Via Dubai Magazine | September 2016 by Nadd Al Shiba PR & Event Management

Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority

Inside DCAA DCAA announces ‘Best 5 Friend’ initiative

www.viadubaionline.com

Issue 40 September 2016

Changing shape of aircraft wings

UAE adopts National Space Policy

DCAA receives Technical Training Academy delegation

DCAA organises Civil 6 Aviation Management Course Dubai Civil Aviation 7 celebrates the UAE Women’s Day

Mohammed Ahli:

Leadership for innovators

UAE in Focus Dubai South awards Tristar AED300m infrastructure deal

Dubai International achieves record passenger traffic

Emirates ID can be used at airport smartgates

14 8

Being innovative

Bader Belselah

Technology 38

Stem emissions

Smart chips to check baggage losses 38

Cargo & Logistics 36

Michael Gill

Airlines 32

Tackling cyber security in civil aviation

Pang Kin Keong

Opinions 30

Our Smart Services DCAA Smart App will allow the customers the below services: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Issuance of Landing permissions Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Carriage of Restricted Articles Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Aerial Work Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Aircraft Warning Light Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Heliport Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Pyrotechnic Display Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Building Height (Below 300m) Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Building Height (Above 300m) Issuance of Approval for Heliports Certification Issuance of Approval for Crane Operation Issuance of Approval for GSM or other communication tower Issuance of Approval for Balloon Operations Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Sky Trackers / Space Cannon

Registration Requirements: • • • • • • •

Company Name Company Address Telephone Number Fax Number PO Box City Choose one secret questions

• • • • • • •

Username Password Email Address Name Mobile Number Emirates ID Number Category (Individual - Airline - Agency - Expert - Provider)

You can download the application

by searching in App Store and Play Store by typing DCAA or scan the QR code

For more information, please call technical support on: +971 56 6810685 September 2016 2 email: it.support@dcaa.gov.ae

www.dcaa.gov.ae

CONTENTS 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 AlMaktoum, 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 D ubai and to oversee all aviation-related activities.

V ia Dubai is the official bilingual monthly n ewsletter of DCAA, designed to highlight the i nitiatives and developments in the aviation industry and act as a knowledge-sharing platform for all the stakeholders and aviation professionals.

Inside DCAA 05

DCAA receives Technical Training Academy delegation

DCAA organises Civil Aviation Management Course

Emirates Development Bank holds workshop

Dubai Civil Aviation celebrates the UAE Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day

DCAA supports vocational training programme

General Supervision Mohammed Abdulla Ahli Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf Editor Shveta Pathak E-mail: viadubai@naddalshiba.com Legal Disclaimer The views expressed in the articles are of the writers and not n ecessarily belong to DCAA. We take all reasonable steps to k eep the information current and accurate, but errors can o ccur. 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, r eliability or usefulness of any information. Via Dubai does n ot endorse or recommend any article, product, service or information mentioned in the newsletter. Any perceived slight o f any person or organisation is completely unintentional.

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Our Vision Dubai Civil Aviation Authority is driven by the vision of Dubai to become the global Aviation Capital contributing to prosperity and enabling growth for Dubai.

Our Mission Dubai Civil Aviation Authority is committed to support the aviation sector in:

E-mail: dcaa@dcaa.gov.ae Website: www.dcaa.gov.ae Tel: (971) 4 216 2009 Fax: (971) 4 224 4502 P.O.BOX 49888 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

u Capturing the full value potential as a global passenger, tourism, trade, cargo and logistic hub u Providing the capacity, connectivity and leveraging existing assets to meet the aviation sector and economic growth plans of Dubai u Ensuring sustainable and responsible growth committed to safety, health, environment and security u Providing and creating customer-focused services to gain competitive advantage from innovation, knowledge and efficiency u Building and retaining capabilities, for the aviation sector, while offering career opportunities for Nationals u Ensuring a transparent, effective and commercially balanced regulatory framework that reflects the interests of the aviation industry, Dubai and the UAE u Providing efficient and cost-effective services to the aviation sector

http://www.facebook.com/DCAADubai

Septemberyoutube.com/user/dcaadubai 2016 twitter.com/DcaaDubai

CONTENTS

Emirates ID can be used at airport smartgate

Stem emissions 30

â&#x20AC;&#x2039;Michael Gill

Tackling cyber security in civil aviation 31

EVA Air rated third most-loved airline on Skytrax website

Pang Kin Keong

Wi-Fi up above the sky

Oman rail project on track 22

Smart chips to check baggage losses

Changing shape of aircraft wings

September 2016

Message

from the President

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s join hands

t is gratifying that we are getting closer to realising our great goal of making Dubai one of the best aviation hubs in the world. The impressive momentum in executing our projects points to a great realisation that we have the courage and resolve to move ahead and reach our target.

Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

More encouraging is the impressive growth in passenger numbers, 7.6 million in July alone, at DXB, which indicates that we are on our scheduled path of achieving 85 million passengers. This is the second consecutive year of recording high numbers in passenger traffic. We, thus, are maintaining our position among the top airports in the world. This would not have been be possible, but for the big investment the Dubai government has made to develop the aviation infrastructure in Dubai and the vision of our inspirational leader His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The frequent visits of His Highness to the airport facilities and projects are testimony of how much importance Dubai government gives to the growth of the aviation sector. In line with this vision, we have come up with DXB Plus Project, which will focus on using smart solutions to handle the impressive growth in passenger numbers and making their travel experience pleasant. Our

strategy in Dubai South is working to perfection with active participation of all our stakeholders. This we can achieve through constant improvement in services to one and all, our passengers, clients, partners, patrons and stakeholders. I hope that all our strategic partners will work closely to reach the target of making Dubai airport the best in the world. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s join hands in our continued journey towards further growth and realisation of the great goals set by our great leader. ď&#x201A;&#x192;

September 2016

Message

from the Director General

‘Culture of innovation’

e live in an era where only ‘the innovative’ can stay ahead of others in a competitive world. It is more pronounced in the aviation sector where innovation is the success formula. We, at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), imbibed the culture of innovation with the great inspiration derived from our leader His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who always emphasised the need for innovation in every sector of economic activity. That’s why we have taken on ourselves the responsibility to follow in letter and spirit the directives of His Highness who said: “Innovation today is not an option but a necessity.” The UAE’s aviation sector is expected to contribute $53 billion to the country’s economy by 2020, providing up to 750,000 jobs. The contribution of the aviation sector to Dubai’s economy is set to rise to 35 per cent from 27 per cent in five years. The inspiration from His Highness has ignited our minds and hearts to think innovative in every sphere of our activities. We believe a small idea can bring dramatic change in an organisation the success of which is determined by the way how we channelize and implement to fruition.

September 2016

Mohammed Abdulla Ahli

We have decided to take this innovation culture to the next level at DCAA by roping in one and all. Through this, we can inculcate the culture of innovation among each person who works at DCAA. This is an experiment which should be emulated by all. I urge all colleagues to take up this as a challenge to think differently to be innovative so that we can make our services impeccable for the benefit of our customers and strategic partners. So, we all should ignite our innovative minds and come out with novel ideas. Let a thousand ideas bloom. 

Inside DCAA

DCAA announces ‘Best Friend’ initiative

nder the guidelines and the directives of the President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to declare the year 2016 as the year of reading in the UAE; to create a generation of book lovers and consolidate the UAE’s position as a global capital for culture and knowledge and the follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, of this initiative, to declare 2016 a Year of Reading and keeping in line with this initiative of their Highness’, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority has organized “DCAA Reads”. Within the framework of this initiative, the Corporate Communication Section - under

the management of Corporate Support Department launched the initiative ‘Best Friend’. ‘Best Friend’ initiative aims at encouraging reading among employees, by Corporate Communication Section recommendation of the best-selling books in the market via e-mail, separately in Arabic and English, on a weekly basis; books recommended by the readers, as well as new books published. The Corporate Communications Section would welcome the staff’s participation in this initiative, by receiving their recommendation for any best must read books. 

DCAA receives Technical Training Academy delegation

he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority received a delegation from the Technical Training Academy in order to see the progress of work in the field of aviation security management and incident investigation. The delegation was received by Khalid Abdullah, Accident Investigator, who explained the

nature of the work in the aviation security management and investigation of incidents in an introductory presentation. The visit also included a field tour at Dubai airport to get to know better the different practices in the field of

aviation safety and investigation of accidents in order to develop expertise in this area. The visit was in terms of cooperation between the Technical Training Academic and the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority in support of national institutions specialising in the field of civil aviation. 

