UAE to implement region’s largest airspace restructuring

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) plans to implement one of the largest airspace changes the region has ever seen, it announced on Wednesday. The UAE Airspace Restructuring Project (ARP) will be completed on December 7 and is primarily aimed to increase the country’s airspace capacity to meet the forecasted air traffic demand for 2022. The plan will also enhance access to all UAE airports, improve efficiency for both aviation system customers and air navigation service providers (ANSP) and reduce the environmental impact of the increasing traffic through more effective air traffic management operations, a statement said. The system is expected to lead to fuel savings of over $15m within the first year after implementation, it added. The restructuring has taken “years of extensive analysis, development and collaboration across the UAE aviation community”, the GCAA said. The ARP also requires over 250 air traffic controllers to take simulation and theoretical training, redesign over 200 instrument flight procedures and incorporate 30 new airways. Saif Al Suwaidi, director-general of GCAA, said: “The implementation of the ARP is not only impressive from a technical perspective but to achieve collaboration on such a large scale required teams of project management and technical experts with dedicated representation from the six UAE ANSPs (GCAA, dans, Abu Dhabi ANS, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah), 15 core agencies (including the UAE national airlines, airport authorities, military, regulatory representation, IATA and the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology) and the five surrounding international air traffic service providers.”