The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has announced a growth of nearly 12 per cent in the total air movements in UAE airspace during the first quarter of 2010.

Total air movements in the first three months of the year were 153.4 thousand, compared to 137.4 thousand during the same period last year.

The GCAA also announced high growth rates in March when compared to last February and to March last year. This growth was noted in all air activities and operations, including air safety, security and infrastructure, air transport, licensing, aeromedical and many transactions in relation to civil aviation and associated operations in the UAE.

GCAA's monthly report of March showed that total UAE air traffic movements were 53.75 thousand, an increase of almost 12.5 per cent when compared to last February and to March 2009, which witnessed about 47.8 thousand air traffic movements each. Average daily air traffic movements in March 2010 were 1734, which represents an increase of 12.5 per cent when compared to the 1542 air traffic movements in the same period last year.

Dubai ranked first with 24778 air traffic movements, or almost 46 per cent of total UAE air traffic movements. Over flights stood next at 11535, representing 21.5 per cent of total air traffic movements. Abu Dhabi ranked third with 7885 flights, or 14.7 per cent of total UAE air traffic movements in March 2010.

According to the report, air traffic movements in Sharjah International Airport ranked fourth with 5518 movements representing 10.3 per cent of total UAE air traffic movements. Local flights between UAE airports were in the fifth position with 3433 movements, representing 6.4 per cent of total air traffic movements.

Fujairah International Airport witnessed 459 flights, while Al Ain Airport and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport had 150 and 90 air traffic movements respectively. The three airports together represented 1.1 per cent of total UAE air traffic movements last March.
 
The report indicated that as far as air safety is concerned, GCAA issued and renewed 19 certificates for aircraft maintenance companies, 5 aircraft registration certificates and 19 airworthiness certificates.

Further, GCAA conducted 65 inspections and audits at the local and non-local levels, approved one aircraft maintenance company, issued 3 air operator certificates, completed 8 aircraft modification transactions, issued 12 simulator certificates and 12 examination permits, and banned 7 operators and 1 aircraft. As such, there were 175 air safety-related activities in March 2010.  

As for security and infrastructure operations, GCAA conducted 18 inspections and audits of hazard material shippers and issued 13 leaflets in relation to security and infrastructure operations. It recorded 8 violations in relation to infrastructure safety standards.

GCAA issued 93 air traffic controller licenses, prepared 167 aviation accident review reports, held 38 meetings in relation to security and infrastructure operations with several institutions and companies operating in the field of civil aviation in the UAE, and provided 7 training courses in March 2010. As such, activities related to security and infrastructure in March stood at 346. 

In terms of air transport, GCAA signed in March air transport agreements between UAE and Slovakia, Georgia and Senegal. Further, a MoU was signed with Slovakia in relation to air transport operations. GCAA also participated in the preparatory meeting between UAE and Slovakia, in the meeting of the joint committee between the UAE and Kenya which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi, and in the executive meeting of Latin America civil aviation committee held in Chile.

As for crew licensing, GCAA issued 252 new crew licences, renewed 315 licences, issued 55 temporary permits and 26 letters certifying aircraft licence details, completed 150 type additions to licences, issued 35 replacement licences, and conducted 152 crew examinations, thereby bringing the number of crew licensing transactions in March 2010 to 985. 

As for aircraft maintenance engineers licensing, GCAA issued 50 new licences, renewed 9 licences, completed 511 tcpe additions to licences, issued 2 replacement licences and 7 temporary permits, and conducted 211 aircraft maintenance engineer examinations, thereby bringing the number of aircraft maintenance engineers licensing transactions in March 2010 to 790.

Regarding aeromedical activities, the report indicated that GCAA issued 1666 medical certificates in various qualified categories, appointed 4 medical committees to hold medical councils, approved 5 medical councils, suspended 3 medical certificates and conducted 35 transactions to return crew licences. As such, aeromedical transactions in March 2010 stood at 1713.

Among other things in connection with licensing and aeromedical transactions, the report indicated that in March 2010, GCCA issued 308 crew cards, completed 494 fast transactions and conducted 3 aircraft surveyor examinations. As such, 805 transactions were conducted in March 2010 in relation to licensing and aeromedical.

'Air traffic is a strong indicator of the UAE's ability to maintain its advantages at all levels, which forms a strong ground for starting the development of policies that encourage manufacturing in civil aviation in the UAE,' stated Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, director general, GCAA.-TradeArabia News Service