Dubai keeping up its flawless reputation in air traffic management

Describing Dubai as the ‘City of Future’, a top government official has said the vision and leadership has been behind the continued growth and expansion of the aviation industry in the emirate and its amazing success story in a relatively short span of time.

In his welcome speech at the 2nd edition of Air Traffic Control (ATC) Forum on the second day of the 19th edition of Airport Show at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) on Tuesday, Ibrahim Ahli, Deputy CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans), said the aviation has been contributing enormously to the economy of Dubai which witnesses an average of 1,500 commercial aircraft movements a day.

He praised the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, who also chairs dans. Dubai has become one of the few countries whose airport handled one billion passengers in their history.

He said dans, as an independent Air Navigation Services Provider (ANSP), will continue investing in technology and hiring competent people for the air traffic management in order to keep up the unblemished reputation of Dubai in the civil aviation industry.

In his presentation on Impact of Digitization in Aviation, Todd Donovan, Vice President for Digital Aviation at Thales, a French multinational company that provides services for the aerospace industry, said the dynamics of aviation industry has been reshaping due to several powerful forces like new airplanes and new technologies coming on the horizon, posing unprecedented challenges. Cloud technologies has been amazingly transforming the aviation industry with increased automation and connected systems. This has resulted in an increase in cyber risks, requiring us to improve safety levels, he added.

In his presentation on disruptive technology, David Shomas, Vice President for Civil Security for Middle East and Africa at Saab, a Swedish aerospace company, the UAE has been revolutionizing the air travel by adopting newest technologies and innovations.  “Dubai’s success is admired and also get others inspired,” he remarked. The expert said too much information from too many sources has been coming due to digitalization from the landside, airside and tower operations in the airport ecosystem.

A panel discussion was held on privatisation of Air Traffic Control and ANSPs. The speakers were Jesper Skou, CEO of GALS ANS, Ryyan Tarabzoni, CEO of Saudi Air Navigation Services, Urs Lauener, COO of skyguide and Kornel Skepessy, CEO of HungaroControl. Khurram Qureshi, Operations Projects Expert at Dans, moderated the session which looked at the privatisation of ATC since it began in 1987. Presently, more than 50 ANSPs have been either privatised or corporatized or both. Speakers underscored the need for increasing the operational excellence and accountability of ANSPs. The ANSPs, they agreed, should be independent of airport operations in order to ensure efficiencies and high levels of safety and for overcoming capacity constraints.

Another panel discussion debated about the impact of digital tower technologies on ATS operations and opportunities to increase capacity, efficiency and enhance safety. The panellists included Michael Rudolph, Head of Airspace Coordination at Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Andreas Potzsch, Managing Director of DFS Aviation Services, Neil Bowles, Head of Air Traffic Management, Searidge Technologies and Andrew Paul Fiamingo, Commercial Director of Indra.

Visitors can still register online to attend the exhibitions: Airport Show, Airport Security ME and ATC Forum for fast track entry here.

Opening Hours:
10am – 6pm