September 2016

Inside DCAA

DCAA organises Civil Aviation Management Course

ohammed Abdullah Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), honoured the graduates of the ‘Civil Aviation Management Course’ organised DCAA in coordination with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) from August 28 to September 1, 2016. The course specialises in how to manage civil aviation’s various fields. In his speech Mohammed Abdullah Ahli said that DCAA strives towards achieving its strategy to develop a flexible legislative environment according to international best practices and legislation in the civil aviation sector, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Ruler of Dubai, that Dubai is an airport to the world. He also urged encouraging all employees to join all training programs organized by the authority in the field of civil aviation to develop their skills and experience in this area.

Abdul Rahim Al Mulla, Director of Corporate Support under DCAA, said that the Authority provides all training programs that will develop competencies in the field of civil aviation, in coordination with international organizations specialised in aviation sector and training companies that provide these various training programs, in order to grow to the highest levels and gain experience in all areas. Rene Van of the International Air Transport Association introduced the session in the presence of 19 employees of DCAA which included he heads of departments,

managers, executives and specialists in the field of civil aviation. Besides the presence of the captain Mohammed Al Kamda, head of the Lost & Found Department in the General Directorate of Airport Security at Dubai Police. The course included various aspects of the management of civil aviation authorities and different activities that fall under their responsibilities, such as air transport systems and international organisations in the air transport sector and the development of legislation related to civil aviation and action plans. 

Emirates Development Bank holds workshop

he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) hosted a workshop organised by Emirates Development Bank to introduce its products and services to the staff of DCAA. The bank made presentation on the various housing finance schemes provided by the bank. The workshop was held to enhance mutual cooperation of DCAA’s various bodies to serve the requirements of employees. 

September 2016

Inside DCAA

Dubai Civil Aviation celebrates the UAE Women’s Day

he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority organised an event to mark the UAE Women’s Day in the presence of Mohammed Abdullah Ahli, Director General of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and directors and heads of departments and staff. On this occasion, Mohammed Abdullah Ahli, in his speech, expressed

gratitude for the outstanding role of the female employees at the DCAA. “We appreciate all the efforts and achievements made by women through a strong presence and their fruitful contribution to the homeland for its march towards progress,” he said and thanked the esteemed leaders for their unwavering support for Emirati women and strengthening

their position in all fields. He added that the UAE’s celebration of Women’s Day is an honour and a culmination of what they have achieved in the course of their work. At the end of the ceremony, Mohammed Abdullah Ahli honoured female employees of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority on the occasion. 

DCAA supports vocational training programme

bdul Rahim Al Mulla, Director of Corporate Support at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), honoured one of the trainees from Canadian University of Dubai as part of the vocational training programme. The training programme aims to encourage students to work and engage in the civil aviation industry in order to gain experience in this area. 

September 2016

Cover Story

DCAA takes innovation initiatives to the next level

Leadership for innovators

ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) is taking innovation initiatives to the next level in line with the UAE’s National Innovation Strategy.

The authority has embarked on an initiative to inculcate the culture of innovation among one and all, to earn the epithet of ‘The Most Innovative People in the world’. The Authority has launched a remarkable initiative ‘Be Innovative’, a package of topics and ideas in order to enhance and instil the culture of innovation among its employees. “In order to achieve the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, we aim to inculcate the culture of innovation among our people so that we remain number one in the world by implementing their novel ideas for the benefit of all our passengers, customers and stakeholders and their safety,” said Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).

September 2016

“We live in an era where only ‘the innovative’ can survive and get ahead of the others in a competitive world. This gains big importance in the aviation sector, which takes innovation as its slogan. That’s why we have taken on ourselves the responsibility to follow in letter and spirit the view of His Highness who said: “Innovation today is not an option but a necessity, not a general culture but business style. Governments and companies that do not renew or innovate lose competitiveness and control. They are bound to regress.” “We, at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), imbibed the culture of innovation with the great inspiration derived from His Highness, who always emphasised the need for innovation in every sector of economic activity because innovation is the driver of pro-

gress, and governments and businesses that fail to innovate will go backwards. Our innovation initiative is a practical implementation of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, who said Dubai is determined to be among the most innovative cities and emerge as a global innovation hub. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed pointed out that innovation is an essential component of Dubai Civil Aviation Strategy that reinforces the UAE’s focus on sustainable development towards shaping a knowledge economy and emerging as one of the most innovative countries in the world.” The new initiative ‘Be Innovative’ is inspired by our leaders.

Cover Story

“We are inspired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s saying to be positive and innovative at work. So we came up with the idea of using his sayings from his book for the ‘Passport’ initiative ‘Be Innovative’, to be distributed among our staff along with Via Dubai issues for the upcoming months,” said Abdulla Ahli. “’Be Innovative’ is a continuous initiative to educate the civil aviation culture and innovation among our people. The initiative is to encourage a continuous thought process on innovation among the staff. I call upon them to fully involve in this initiative to support the cause that will take our country to the next level in Global Innovation Index,” added Abdulla Ahli. The ‘Be Innovative’ is a scheme, which is a passport-sized mission statement card distributed along with Via Dubai Magazine issues, to be collected and displayed by all staff at their work places in order to spread the culture of ‘innovative mind’. The Authority will honour with awards and appreciation certificates the employees who collect the largest number of ‘passports’, describing them as “people who imbibe the culture of innovation.” The initiative ‘Be Innovative’ includes plenty of ideas. One of them is sending out emails to employees about innovation. “We aim to inculcate the culture of innovation among our employees. For this, we are planning to send out ‘e-flyers’ to all employees once a week, talking about different topics on innovation,” Bader Belselah, Incharge of Innovative Initiative at DCAA, said. “In the first week, we will send emails quoting select parts from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s books.

“In the second week we will send stories about innovative people, in the third week we will send video links on innovative people, and in the fourth week we will send examples of innovative people as models to follow,” Belselah said. In the future we will announce new ideas which will be submitted to Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Majlis, and our ‘e-suggestion’ system. Another idea is to use the biometric system i.e. when a person signs in for duty, the system will send him a message on innovation, a picture on innovation, or a vision that will guide to innovation. These exercises are to educate the innovation culture we have in-house,” he added. All these are part of DCAA’s endeavour in line with the National Innovation Strategy. Recently, the UAE was ranked 41st in the Global Innovation Index. This coveted achievement was made possible with the contribution of each and every government departments and individuals. The present initiative is expected to inculcate the culture of innovation among all stakeholders. “Whenever a new idea is suggested, our team will discuss it, review it and take it forward

Bader Belselah

for action, with the respective heads of departments. We review the ideas in detail as to who will benefit from the ideas, the practicality, and then take them forward,” Belselah said. “Innovation is very important in the aviation sector, which will save time, cost, manpower and energy, and include smart applications that benefit all stakeholders,” he added. What’s your goal, Beselah was asked. His answer was. “For the aviation industry in the UAE, to be the ‘most innovative in the world’, and for us, to become ‘the most innovative people in the world’.” 

September 2016

UAE in Focus

The UAE is taking pioneering steps towards not only joining the international space exploration community, but also competing with established players in the field before the country’s Golden Jubilee in 2021: Sheikh Mohammed

UAE adopts National Space Policy

n a UAE cabinet meeting chaired by Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a National Space Policy has been adopted for the country, which is being hailed as the most important element in the national plan to develop the space sector. The Space Policy is rudimentary for driving the entire sector forward within the framework of the UAE National Agenda, part of the UAE Vision 2021. The UAE is working towards a stable and diversified economy, flexible enough to adopt new models and benefit from international economic partnerships. Sheikh Mohammed said that the UAE is taking pioneering steps towards not only joining the interna-

September 2016

tional space exploration community, but also competing with established players in the field before the country’s Golden Jubilee in 2021. Addressing the cabinet, he explained that the UAE’s ambitions in the field fall in line with the vision of its founding fathers. The meeting was chaired at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, and attended by His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of

the Interior, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. “We have a strong economy, solid infrastructure, national competencies, and other accomplishments enabling us to enter the space race in time for our Golden Jubilee,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “The nation’s founder had incredible foresight when he hosted a delegation

UAE in Focus

from NASA in 1976 in an effort to send a clear message to his people and the people of the region and the world that our Emirati and Arab ambitions know no limits, and to draw a roadmap for the UAE to build on our ancestors’ knowledge in astronomy, navigation, and space.” He added that the UAE now operates more than six satellites and invests over AED20 billion in space technology. “Our ambition is limitless and we are working tirelessly to realise it. We have the largest regional space transportation operator, the largest international companies providing satellite insurance services, an adequate legislative and regulatory environment, and a variety of research centers, all of which aim to ensure the wellbeing of our people and the world.”

Sheikh Mohammed added: “Our goal is to build a strong and sustainable Emirati space sector that supports the interests of the nation and its vital sectors. The National Space Policy seeks to underline the vital role of the space sector as a catalyst in the development process. It introduces the UAE Government’s approach, priorities and ambitions in the space sector and stresses the need to coordinate national efforts and channel them towards achieving the UAE’s interests in this sector. The Policy will be translated into a national strategy that includes a number of initiatives and national programmes.

