General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has developed an operational plan aimed at creating flexibility in the use of Qatari airspace and opening new air traffic corridors that accommodate the current and future increase in air traffic to meet the country’s steady growth in air transport and to create a safe and efficient air traffic in order to avoid any risks arising from the increase in air traffic in the country.
GACA has also continued to implement its strategy in the area of expanding the air transport rights for the national carrier Qatar Airways. It has also developed a plan to expand the policy of signing open skies agreements, and to make every effort to secure the Third Party Code Share in as many bilateral agreements as possible. In this regard, it succeeded in concluding and amending certain air transport agreements on the basis of open skies policies between the Qatari and other countries, that resulted in the signing of 165 agreements so far.
With regard to the travel and shipping offices, GACA has updated the internal instructions to facilitate licensing and re-licensing operations, in order to implement the state’s direction to stimulate the economic sectors. The number of offices licensed by GACA has so far reached (211) travel offices and (71) air cargo offices.
GACA is currently studying the amendments to the law of travel and air cargo offices in line with the development of these two fields, reflecting the authority of the state to tighten control over travel and air freight activities and to monitor the activities of the companies and offices that carry out these activities.
Furthermore, GACA is monitoring the airlines operating in the State of Qatar and providing the necessary facilities to motivate new companies to operate and the existing companies to increase their operation to activate air traffic, as the number of airlines operating to Doha reached 26 airlines by the end of October.
GACA has also established a meteorological information bank, which includes all the available meteorological and climate publications and periodically publishes information, data or information on the State of Qatar and the surrounding countries, as well as the modernisation of meteorological applications for smartphones, the development of an automated answering system to provide the weather bulletin in a number of languages, in addition to the voice messaging system.
Also, GACA has completed advanced stages in updating the national seismic information network, where seismic monitoring stations have been developed and linked with other global systems to benefit and share seismic monitoring information. In addition to the signing of memorandums of understanding and agreements in the field of meteorology with Pakistan, Es’hailSat and the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research.
The authority has sought to modernise all its electronic systems. It has recently moved to the second phase of the early warning project, a national project aimed at protecting individuals and property in the State of Qatar. During this phase, the meteorological stations will be installed on some highways, which are more prone to sudden natural phenomena such as wind, dust, and thunderstorms. The information coming from these stations will help alert all users of these highways to take care and caution during these natural phenomena.
Moreover, GACA has also signed a memorandum of co-operation with the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR). The authority has begun to modernise aviation safety technical regulations in co-operation with all aviation stakeholders in the country. The move comes in line with GACA’s keenness to provide an efficient and flexible flight system, as well as to meet future challenges and achieve further growth and development in the aviation industry in Qatar.
The authority has developed new regulations to be implemented by the airlines on how to operate the aircraft, in addition to the regulations for the training of pilots, the procedures to be followed for issuing the aviation license by GACA. In addition, a number of modifications have also been made to airworthiness regulations to ensure a more efficient aircraft maintenance system.
In the coming months, GACA will issue new regulations on air traffic management in the State and services related to the aviation sector, as well as regulations on the use of drones and airports.
GACA has registered a new aviation safety milestone as the first country in the region to launch the latest European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) safety system, a comprehensive safety programme. The new regulations for aircraft crews, flight operations and aeronautical flight requirements have been aligned with EASA as one of the objectives of the GACA’s organisational structure and regulations programme.
Also, GACA is conducting the necessary co-ordination with the military authorities to provide search and rescue services and prepare for the planned inspection by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). In addition to obligating all foreign airlines operating in Qatar to provide the airline security programme, which is concerned with the description of measures and procedures in operation in Doha. GACA’s acceptance of this programme remains subject to the company’s compliance with the national civil aviation security programme.
According to the authority, the State of Qatar, from February 6-16 last year, was subjected to a field security audit by ICAO, as part of the Universal Security Audit Programme. The audit was carried out by a specialised security team. The audit included regulations, systems, programmes and documents in place in the field of civil aviation security, regulatory procedures for the work of the national civil aviation security committee, its documentation and operating system. It also covered the procedures and security standards of Hamad International Airport and the extent to which this is consistent with Standards of Annex 17 to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.
Qatar has achieved 99.10% of the implementation of the criteria of Standards of Annex 17 on civil aviation security, which is the most important criterion in the field of security auditing. Qatar has also achieved 96.76% for the implementation of vital elements related to aviation security.
Meanwhile, GACA was able to overcome the difficulties and effects of the siege imposed on Qatar by finding alternatives to continue the operations of Qatar Airways without interruption and continuing operations from and to Hamad International Airport.
The Qatar technical file was also able to receive international support from members of ICAO, which at its extraordinary meeting on July 31, 2017, called upon all Member States of ICAO to comply with the provisions of the 1944 Chicago Convention and its Annexes. The Qatar technical file was based on the international civil aviation law and the Chicago convention principles for ensuring the safety, efficiency and sustainability of international air transport and free air navigation, prompting the siege countries to reverse their position by closing air corridors above international waters prior to the extraordinary session of the ICAO Executive Council in order to avoid condemnation by the international community as a result of violations of the international laws of civil aviation and its violation of the right of air traffic.
The excellence of Qatar technical file resulted in ICAO’s decision to open seven air routes over international waters in the Arabian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman, in front of aircraft registered in Qatar. The decision has contributed to reducing distances and the flight time as well as ensure the flow of air traffic and achieve security and safety.
In a similar move, Qatar has prepared a comprehensive technical file supported by the legal arguments required by ICAO to demand the opening of air routes over the siege countries and the implementation of the transit agreement, rights guaranteed by the Chicago Convention.
In addition, the permanent office of the State of Qatar was inaugurated at the ICAO in Montreal, Canada on 30 April this year. The office is a great addition to the civil aviation industry in Qatar, in addition to its role in enhancing cooperation and exchange of experiences with various countries represented by resident delegates at the headquarters of the organisation in Montreal.
The permanent office of the State of Qatar in ICAO will include a cadre of experts in the field of civil aviation and will conduct regular training courses for Qatari cadres working in this field in Qatar.
Also, the State of Qatar won the membership of the Executive Council of the Arab Civil Aviation Commission (ACAC) in the elections held on the sidelines of the 24th session of ACAC’s General Assembly, which was held in May 2018 in the Moroccan capital Rabat. The efforts of the Ministry of Transport and Communications and GACA were recently crowned with the decision of ICAO to reject appeals by siege countries regarding the non-competence of ICAO to consider Qatar’s complaints.
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