliminate all paperwork at the dock door when
ULDs are loaned out. A digital uniform control receipt will be emailed directly to the shipper and customers will receive customised push notifications, with full tracking available. Delta has partnered with ACL Airshop, which offers ULD repairs and leasing at 40 top cargo hubs, and CORE Technologies.
Cargo handling services market to be worth US$32 billion by 2023
Oman adopts electronic air waybill
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ultanate of Oman has adopted IATA’s electronic air waybill (e-AWB) standard, replacing the paper document which is the contract of carriage for international airfreight shipments. The use of e-AWB allows freight forwarders and traders to communicate directly with over 120 airline operators around the world to report and manage their shipments. Traders will also
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T benefit from the use of the e-AWB as it will remove barriers to trade by facilitating early (pre-arrival) reporting to Customs and earlier release, reducing cargo storage time and costs. In support of the implementation process, IATA and IT provider CHAMP Cargo Systems will offer freight forwarders online facilitation for the creation and sharing of e-AWB messages.
he global ground and cargo handling services market is projected to reach revenues of US$32 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of approximately six per cent during 2017-2023, according to a report. The ground and cargo handling services market are driven by the increasing number of air travellers, both domestic and international, as well as air cargo tonnage. The growing number of air passengers directly drive the demand for effective ground handlers and cargo handlers in the global ground handling services market.
Technology
Waste industrial gases power Virgin Atlantic flight
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he civil aviation industry took a landmark step towards making commercially viable sustainable aviation fuel a reality – thanks to a world’s first flight by Virgin Atlantic. The first batch of LanzaTech jet fuel was used on a commercial flight for the very first time – Virgin Atlantic’s VS16 flight from Orlando to London Gatwick, operated by a Boeing 747 aircraft. The flight follows hot on the heels of a £410000 UK government Future Fuels for Flight and Freight grant to determine the feasibility of building a 40-50 million US gallon
The ethanol can be used for a range of low carbon products, including jet fuel.
jet fuel plant in Britain. LanzaTech produces next generation ‘advanced’ fuels by recycling waste industrial gases like those produced from steel making and other heavy industrial processes. LanzaTech takes these waste, carbon-rich gases to first make ethanol.
Blockchain technology taking off in aviation industry
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ir France-KLM is partnering with Blockchain-based Winding Tree to develop customer-focused travel solutions. The platform describes itself as a “decentralized travel ecosystem” that eradicates the need, and cost, of intermediaries or third parties.
Essentially, suppliers or sellers will be able to interact with customers to expedite travel processes as well as save
The innovative alcohol-to-jet process used to make the fuel in this flight was developed in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Lab and the US Department of Energy. With government support, LanzaTech says it could have three UK plants running by 2025, producing up to 125 million gallons of sustainable fuel per year – enough to fly all Virgin Atlantic’s UK outbound flights (as a 50:50 mix) while bringing multiple benefits to the UK.
Good future for biometrics at airports
money that would have gone to a third party. This equates to less money lost on commission for the former and more affordable travel or accommodation options for the latter. By being a part of Winding Tree’s ecosystem, the carrier will be able to provide the platform with real feedback which is crucial to the improvement and ongoing development of the platform.
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ur faces and fingerprints are going to change the way we board planes. In five years, experts say, boarding an international flight will require little more than stopping to pose for a photo, thanks to facial recognition technology. One will pause for a camera and be on your way. According to a recent survey of airline passengers, 92 percent of all passengers said they’d “definitely use” or be willing to try biometrics if it made for a better flying experience—and already, airports and airlines are saying it will.
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