The policy is also expected to have both a direct and indirect influence on many vital sectors in the country, including international cooperation, as it will increase partnerships on the regional and international levels in the space sector, and channel the space-sector efforts to serve the national interests (safety, security, and disaster management), in addition to reinforcing the UAE’s pioneering role in the space sector. From an economic standpoint, the policy will enhance the space sector’s contribution to the diversification and development of the national economy as it encourages and attracts foreign investment, in addition to supporting and promoting the exploration and management of the UAE’s natural resources, and creating high-skill-level jobs. 

Dubai South awards Tristar AED300m infrastructure deal

aster developer Dubai South has awarded a contract worth AED300 million ($81.7 million) for infrastructure works at its flagship Residential District.

Central to the contract, which was awarded to Tristar Engineering & Construction LLC, is the delivery of the completed infrastructure works of Phase 1 and 2 of the Residential District in Dubai South by Q4 2017. The contract was awarded in a signing ceremony at the Dubai South Headquarters. Present at the occasion were Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Ahmed Al Ansari, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dubai South. Naji Hasan Al Harthi, Chairman, Tristar Engineering & Construction and Sabah Khattar, Executive Manager, Tristar Engineering & Construction The project spans 2.2 square kilometres.

Under the contract, Tristar will carry out complete community infrastructure work – including road works, potable water network, sewerage network, storm water drainage network, combined irrigation and firefighting network, district cooling network, electrical works, telecommunication works, road lighting, gas network and spare ducts. Mobilization will begin immediately, with work due for completion by the end of 2017. Speaking at the ceremony, Khalifa Al Zaffin said: “The award of this contract is a huge step forward for Dubai South’s Residential District and we are delighted to be working with Tristar. 

September 2016

UAE in Focus

7.6 million passengers is the highest monthly traffic

Dubai International achieves record passenger traffic

assenger traffic at Dubai International has exceeded all previous records in July surging to an historic high of 7.6 million, according to the monthly traffic report issued by Dubai Airports.

Passenger numbers in July totalled 7,616,792 compared to the 6,682,676 handled in July 2015, a significant increase of 14 per cent. During the first seven months of the year, DXB welcomed 48,123,248 passengers, up 7 per cent compared to 44,981,967 passengers recorded during the same period last year. Eastern Europe was the fastest growing region in July up 33.4 per cent, followed by Asia which grew by 20.8 per cent, and the Indian subcontinent at 17.1 per cent. GCC traffic rose 16.2 per cent while North America registered a 13.9 per cent increase. Traditionally a strong market, India was the top destination country with 990,213 passengers, followed by the UK (573,025 passengers), and Saudi Arabia (475,841). London, Doha, Mumbai, Kuwait and Bangkok headed the list of the most popular destinations served from DXB. Aircraft movements during July reached 35,832, up 5.8 per cent compared to 33,855 recorded during July 2015. Year to date flight movements totalled 243,035 compared to 231,081 aircraft movements recorded during the same period last year, an increase of 5.1 per cent. The passengers per movement remained at world-beating levels at 220 dur-

September 2016

ing July as DXB’s rising ratio of wide-bodied aircraft continues to drive airport efficiency. Freight volumes at Dubai International contracted 1.2 percent in July to total 203,153 tonnes compared to 205,526 tonnes recorded during the corresponding month last year. During the first seven months of 2016, DXB handled 1,485,177 tonnes of cargo, up 3.2 per cent compared to 1,438,904 tonnes recorded during the same period in 2015.

“This summer was the busiest in DXB’s history with daily traffic averaging a quarter of a million passengers across the three terminals. We are pleased as much with the growth as we are with the way we managed service levels by implementing detailed operational plans, boosting staff levels, intensifying communication efforts with our business partners and customers during the peak period,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. 

UAE in Focus

UAE launches new air traffic control centre to ease congestion

he UAE has opened its “Sector Yankee”, its 11th air traffic control centre, as it looks to manage ever-growing demand for airspace.

The Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre in Abu Dhabi, run by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), is one of the busiest air traffic control centres in the world. It offers unique challenges for air traffic controllers due to air traffic volume and airspace complexity, especially with major air carrier hubs being located in the UAE, a statement said. The UAE controls approximate-

ly 124,000 sq km of airspace and hosts more than 42 international airways. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, said: “The successful implementation of the Yankee sector is in pursuit of optimising the use of UAE airspace, and reiterates the GCAA’s commitment to making air navigation provision safe, efficient and environmentally friendly.”

The navigation centre controls the airspace around Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports, and also handles international flights arriving, departing to all UAE airports and overflying the UAE from all over Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America. It handles more than 2,500 air traffic movements a day, with more than 700 movements managed through the Yankee sector. The centre serves nine international airports. 

September 2016

UAE in Focus

Emirates ID can be used at airport smartgate

he General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) has announced activating the use of Emirates ID for the Smart Gate system at Dubai International Airport.

With this, UAE residents can use their Emirates ID cards to pass through passport control counters without waiting in queues at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport. The GDRFA said it has completed implementing the smart gate system service on the ID card at the arrivals and departures wings in Terminal 3. The new project has been implemented in cooperation with the Emirates Identity Authority to further improve services and ensure a pleasant and smooth experience for all passengers, who now no longer require to stand in long queues to clear passport control procedures. GDRFA has completed the first stage of the same project with the

September 2016

28 e-gates in Terminal Three arrivals, which also can be used with an Emirates ID and requires no prior registration or paying any fees. Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, director-general of GDRFA, announced the new service with the smart gates which he said does not need prior registration as well and will only require a valid ID card instead of using one’s passport when entering and exiting the country. He said passengers’ fingerprints must also be registered with the Emirates Identity Authority. Children under the age of 15, however, will not be able to use the system with their ID cards. Airport

employees will assist them as their parents cross the smart gates, he said. The smart gate, designed by Emaratech, is considered the second generation of the e-gate and is a lot faster and more efficient as it is seven seconds faster when processing a passenger’s credentials. The e-gate scans biometrics of travellers before allowing them to pass through passport control. The smart gate has a similar procedure and takes an average of 12 seconds to clear a passenger. As part of this activation came the launch of an initiative called “smooth departure and arrival”, the GDRFA said, which is aimed at making it an easy experience for travellers. 

UAE in Focus

The world’s first interactive amenity kit for Emirates travellers

mirates has introduced the world’s first interactive amenity kit for its travellers. The kit bags come in six designs inspired by six regions in Emirates’ global network – Australasia, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Far East. The designs incorporate the colours and patterns of each of these regions and the Middle East design, in particular, features Arabic calligraphy by UAE-based artist, Tagelsir Hassan. The kits include all the necessities for additional comfort on long-haul flights including an eye mask, earplugs, toothbrush and toothpaste, and socks — each tailored to the style of the kit bag. The multipurpose pouches are made of Neoprene material — a water resistant fabric — and is designed to be reused after the flight to store anything from devices to cosmetics or stationery. Emirates is the first airline to introduce AR technology with the amenity kits making it

the world’s first interactive kit bags. By downloading the Blippar mobile phone app, and using it to scan the bags, customers will be able to unlock a world of entertainment on their mobile devices. Emirates partnered with Blippar, the world’s leading AR and visual discovery platform, to create exclusive content including activities and health tips for a more comfortable and relaxing travel experience. The content will continually

be refreshed every six months so customers can look forward to new updates. More broadly, the Blippar app is a Visual Browser which enables customers to discover more about the world around them. Customers can point at thousands of objects already recognized by Blippar (laptops to clothing and food to pets) to get additional information on those items. 

GCAA bans Samsung Galaxy Note 7 onboard

he General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has banned the use of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones onboard national airlines in the UAE. The aviation regulator issued the ban following the recent incidents of the device catching fire because of a battery defect. GCAA Director General Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi advised passengers not to turn on or charge the device onboard an aircraft and to also avoid keeping it in checked baggage.

Emirates also issued a statement confirming the ban of the Note 7 onboard its aircraft. “As advised by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Emirates Airline can confirm that with immediate effect it will advise customers not to turn on or charge their Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones during flights or stow them in checked baggage due to concerns over the phone’s fire-prone batteries,” official news agency WAM quoted the airline as saying. flydubai also advised passen-

gers against using the device. “Following the recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 personal electronic device, we would like to request passengers that own these devices to not switch them on or charge them in flight. In addition, we are unable to accept this device in checked baggage,” it said in a statement on Facebook. Samsung is currently undertaking a massive voluntary recall programme to replace all the 2.5 million devices sold since the Note 7’s launch in August. 

