UK-based Nats, a global leader in air traffic services, recently won a green signal from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to provide air traffic design, management, maintenance and other related services in the UAE.

The Instrument Flight Procedure (IFP) Design service certificate (IFP007) was awarded to Nats following a successful assessment against the UAE civil aviation regulations and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and recommended practices.

“We are pleased to receive this certificate from the GCAA, it gives a clear indication to our stakeholders in the region of our experience and capability in delivering work to the highest international industry standards,” said John Swift, director Middle East, Nats.

“With the continuous expansion in airlines and hub airports in the Middle East, there are associated capacity challenges that need to be addressed.

“With our experience of providing air traffic control services in the UK, complemented by our strong understanding and experience of the Middle East market, I believe Nats is the right partner to help solve these problems.”

To receive an approval for IFP services from the GCAA, an organisation is required to provide evidence of having in place a quality management system, a safety management system, a procedure design manual an acceptable organisational exposition and proof of the experience of its safety and quality managers.

In the UK, Nats guides around two million aircraft through some of the busiest and most complex airspace anywhere in the world. Increasingly its expertise is in demand from other countries: with Nats also working in Asia, the US and Far East.

In the GGC region, Nats is currently working on projects in Qatar, Kuwait and Oman, and previously with Bahrain and at Al Maktoum Airport to support the safety, efficiency and environmental performance of its airspace. – TradeArabia News Service