Aviation industry celebrates UAE Civil Aviation Day

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, GCAA, organised and hosted an event to celebrate UAE Aviation Day at the Ritz Carlton Dubai last Thursday, which was attended by prominent figures from the local aviation industry.
5th October has been endorsed by the Cabinet as UAE Civil Aviation Day. In future, this date will highlight the importance in the legacy of history, the continuously outstanding advancement in capacity-building and innovation as well as promoting safety and efficiency of air transport.
In an opening speech, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy and Chairman of GCAA, said, "The celebration of this day reflects the concerted efforts by the aviation industry in the past decades resulting in the remarkable progress and cutting-edge development. The values under GCAA’s vision focus on security, safety and enhanced efficiency. All these factors have contributed to the success we see today." At 4pm on 5th October, 1932, the British-owned Imperial Airways flight arrived in Sharjah. Departing from Gwadar, Pakistan (then a possession of Oman) and heading for Bahrain, the Hanno aircraft, a four-propeller Handley Page H.P.42 biplane, had four passengers as well as its British Captain and crew when it made its historical landing in the UAE.
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, GCAA Director General, said, "For the past few decades, the UAE has accomplished extraordinary growth never seen anywhere else in the world. The UAE is blessed with a strategic location connecting the east with the west, and each year on 5th October, we will celebrate our achievement in successfully utilising this opportunity to become a world leader in air transport. Establishing our position as a key aviation player is merely the start for us." The UAE sees an increase in visitors every year. Over the past 12 months, the country saw an astonishing number of inbound passengers reaching almost 22 million. In addition to the number of visitors, an impressive average of 2,148 air traffic movements per day in UAE airspace is being managed by nine air traffic control sectors. UAE’s air transport infrastructure, a system vital for supporting the vast number of movements, is now rated second in the world in terms of quality according to the Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015 by the World Economic Forum.
Laila Hareb Al Muhairi, Assistant Director-General of Strategy and International Affairs, said, "In light of the UAE’s outstanding achievements and excellent status across the globe, we are geared up to keep pace with the latest developments through future planning and predetermined programmes. We at GCAA always aim to be one step ahead and on looking out for plans, initiatives and updates to secure an unprecedented state of excellence. We encourage everyone to mark 5th October as an occasion to appreciate the UAE’s air system and to promote and bring awareness to the importance of civil aviation." The UAE is in the forefront of modernisation and innovation on a global level while maintaining an enviable safety record. As of 2013, the GCAA published 175 recommendations to improve safety in the industry. As part of the UAE’s concerted efforts, the country retained its ICAO Council Seat in Montreal, Canada, for the third consecutive round in 2013.
With the increasing efficiency of the UAE aviation industry over the past years, the role of the sector made a significant contribution, about 12 percent, to the country’s GDP in 2013. Furthermore, the civil aviation sector’s support to other vital industries in the country, such as tourism and trade, has created job opportunities for 250,000 people in various fields.
Al Suwaidi added: "The UAE steadily continues to invest heavily into the future of aviation; not just locally, but regionally and internationally. We dedicate this day to the country’s exceptional role in driving international cooperation and encouraging industry growth." With the successful functions operating together from national carriers, airports, catering, and academies to logistics and engineering functions, the UAE’s aviation industry seems unstoppable. Over the past five years alone, passenger numbers at Dubai International have increased by over 60 per cent from 40.9 million in 2009 to 66.4 million in 2013. The airport now ranks among the world's top two busiest hubs for international passenger traffic and third for cargo.
Mohammed A. Ahli, Director-General, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, said, "The growth of the aviation industry in the Emirate of Dubai has contributed to the economic and social development of the emirate and the UAE, and also contributed immensely to the development of international civil aviation whilst preserving friendship and understanding amongst the nations and people around the world." Jamal Al Hai, Deputy CEO of Dubai Airports, said, "Dubai’s aviation sector has grown at a tremendous rate ever since it was opened in 1960, thanks to the vision of leadership that rightly recognised its importance as being the core of any thriving economy." In the 53 years since its opening, Dubai International has welcomed over 594 million passengers and has sustained an impressive average annual growth rate of more than 15 percent. During the same period the airport has handled over 4.9 million aircraft movements at an average annual growth rate of over 10 percent. The rapid expansion of airfreight traffic has been equally remarkable, with total freight volumes moved between 1977 and August 2013 exceeding 24.8 million tonnes at an annual average growth rate of more than 14 percent.