September 2016

UAE in Focus

Etihad Airways Medical Centre hosts Aviation Health Conference

tihad Airways Medical Centre has welcomed more than 120 medical professionals as well as international medical experts to the annual Aviation Health Conference, under the theme “Ophthalmology and Colour Vision in Aviation,” which took placed on September 3 and 4 in Abu Dhabi.

The conference was under the patronage of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Aeromedical Section in partnership with Etihad Airways and Moorfields Eye Hospital Centre Abu Dhabi. Dr Nadia Bastaki, Etihad Airways Vice President Medical Services and Senior Aviation Medical Examiner, who is the first Emirati woman to be registered as a specialist in aviation medicine, highlighted the importance of collaboration within the industry. “Etihad Airways Medical Centre organises annual aviation health conferences to encourage collaboration among aviation medicine

September 2016

practitioners and health industry stakeholders both in the region and internationally. The airline is honoured to have Dr Ansa Jordaan, Chief, Aviation Medicine Section at International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a guest speaker this year. The ongoing education, sharing of medical experience and latest intervention work towards standardising medical practice and encouraging aviation safety by enhancing aircrew health is of paramount importance, especially as we explore the latest advances in the aviation field,” Dr Bastaki said. The Etihad Airways Medical Centre is a

state-of-the art facility, which is staffed by 13 physicians and 15 nurses offering a full range of services including: General Medicine, Aviation Medicine, Travel Health, Occupational Health, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Services, Internal Medicine, Dental Services, Physiotherapy, Laboratory and Radiology, 24 hour Ambulance Service and National Service medical checkups for the airline’s staff. Each year, a different topic is discussed by the conference attendees who include aviation medical examiners and nurses, ophthalmologists, doctors and other healthcare professionals from major airlines and the health industry. 

September 2016

Special Report

The new civil aviation policy has relaxed FDI norms, but foreign carriers still face multiple challenges

Will foreign airlines fly into India?

he move to allow foreign-owned airlines in India has opened up the country’s aviation market to multiple possibilities, but it has also thrown up a new set of challenges.

In theory, the relaxation makes it possible for a low-cost airline giant like Ryanair to start an Indian subsidiary together with a foreign fund, a Qatar Airways to invest in an existing Indian carrier or a British Airways to expand commercial cooperation with GoAir. With just 80 million Indians taking to the air for domestic travel, compared with 8 billion who use the Indian Railways every year, the opportunities for air transport are immense. India is the fastest growing aviation market in the world, according to a report in India’s financial daily Mint. “The airlines industry which is in need for funding will find the new limit of 100 per cent useful, which will also help to

September 2016

bring a turnaround in their operations as well as enable expansion plans,” Madan Sabnavis, chief economist, Credit Analysis & Research Ltd, said in a report. So far, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows have been low in the aviation sector. Since 2000, there has been an FDI inflow of $288.63 billion in India—in sectors such as trading, pharmaceuticals, broadcasting, air transport, retail and defence. Of this, only $931 million has been in air transport—or just 0.32 per cent of the total. Until 2012, the government allowed no foreign airline ownership of Indian airlines. This changed when Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, which lobbied

the most to allow such a relaxation, shut down in 2012. Ironically, weeks after the airline was grounded, the government cleared the policy to allow 49 per cent foreign airline ownership in local carriers. Soon after, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways bought a 24 per cent stake in Naresh Goyal’s Jet Airways (India) Ltd. This was followed by the Tatas launching two airlines—a full-service airline with Singapore Airlines called Vistara and a low-cost airline with Malaysia’s AirAsia, named AirAsia India. The new policy made it possible for the remaining 51 per cent stake also to be

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Across the Atlantic, US carriers are focused on the domestic market, trying to figure out what to do on transatlantic routes after Brexit, managing anaemic traffic to Latin America, and sorting out competition for Asia with Chinese carriers. For them, Indian skies are only of academic interest at the moment. That leaves Singapore Airlines (which is already an investor in Vistara), Cathay Pacific and Qantas. Of this trio, Singapore Airlines has been most interested in India, but investment of 49 per cent in Vistara together with Tata Sons in 2012 may well represent the extent of its plans. Qantas has had its own share of challenges like fending off tough competition from Gulf airlines and Cathay Pacific seems focused on China, the investor added.

owned by a foreign fund, although airlines are still barred. In other words, while foreign entities can fully own a local airline, the stake held by foreign airlines cannot be more than 51 per cent. India is now part of a very small club of countries that allow 100 per cent FDI in aviation. Only a handful of countries such as Australia and New Zealand allow similar ownership. There are, however, several gaps that need to be filled before foreign investment can flow in. United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union and a lacklustre EU economy have put pressure on European airlines. While the likes of International Airlines Group and Lufthansa would probably like to align with an Indian carrier, they have more pressing issues to address, the investor said.

Gulf carriers would be the logical investors in India. But the price of oil and the marginal performance of several of their investments, particularly Alitalia and Air Berlin, which are going through a painful restructuring process, will force them to move with caution, he said. “This will take some time to sort out,” the investor said. “As for me... I would be interested (and for that) the ability to provide strong oversight through equity ownership would be very important. Involvement in decisions like fleet, network, product etc., are important to an experienced airline investor,” said an investor. Current rules are still complex and mandate that the substantial ownership and effective control (SOEC) of any Indian airline remains with Indian nationals. Days after the announcement to relax the FDI norms, the civil aviation

There are several gaps that need to be filled before foreign investment can flow in ministry said that it will change the SOEC. However, the arm of the government that deals with FDI for all sectors, the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP), issued a notification dated 24 June, which said that no other change is being made for effective control in the case of airlines. There was another teething problem. The civil aviation ministry now realizes that it will be difficult to give international rights to airlines that are not controlled by Indians—if at all it changes the SOEC. That’s because the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which controls such global agreements—and India is signatory to it—allows international flying rights only to Indian carriers that are controlled by Indians. The current air service agreements of India with almost all other countries, except some such as Australia, New Zealand, mandate the same. Civil aviation secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey said the matter is being discussed with other government departments. However, Choubey remains confident that West Asian airlines will invest in the country over the coming days. 

September 2016

Special Report

Growth momentum stays high in aviation market

ndiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aviation market is poised for high growth in the wake of a slew of reforms in regulation and growing number of passengers, increasing number of airports and many projects on the anvil.

September 2016

The market grew at a record pace in July, soaring 25.82 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last fiscal, posting double-digit growth for the 24th consecutive month as lower fares attracted more fliers. During January to July 2016, the growth stood at 23 per cent as compared to the first six months of the last year, reveals the latest data available with the civil aviation ministry. The growth momentum continued to stay high despite the fact that after June, the peak season for travel slows down in the country as schools and colleges re-open after the summer break. It peaks up again around the festive season, with Diwali, Christmas and new year celebrations, say insiders from aviation and tourism industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indian aviation continues to soar. July passenger growth reaches a record-breaking 25%,â&#x20AC;? tweeted Minister of Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju. The travel industry experts attributed the growth during the non-peak season

to promotional fares offered by the airlines, which may have resulted in passengers switching from trains to airlines. Further, the increasing tendency of people to take short vacations may have also pushed the growth. As per the statistics available with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, about 8.5 million passengers flew during July this year by domestic airlines as compared to 6.76 million during July last year. Likewise, the passengers carried by domestic airlines during the period of January-July 2016 were 56 million as against 45.59 million during the cor-

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responding period of previous year, thereby registering a growth of 23.01 per cent. As per the estimate projected by several international and national studies, India is the ninth largest aviation market in the world and is expected to become the third-largest one by the end of 2020. Travel agents and other industry insiders claim that though more people fly during the peak seasons, the number of people flying during the non-peak season is also increasing due to several reasons. “The rock bottom fares due to promotional schemes and competition lured

India is now part of a very small club of countries that allow 100 per cent FDI in aviation. Only a handful of countries such as Australia and New Zealand allow similar ownership. the people to take short trips during the short or extended weekends. This could be one of the most important reason, apart from several others factors,” said Subhash Goyal, chairman, STIC Group. “Several state tourism

boards are aggressively promoting tourism through difference mediums, which has overall raised the travelling push among people who now want to use every opportunity to travel to different parts of the country,” he said. 

September 2016

Special Report

Wi-Fi up above the sky

n-flight Wi-Fi is expensive and slow. It need not be. Here are a few tips that will help you enjoy your flights with Web access, without pinching your pocket.

It’s an exciting trend for Web addicts, but frequent fliers will quickly tell you: in-flight Wi-Fi is expensive and painstakingly slow. According to a recent study by Routehappy, a flight search site, inflight Wi-Fi is now available on 38 per cent of US domestic flights, with Delta as the leading Wi-Fi provider. According to current FAA initiatives and ongoing Wi-Fi installations, that number is only expected to grow. In-flight Wi-Fi is outrageously expensive. Gogo, the largest US provider of in-flight Wi-Fi, typically charges $14 for an all-day pass, $49 for a monthly pass, and $39 for a monthly pass on your airline of choice. Aside from running a business, there are two reasons why Gogo charges so darn much. For starters, the steep prices are intended to offend passengers so much that most of them won’t purchase the service. Serious-

September 2016

Get a better deal by tricking the internet provider into thinking you are on mobile ly. Gogo can only support so many passengers, so the costly barrier to entry keeps the number of simultaneous users down. Secondly, Gogo’s costs are quite expensive. According to Gigaom, it’s estimated that each megabyte delivered costs Gogo about 20 cents. With

these high costs, Gogo sets such prohibitive prices just to keep up. For starters, shop ahead for in-flight Wi-Fi. You’ll often find passes available at discounted rates through your airline or a promotion from the WiFi provider. For example, American Airlines is currently advertising a 2-for-$20 special on all-day passes. Another way to get a better deal is to trick the Internet provider into thinking you’re on mobile. Some providers, like Gogo, charge less for mobile access based on your browser ID. So, before your flight, install the User Agent Switcher for Chrome or Firefox and set it to mobile. Just before you purchase Wi-Fi, you’ll get a small notification warning you that services like these are unavailable. It’s not that the provider doesn’t want you to have fun, or make flying more intolerable than it already is -the bandwidth simply isn’t there.

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According to Gogo, its most-implemented in-flight Wi-Fi technology, Air To Ground, maxes out at 3.1Mbps. Its next-generation tech, currently in about 300 airplanes, peaks at about 9.8Mbps. Now, take that 3.1Mbps speed and divide among every passenger who purchased access. There’s your speed. If you’d like to squeeze in a movie or TV show between work assignments, download the files ahead of time. To our dismay, there simply aren’t any workarounds -- any time the Wireless Access Point detects a data-heavy transaction, the activity will immediately be stopped. That goes for streaming media, large downloads, and even VoIP services like Skype. That might change soon, though. Gogo is expected to announce a new satellite-based service in September that will increase the maximum bandwidth per passenger.

Security measures

Once you’re paid for and online, inflight Wi-Fi functions like an unsecured network -- it’s unencrypted, leaving you with zero protection from anyone else on the plane. It’s unlikely an aircraft will be a hacker’s choice location for data-snooping, but this lack of security makes it relatively easy for those experienced to gain access to your Web activity. As explained in a related CNET report, “Someone could upload an executable program to a file on your hard drive that steals data or just leaves a back door for future access.”

Disable background activity

Let’s talk about that 3.1Mbps again (divided by the number of passengers accessing Wi-Fi). When working with so little bandwidth, any back-

ground processes can slow down your primary process, bringing back the type of 1994 Web-surfing you didn’t really care to relive. Pro tip: Think about the many Internet-based tasks your PC runs, like updating your inbox, syncing cloud storage, and checking for software updates. Before you get onboard the aircraft, disable system and program updates. The last thing you need is an automatic update cramping your Wi-Fi style. Likewise, disable automatic syncing, and be sure to update your inbox in advance. If you know you’ll be purchasing Wi-Fi on an upcoming flight, be sure to confirm that the flight you’re booking offers the service, and, as a bonus, includes power ports. One great resource for this is Seat Guru. As you search for flights, keep Seat Guru open in a tab, where you can enter the airline and flight num-

Once you’re paid for and online, in-flight Wi-Fi functions like an unsecured network -- it’s unencrypted, leaving you with zero protection from anyone else on the plane ber to find out if the aircraft includes these amenities. (And while you’re there, check out the site’s other useful features, like reviews about specific seats. Alternatively, most airlines have a dedicated page outlining Wi-Fi pricing and availability. 

September 2016

Middle East News

Passengers travelling from Muscat will get a free baggage allowance of two pieces weighing 23kg each, totalling to 46kg, to all destinations

Kuwait Airways extends offer on baggage

uwait Airways has extended the offer for more free baggage allowance to passengers travelling from Muscat to Kuwait and all its connecting destinations beyond Kuwait to India, the Subcontinent, Far East, Middle East and Europe.

Passengers travelling from Muscat will now get a free baggage allowance of two pieces weighing 23kg each, totalling to 46kg, to all destinations. This promotional free baggage offer is now extended until March 31, 2017. Kuwait Airways has recently introduced a new baggage policy known as ‘Baggage made simple’, under which all its routes are now operating on a piece concept basis and the customers travelling in economy class are entitled to one bag with a maximum of 23kg as free baggage allowance.

Further, the promotion of two pieces weighing 23kg each, totalling to 46kg, was offered only to select destinations earlier and the offer was valid until October 31. The free baggage offer has been extended to all destinations, both onwards and return, for attracting more passengers during the forthcoming winter and including families who wish to avail more free baggage allowance on their return as well. Business class passengers will be permitted two pieces each weigh-

ing 32kg, totalling to 64kg, instead of the regular baggage allowance of two pieces each weighing 23kg (total 46kg). As a part of the baggage policy change, the cost of excess baggage rate is also cut by allowing more weight at a less cost for passengers wishing to carry more than two pieces; any excess baggage will be charged on an extra piece basis. The first excess bag weighing 23kg will be charged RO80 and the second excess bag weighing 23kg will be charged RO130. The new excess baggage charges per bag up to 23kg will be more beneficial to customers carrying excess bags as the cost of carrying an additional 23kg to many sectors is cut by 60 per cent and above. For example, the current excess baggage rate per kilogramme from Muscat to Manila is RO7.300 per kilogramme and the cost of carrying 23kg of baggage will be RO167.900. However, under the new piece concept policy, the excess baggage charges will be only RO80 for the first excess bag of 23kg. 

September 2016

Middle East News

Duty-free sales to support Royal Jordanian’s ancillary revenues

Qatar Airways to place a large order soon

atar Airways said it is poised to make a major jetliner purchase, adding to a backlog of more than 340 outstanding orders for Boeing and Airbus planes. The Gulf carrier will place a “large” aircraft order “soon,” Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said at a briefing in Doha, without elaborating on the number or class of jets required. “Qatar Airways has a continuous plan of fleet expansion and fleet replacement in order to keep the average age of our fleet very young,” Al Baker said.

oyal Jordanian Airlines has said that the duty-free onboard sales will support it with ancillary revenues, creating an additional opportunity to generate revenues. The airline has launched its new inflight duty-free service in partnership with inflight concessionaire Duty Free Air and Ship Supply (DFASS). Passengers now have access to various brands on most Royal Jordanian aircraft, particularly those serving long and medium-haul routes. Royal Jordanian Airlines president/CEO Captain Suleiman Obeidat said: “Our objective to sell duty-free goods on board is an added value to the customer service it offers its passengers. This time-saving shopping experience will enable our passengers to buy their needs during their journey time.”

Under the terms of the agreement signed earlier this year, DFASS is using its large network of product resources to formulate “a unique programme” for Royal Jordanian appealing to passenger needs. According to the airline, DFASS was chosen after a rigorous request for proposals process, whereby several factors were evaluated, including information technology, creative sales and marketing plans, access to various products and a global operational infrastructure. Duty-free items available onboard include fragrances and cosmetics, watches, jewellery, tobacco, sunglasses, Royal Jordanian-branded items and several products. Customers can pay for their purchases in Jordanian dinars, euros, US dollars, sterling or using various credit cards. 

Qatar Air’s order book includes 80 Airbus A320neos – a deal that may be at risk after Al Baker declined to take delivery of the first planes because of engine cooling issues, saying that he was exploring the option of switching to Boeing’s 737 Max. The Mideast airline has also said it may help to renew the fleet of Italy’s Meridiana Fly after agreeing to buy a 49 per cent stake. Al Baker’s latest order plan bucks a recent trend in the industry, with airlines in many parts of the world reining in expansion planes as demand lags behind projections and leads to over-capacity and a decline in fares. The Gulf has not been immune, with lower crude prices curbing oil industry-related travel. 

September 2016

Middle East News

Qatar to levy airport tax on passengers

atar has decided to levy a new airport tax on passengers as the country seeks new revenue streams amid falling oil prices.

Every passenger leaving Qatar from Doha’s Hamad International Airport, including transit passengers, will be charged 35 riyals ($9.61) for using airport facilities, according to a statement by the airport.

Airport fees, while common elsewhere in the world, have until recently been avoided by the Gulf states as they seek to gain a competitive advantage for business and become regional hubs.

Interest rates are rising in the Gulf as low oil prices pressure governments’ finances, so Qatar has been looking at ways other than borrowing to fund its projects, including raising local gasoline prices.