Ibrahim Ahli, Senior Vice President of Dubai Air Navigation Services, Dubai ANS, said, "As there is a constant demand for excellence in the aviation field in the UAE, this has given our organisation the opportunity to continuously develop innovative air traffic management solutions, methods and procedures to meet with this rising demand. The aviation field has achieved several milestones in a record time and hence deserves the acknowledgment to the rest of the nation." Aiming for constant evolution, the new phases of the country’s international airports is an attestation of the objectives’ realisation. Dubai’s 32 million dollar investment plan to ramp up the Dubai Airport’s capacity from handling five million passengers a year to at least 120 million by 2022 will certainly make an international imprint, as will the country’s newest airdrome, Al Maktoum International Airport, which has a estimated annual capacity of 160 million passengers, 12 million tonnes of freight, and will cover an area of 220 sq. km.
Only 50 kilometers away from Al Maktoum International Airport, one passes by the construction of the massive Midfield Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The 700,000 sq. m. building is the busiest construction site in the world. Every day, about 22,000 workers come to build the enormous passenger terminal and more than 40 million hours have already been invested. When the Midfield Terminal is completed, Abu Dhabi International Airport will have the capability of handling 40 million passengers a year. As the name implies, the substantial development lies in between the two current runways with high activity. In addition, the contemporary look of the terminal, inspired from the desert’s sand dunes, will certainly be seen as an iconic representation of the country’s successful blend of heritage and modernisation. It is set to welcome its first passengers in July 2017.
Ali Majed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports, commented, "The accelerated development and growth in the civil aviation scene within the UAE is nothing less than outstanding. Abu Dhabi International Airport alone has seen growth from 5 million passenger travelling through its gateway in 2006 to what is expected to exceed the 20 million mark by the end of 2014. With the iconic Midfield Terminal coming online in 2017, these numbers are bound to double, driven mainly by the expansion plans of our National Airline, Etihad Airways, and the increased attractiveness of Abu Dhabi as an aviation hub for other international airlines. Abu Dhabi Airports is proud to be part of this remarkable journey and look forward to celebrating the 5th of October every year through its continuous achievements and developments within all its airports, that will further strengthen the UAE’s role as a leader within the international civil aviation community." Abu Dhabi International Airport is the base for the national carrier Etihad Airways. Etihad Airways began operations in 2003, and in 2013 carried 11.5 million passengers. From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to 110 existing or announced passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. The airline has a fleet of 105 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and more than 200 aircraft on firm order, including 71 Boeing 787s, 25 Boeing 777-X, 62 Airbus A350s and 10 Airbus A380s.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said, "The UAE Civil Aviation Day celebrates and acknowledges the significant contribution of UAE’s aviation industry in the social and economic development of the country. In Abu Dhabi, GCAA and Etihad Airways are working effectively together to develop a safe and sustainable aviation sector." Low Cost Carriers (LCC) such as flydubai and airarabia are crucial to the aviation sector and general public as they provide millions of passengers to fly to hundreds of destinations for competitive affordable prices.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai , said, "UAE Civil Aviation Day will be a timely reminder to recognise the success of our nation in establishing the UAE as a global aviation hub. flydubai will continue to support Dubai’s economic development, creating free flows of trade and tourism." Adel Ali, Air Arabia Group CEO, said, "Air Arabia welcomes the establishment of the UAE Aviation Day. It is a source of pride to be part of the considerable role in this growth journey, transforming the travel opportunities for people across the Middle East. With the ambition and resources to continue to growth, we look forward to celebrating UAE Aviation day as an industry frontrunner for many years to come."