The charge will apply to tickets issued after August 30 and for any travel starting on December 1 onwards and would be used to “further increase the airport’s capacity and invest in new infrastructure”, the statement said.

Some 1.33 million passengers travelled through Hamad International Airport in June.

Qatar has said it expects to post a deficit of 46.5 billion riyals ($12.8bn) in 2016, its first in 15 years, and to run a deficit for at least three years as low natural gas and oil prices weigh on its revenues as it prepares to host the Fifa World Cup in 2022. 

September 2016

Airports in the UAE announced similar taxes earlier this year.

Middle East News

Airline may sell as much as 51% to Nepalese or foreign investors and retain minority ownership

Nepal Airlines in stake sale with Middle East airline N

epal Airlines and a Middle East carrier have reportedly held informal stake sale talks. The Nepalese government wants the state-owned carrier to find a “strategic partner” to fast-track its expansion plans. The airline bought two Airbus A320 narrow-body jets and plans to acquire two A330 wide-bodies as it phases out its out-of-production Boeing 757s. It resumed flights to Dubai in August after four years and is considering more than doubling its network to 19 destinations. Managing Director Sugat Ratna Kansakar said executives from a Middle East airline recently visited him in Kathmandu for “informal talks” about purchasing a stake.

“The government is quite serious,” he said, adding that the government could sell as much as 51 percent of the airline to Nepalese or foreign investors and retain minority ownership.

Nepal’s government believes outside investment could help the airline wrestle back passenger traffic from foreign airlines that control more than a 90 per cent share, he said. 

Kuwait Airways begins disposing of parked A310 fleet

uwait Airways has begun selling off its entire fleet of A310300s following their retirement from scheduled service late last year. According to aviation fleet database, the carrier’s four aircraft of the type are in storage at Kuwait. However, local media reports indicate that they have now been acquired by an undisclosed internation-

process of disposing of its retired A300 fleet with 9K-AMA (cn 673) and 9K-AMB (cn 694) having been ferried to Roswell for part out and scrap. A further three A300B4s and a single A300C4 remain. al firm which will shortly remove them to a new, unspecified location. Kuwait Airways has also begun the

The carrier is replacing the widebody capacity with a new fleet of A330-200s s and before long, A350900s. 

September 2016

International News

India’s regulator will come out with a detailed set of guidelines in the wake of certain cases coming to the light about possible security risks from clicking cockpit selfies.

DGCA may ask airlines to clamp down on in-flight selfies

orried about security risks arising out of in-flight selfies, India’s aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) may soon ask airlines to strictly enforce a ban on taking pictures inside cockpit and at other critical places, including by crew members. While existing rules also put some restrictions on in-flight photography, the regulator will come out with a detailed set of guidelines in a few days in the wake of certain cases coming to the light about possible security risks from clicking cockpit selfies. With increased use of smart devices, there have been many instances of travellers as well as crew members, including pilots, clicking photographs inside flights. Against this backdrop, the DGCA is working on guidelines for airlines that would

cover various aspects of photography inside an aircraft including selfies. A senior DGCA official said the regulator would be soon coming with a circular in this regard. “It will be a safety circular for providing guidance to airlines,” the official said, even as he made it clear that there are already rules in place for “photograph at aerodromes or from aircraft in flight”. According to the official, the circular would cover issues such as whether

There have been many instances of travellers as well as crew members clicking photographs inside flights photography is permitted in cockpit including selfies. The aspects like at what stage of a flight can ground photography be permitted might also included in the circular, he added. Recently, six pilots of IndiGo came under the scanner of DGCA for allegedly taking pictures in the cockpit with family members. Under the Aircraft Rules, 1937, photography from an aircraft in flight is prohibited unless there is prior permission from authorities concerned. 

September 2016

International News

The draft resolution has broad support, will be adopted by the United Nations’ civil aviation agency’s governing council and then put before all 191 member states next month.

UN aviation emissions pact to let states opt out

new global deal on curbing aviation emissions will likely give states the right to opt out of its initial voluntary phases, according to sources familiar with the matter, in a concession to developing countries like aviation powerhouses China and India.

Allowing countries to join but then later opt out risks further diluting a plan that had already been criticized for not being completely mandatory by some environmentalists and European legislators, who had pushed for a more ambitious agreement. The draft resolution, which two of the sources said has broad support, will be adopted by the United Nations’ civil aviation agency’s governing council and then put before all 191 member states next month. While countries that volunteer for the deal’s first phase from 2021 to 2026 cannot arbitrarily “come and go as they please,” the draft language could give them leeway to join and then cease participating, one of the sources said. All three sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations are confidential. One source, who is part of the council, said he supports countries being able to opt out because “it will help get the plan going” after years of talks.

The United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) meet on Sept. 27 to Oct. 7 to finalize the deal, which would aim to cap the carbon pollution of all international flights at 2020 levels.

Airlines support a global agreement because a patchwork of national and regional deals, such as Europe imposing its own emissions trading scheme on foreign carriers, would be more expensive.

Aviation was excluded from last December’s climate accord in Paris when countries agreed to limit the rise in global temperatures to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

The draft deal would require airlines in participating countries to limit their emissions or offset them by buying carbon credits from designated environmental projects around the world. 

September 2016

Opinion

The mission is to stem emissions technology, operational efficiencies, infrastructure improvements and a global market-based measure. There is no silver bullet. All opportunities must be explored.

Michael Gill Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group

viation has always had a focus on efficiency. Today’s modern aircraft are over 80 per cent more fuel efficient than the first jets. A flight taken today will produce roughly half the emissions that the same flight would have in 1990. Initially, this drive toward greater fuel efficiency was purely driven by economics, as airlines strived to cut fuel consumption. This is still important, but now we have another incentive: reducing our CO2 emissions. This year is important for aviation’s climate action. Representatives of the world’s governments will convene at the 39th International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly to enter into final negotiations on a global scheme for offsetting aviation CO2 emissions. If they agree on a measure, commercial aviation will be the first sector to deploy such a global market mechanism. All sectors of aviation (airlines, airports, manufacturers and air traffic management) must work together to make real environmental progress. This is why industry leaders from these sectors came together in 2008 to announce a set of three global goals aimed at reducing CO2 emissions in the short, medium and long terms. These goals will be achieved through a four-pillar strategy of

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September September 2016 2016

The first of these goals is to achieve an average annual fleetwide fuel efficiency improvement of 1.5 per cent between 2009 and 2020. We are more than meeting this goal, with the average annual efficiency improvement of 2.4 per cent. Another goal is to realize carbon-neutral growth from 2020 on, the subject of this year’s negotiations at the ICAO Assembly. The industry has been working hard to engage with governments to ensure that an agreement is reached at the meeting, and we are confident that governments will heed this call. We aim to halve overall CO2 emissions by 2050, when compared to 2005 levels. The industry will achieve this goal mainly through technological developments. 

Edited excerpts from a speech at Benefits Beyond Borders Conference, US

Opinion

Tackling cyber security in civil aviation C

yber threats to the aviation sector are an increasing worry, because of the potential damage it could inflict. According to an annual survey carried out by PriceWaterhouse Coopers, the total number of detected security incidents last year rose by almost 50 per cent, from 29 million to 43 million. This translates to over 100,000 attacks per day, every day. The civil aviation industry leverages heavily on information technology (IT). Modern air traffic management systems, for example, are reliant on information sharing and connected systems to create a common awareness. This opens up opportunities for cyber attacks. Cyber threats also extend to the aircraft. New aircraft entering service today, such as the Boeing 787, Airbus 380 and Airbus 350, are increasingly e-enabled. Important aircraft systems, such as those providing flight data to pilots, can potentially be targeted. ICAO and IATA, together with Airports Council International (ACI), Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) and International Coordination Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA), agreed on a Civil Aviation Cyber Security Action Plan in December 2014. There are a few prerequisites to be able to effectively tackle the cyber threat. The civil aviation authority of each State must be clear about its scope of responsibility. This scope necessarily extends to the entire aviation eco-system, because of the many inter- dependencies across IT systems belonging to different players.

Pang Kin Keong Permanent Secretary (Transport), Singapore.

balancing concerns about bad publicity and undermining public confidence. The civil aviation community must step up to the plate to address the cyber threat. Amidst individual efforts, ICAO is uniquely positioned to facilitate an even more comprehensive and robust response at the global level. As the UN agency responsible for civil aviation, ICAO establishes global standards from which States take alignment. ICAO may therefore also wish to consider developing standards and accompanying guidance materials on cyber security. ď&#x201A;&#x192;

Edited excerpts from an address at the Civil Aviation Cyber Security Conference in Singapore.

Valuable lessons can be learnt from cyber incidents which have occurred. It may therefore be useful to consider ways of encouraging civil aviation stakeholders to report all cyber incidents, while

September 2016

Airlines

US airlines are bringing back free snacks and streaming services

Airlines riding wave of profitability

irlines with profitability are able to offer lavish upgrades. The 10 largest U.S. carriers collectively brought in $12 billion in profit in the first half of the year—700 million more than in the same period last year, as per data from industry trade group Airlines for America.

Airlines’ bottom lines have been bolstered in part due to low fuel costs. That’s helped bring down the costs of domestic airfare. The average price of a domestic round-trip flight is expected to run $216 this fall—down 14 per cent from the same time in 2014, but up by about 1 per cent from last year. The changes follow years of airlines’ efforts to increase profits through moves like decreasing legroom and charging for checked bags. Incidentally, American and Delta lead all U.S. airlines in baggage fees. In

September 2016

the first quarter of 2016, they had revenue of $262 million and $197 million, respectively, according to the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics. After years of absence, free meals as well as complimentary access to inflight entertainment are returning to some flights. American Airlines and Delta, on their longest routes to Hawaii, have reinstated free meals this year. American is also offering economy class passen-

gers free access to its entire lineup of in-flight entertainment. The culinary offerings are also improving: United is touting a premium Italian coffee from Illy, beverages and a Dutch snack called a stroopwafel. The perks aren’t limited to food and drink. In April, Delta stopped charging a fee for tickets purchased over the phone or at the airport. American will refund money on non-refundable boarding passes if the company finds the reason compelling enough. 

Airlines

Indian banks put on the block some of the moveable assets of the airline lying at the Kingfisher House, but no bidders came forward

Kingfisher airlines brands fail to find buyers

n a big disappointment for the lenders for the second time, auction of the longgrounded Kingfisher Airlines’ (KFA) trademarks and logo turned out to be damp squib once again despite having a lower reserve price.

Banks also had put on the block some of the moveable assets of the company worth Rs 1.37 million ($20,447) lying at the Kingfisher House, for which, too, no bidders came forward. In their second attempt, the 17-lender consortium led by State Bank of India had put the airline’s trademarks including Kingfisher logo and the once-famous tag-line ‘Fly the Good Times’ on the block, to recover a part of their over Rs 90 billion ($1.34 billion) loans from beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya and his grounded carrier. Banks had also put the Flying Models, Funliner, Fly Kingfisher and Flying Bird Device on the sale.

“I think the reserve price for the trademark was still found to be high by the bidders,” a source said. Legal experts said the entire brand value of the Kingfisher brand has taken a beating and so bidders remained elusive. “Value of trademark of the entire group has gone down to almost nothing and nobody will like to buy it,” said an expert dealing in intellectual property rights. In April, the banks had made a failed attempt to sell brands and trademarks of the airlines, owned by Mallya.

The auction was unsuccessful as none of the bidders came forward due to the higher reserve price of Rs 366.70 million ($54 million). In today’s auction the reserve price was reduced by 10 per cent to Rs 330.03 million ($49.25 million), but still no bidders came forward. The Kingfisher brand itself was valued at over Rs 40 billion ($597 million) by consultancy Grant Thornton when the airline was at its peak. In its annual report for 2012-13, KFA said, at its peak, it was the largest airline in the country with a five-star rating from Skytrax. 

September 2016

Airlines

China Airlines’ first A350 XWB ready to start ground and flight testing T he first A350 XWB for China Airlines (CAL) has rolled out from cabin furnishing & engine installation at the Airbus Toulouse Final Assembly Line. The aircraft is now ready to proceed to further ground and flight testing. This first A350-900 for CAL is scheduled for delivery in Q3 2016. China Airlines has 14 A350-900 on order. The aircraft is expected to be deployed on the carrier’s long-haul routes to Europe and on selected regional routes. The A350-900 will join China Airlines’ other Airbus fleet including A330s and A340s on its regional and long haul services. The A350 XWB is the world’s latest generation airliner and the newest

member of Airbus’ modern, comfortable and efficient widebody product family. It features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent

reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. To date, Airbus has recorded a total of 810 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 43 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever. 

Southwest aiming to be the top carrier

outhwest Airlines aims to be the undisputed top carrier at Pittsburgh International Airport within five years, the Dallas-based airline’s

CEO said. CEO Gary C. Kelly during a visit to Pittsburgh said reaching that goal will require winning over more customers and adding more services.

“But again I think we’ve got that within our grasp,” he said. “ And five years from now I would hope that we absolutely are the No. 1 airline here in Pittsburgh,” he said. Southwest for the first time in March outpaced American Airlines as the airport’s busiest carrier, based on monthly passenger numbers. Since then the airline has opened a new ticket counter along with eight self-tagging kiosk at the airport, and early this month launched nonstop service to Los Angeles from Pittsburgh.

September 2016

Airlines

Among 420 airlines worldwide reviewed, Garuda Indonesia earned a satisfaction score of 85% to top the rankings, while Asiana Airlines of scored an 83% satisfaction rating

EVA Air rated third most-loved airline on Skytrax website

aipei-based EVA Airways, one of Taiwan’s largest airlines, has been rated as the third most loved airline in the world, following Garuda Indonesia and Asiana Airlines, according to a Skytrax ranking of the Most Loved Airlines.

Among 420 airlines worldwide reviewed, Garuda Indonesia earned a satisfaction score of 85 percent to top the rankings, while Asiana Airlines of South Korea scored an 83 percent satisfaction rating, and EVA won an 81 percent satisfaction score, Skytrax said in its Aug. 8 report of the rankings. The report said Asian airlines dominate the top 15 positions with 11 carriers. Athens-based Aegean Airlines -- fourth most loved -- was the only

European company in the top 10 rankings, which include Korean Air (5th), Bangkok Airways (6th), Singapore Airlines (7th), AirAsia X (8th), ANA All Nippon Airways (9th) and Royal Brunei Airlines (10th), according to the report.

“With more than 420 airlines worldwide featured, customers rate their flights across eight categories that include seat comfort, onboard services, food & beverages, in-flight entertainment, onboard wifi, airport services and value for money,” Skytrax said.

Skytrax, a United Kingdom-based consultancy that runs an airline and airport review and ranking site, said the rankings were made based on consumer reviews on its website.

EVA Air has been certified by Skytrax as a five-star airline this year. It also was voted by readers of the American magazine Travel + Leisure as the world’s eighth best international airline in 2016. 

September 2016

Cargo & Logistics

Oman is set to be the logistics hub in the region, to serve as a link between the Far East, India and the Middle East

Oman rail project on track

man’s ambitious rail link plan has not been shelved, according to the government body which has now taken charge of the project.

While a rail link aiming to connect the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has been put on hold following the dip in global oil prices, Oman’s own internal rail network plan is still on track, the government’s logistics group said. The multi-billion GCC Railway Network - a huge railway system of

September 2016

2,117 km designed to connect Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Oman - was earlier slated for completion in 2018. The oil price dip has forced some partner countries in the Gulf to shelve plans for the time being. The Oman Railway Project is de-

signed to link all three major ports in the country: Salalah, Sohar and Duqm - and would when completed be a vital logistics boost for the country. “The rail project is still going ahead - we are still working on it. Our engineers are still working on the rail project,” said John Lesniewski,

Cargo & Logistics

Group Chief - Commercial Officer from the Oman Global Logistic Group (OGLG), during a press meet introducing the new company. “As you know, when we were developing the rail project, the key starting point of every presentation is that the rail network is going to connect the three major ports and to integrate those ports with the GCC rail networks,” he said.

“We will align our Oman rail project with the GCC but the rail project is still going ahead and we are working on it. It is a vital part of the logistics grid that the country will need to be successful,” he said.

He added that the GCC rail network has slowed down due to the financial situation and has been reassessed.

“Now, with all this being grouped under one large project, we are definitely coordinating all of our efforts on the sea side and land side. It’s actually an expansion of the project and the scope of our solution, so we are very happy with this development,” said Lesniewski. Oman Rail is a subsidiary transportation company under OGLG, which is a holding firm.

“There will be a meeting with the ministers during the fall (autumn) at which time they will assess the new targets for the GCC rail project,” Lesniewski added.

OGLG plans to align stakeholders such as OGL internal, group companies, management and staff under one roof and establish OGLG as an operating business.

They are also helping underperforming businesses improve by identifying improvement opportunities with the company’s management and support. Integrating mindsets and people as well as developing an innovative and performance driven culture is also part of their plans, including integrating the growing logistics business. By making the Sultanate the logistics hub in the region, it would serve as a tie between the Far East, India and the Middle East due to its geographic location, and would attract investors which will contribute positively to the Gross Domestic Project.

Logistics sector

OGLG plans to raise the Sultanate’s GDP to OMR14 billion by 2040 from a little over OMR1.5 billion currently and employ far more Omanis in the logistics sector than the current 35,000 figure. Nabil Al Bimani, Executive Director - Logistics Strategy, said that they want Oman to be in the top 10 of the World Bank Logistics Performance Index, where this year Oman ranked 48 up from 59 in 2015. “Oman’s geography is considered one of the best locations for trade. We have three of the best ports in the world and we have a history of trading. So, making Oman the logistics hub will be beneficial to us and our investors as we would be able to connect the Middle East with the Far East,” said Al Bimani. Trade will be facilitated by building a standard procedure across all departments in clearance, approvals and cargo handling. 

September 2016

Technology

Airlines to use Radio Frequency Identification chips attached to luggage to make sure it doesn’t get lost

Smart chips to check baggage losses

irlines are planning to use smart chips attached to passengers’ luggage to make sure belongings do not go missing. Delta Airlines said it will use Radio Frequency Identification chips placed on travellers’ bags to track their location.

Baggage handlers will be able to identify each bag from a distance from a chip placed inside a paper tag on baggage. Under the new system, conveyer belts will have sensors that flash a green light if the suitcase is on track to the correct plane and a red light if not, meaning a handler can redirect it. Airlines are replacing an old barcode system with RFID technology, also known as radio frequency identification. It allows for data to be read at a distance, easily pinpointing a single bag if it needs to come off a plane. Delta has deployed 4,600 scanners and 3,800 bag tag printers at airports around the world. Conveyer belt loaders have sensors that give the green light if the suitcase is headed to the right plane, and a red light if it’s not, so a baggage handler can redirect it.

September 2016

Australia’s Qantas Airways has used similar technology for its automatic bag drop system on domestic flights, which the airline says has shortened lines. Elite frequent flyers receive a reuseable RFID bag tag, and other passengers can buy one. An estimated 1.5 million permanent tags have been issued in the past two years. In Canada, no airline has plans to adopt the tags yet, though Air Canada is running a test in its Montreal and Frankfurt warehouses for cargo shipments. WestJet Airlines spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said the airline has reviewed the technology but has no plans to run any trials. “As a lowcost carrier we are highly aware of the expense of such tools,” she said. “In addition, the hardware and infrastructure would require installation at each airport.”

Porter Airlines spokesman Brad Cicero said the carrier’s baggage mishandling rate for the last two years is 0.4 per 1,000 passengers, “so we’re very comfortable with this standard and our current processes.” Delta first began using RFID technology for verifying inventory such as oxygen masks and flotation devices on planes, where every item was tagged, and a sensor could quickly count the required items on board and their expiration dates. Justin Patton, director of Auburn University’s RFID Lab in Alabama, says he expects that Delta’s move could spur industry change. “Delta doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Baggage is often transferred between airlines, so we expect that this will be a catalyst for remaining airlines to switch over for RFID tracking,” he said.

Technology

RFID exists mostly in two versions — an active one that includes a battery with a lifespan of about two to three years, and passive devices that could live forever. A sensor or detector can then detect the items, and depending on power, the reading range can vary.

Lamkin said another client is a U.S. government agency that operates on a sprawling campus with 10 office towers, where 600 different readers have been installed and valued items from laptops to phones are tagged, and can be easily tracked.

It was first developed during the Second World War to identify friendly aircraft versus enemy aircraft.

Other examples include keeping track of equipment that is rented or lent out such as beer kegs to bars or even racks that hold flowers for sale in a nursery.

RFID technology, which includes a small chip and antenna sometimes as small as a grain of rice, is already used extensively in our daily lives — from the security pass to get into the office to the keyless entry in cars to microchip tracking in a dog or cat, Patton said. Hotels and resorts embed washable tags in towels and fancy robes to keep track of linens. They could one day attach them to a room service tray, so staff can detect if it has been placed outside a guest room, ready for clearing. These devices are used by libraries to keep track of books, or even the tap mechanism to pay by credit card. RFID devices are also being used in the cargo business, said Aaron Lamkin, director of sales and manufacturing at TrackX Inc., a Denver-based company. It specializes in software systems that can link with RFID devices with GPS to track assets.

Lamkin cited the example of sending 2,000 racks to a farmer to hold flowers that wind up at a retailer outlet, with no way to track them, or to prove that they weren’t returned. Install solar powered readers in the farmer’s field, sensors at the company warehouse and retailer, and then people can be accountable for how long they’ve had the items, he said. “Even though they may be inexpensive items, when you look at scale, they are highly valuable to the company that owns them,” he said. “The cost of RFID is going way down, and the readers and the antennas keep getting better, with better read ranges,” he said.

Delta has deployed 4,600 scanners and 3,800 bag tag printers at airports around the world Auburn University’s Patton said the tags used by retailers have dropped in cost in recent years, and now range from 4 to 10 cents apiece. For retailers, the use of the RFID technology can simplify inventory tracking, but also prevent counterfeiting or theft. Patton expects that soon, shipping will move from a single quantity level to individual tracking, though he said some items wouldn’t be worth tracking at a micro-level such as a tonne of apples. 

For example, a larger tractor-trailer company could keep better track of its vehicles if each one is outfitted with RFID stickers, especially when they arrive in a giant yard. Instead of a gate with a guard keeping track of vehicles on a clipboard with paper and pen, the trailers could be quickly found.

September 2016

Technology

Airbus turn to 3D printing to make A350 parts

irbus’s development of the A350 struggled to keep pace with deadlines in its early days. To fix the problem, it turned to 3D printing. More than 1,000 parts of the A350 are now made by 3D printing -- more than on any other commercial aircraft. That’s a trend that’s going to keep on growing. “First it’ll be the spare parts on an airplane that require replacement from time to time, like handles,” said Ido Eylon, General Manager of Stratasys in Southern Asia and Pacific. “It’s already happening but on a smaller scale. We’ll expect more interests from other sectors as well.”

In addition to non-critical plane parts, tools used in aviation manufacturing can also be printed. By 3D printing, it significantly reduces the complexity to make some of the parts and save cost and time. It also saves weight.

Parts created by 3D printing are 3055 per cent lighter and use 90 per cent less raw materials than those made by traditional methods. Can we 3D print a whole plane? Still a wild dream at the moment. 

Double-bubble T

he conventional tube-and-wing aircraft has served aviation well, but researchers looking 2040 years into the future see limits to the configuration’s ability to continue delivering efficiency improvements. One is where to put the engines as bypass ratios and nacelle diameters increase. Another is how to keep driving down noise so that it can be entirely contained within the boundaries of the airport. Moving farther from the conventional are designs with turbofans, or electric propulsors, embedded in the tail where they ingest the fuselage boundary layer and reenergize the aircraft wake to reduce drag. Examples are the Aurora Flight Sciences/

September 2016

Massachusetts Institute of Technology “double-bubble” D8 being studied for NASA and the Propulsive Fuselage concept developed by Germany’s Bauhaus Luftfahrt. More unconventional yet are the blended or hybrid wing body (BWB/ HWB), a flying wing with increased

aerodynamic and structural efficiency. Some remain skeptical of the design’s suitability for passengers, but the HWB is a promising freighter/ airlifter configuration. Turbofans, open rotors or distributed propulsors can be mounted above the fuselage, where the broad airframe provides significant shielding. 

Technology

Changing shape of aircraft wings

or three decades, engineers at aerospace companies, universities, and defence labs have been working on twistable aircraft wings that could be instantaneously and minutely adjusted to improve fuel efficiency.

With these wings, aircraft designers could get closer to optimal performance by increasing an airplane’s lift-to-drag ratio, which is a measure of aerodynamic efficiency, in response to variations in speed, altitude, air temperature, and other flight conditions. NASA designers have built a shape-changing control surface that in recent tests, conducted with the technology installed in place of traditional flaps on the wings of a Gulfstream III jet, reduced drag to a degree that could improve airplanes’ fuel efficiency by up to 12 percent.

need the right blend of lift and drag to handle changing flight conditions. Generally, a pilot’s goal is to reduce drag in order to preserve fuel. However, an aircraft’s wings are designed to produce minimum drag at only one particular flight condition, which is determined by the aircraft’s anticipated cruising weight, speed, altitude, and range. And the flaps and other control surfaces can be adjusted only in relatively crude increments to improve the lift-to-drag ratio as conditions change. 

Researchers are looking at the possibility of changing the shape of the aircraft wing during flight

The flexible surface adjusted the curvature of the wings’ trailing edges to deliver an optimal liftto-drag ratio throughout the test flights, whereas flaps on today’s airplanes pivot to generate lift or drag only during takeoffs and landings. In addition to saving fuel, analyses by NASA and other researchers have shown that this surface could also lead to quieter landings and possibly even less turbulent flights. Flexible wings solve an old problem in fixed-wing flight. Airplanes

September 2016