Oman ranked 5th globally for implementing air safety measures

MUSCAT

The Sultanate of Oman was ranked fifth in the compliance index for effective implementation of air safety control in the Sultanate of Oman after scoring 95.95 per cent compared to 60.47 per cent and 133rd rank in 2020.

The Sultanate of Oman is ranked fourth globally in the aviation incidents and accident investigation index and second in the Middle East and North Africa, while it is ranked first regionally in the areas of airworthiness and air navigation safety.

The International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Global Air Safety Oversight Audit Programme aims to assess the extent to which ICAO member states comply with the air safety standards and recommendations, done through regular inspections and analysis of safety data to improve global air safety.

This result is the result of eight sub-areas in which the Sultanate of Oman has made remarkable progress. The Sultanate of Oman achieved first place globally in the field of civil aviation legislation by scoring 100 per cent, which is on par with 16 other countries.

This result is due to the concerted efforts at the national level to modernise and develop laws and legislation related to civil aviation to ensure the safety and activities of the sector. It was ranked first in the field of government regulations, first regionally and in the Gulf, and 11th globally in the field of airworthiness, after obtaining a percentage of 99 per cent, up from 79 per cent in 2020.

Speaking to the Observer, Naif al Abri, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said, "We are proud of this achievement of being ranked 5th in the world for safety in the field of aviation as per the ICAO, which will also boost other sectors such as tourism, logistics and promotion of investments in the future. It will encourage other airlines to come to Oman or use the airspace of Oman and give confidence to any investors in the aviation industry."

In the field of air navigation safety, the compliance rate increased from 50 per cent to 97.27 per cent as a result of improvements in control and follow-up procedures to ensure air navigation safety and its adherence to international standards. In the area of flight permits, the percentage improved from 52.38 per cent to 96.43 per cent after comprehensive improvements in the procedures for issuing permits, licences, and approvals and ensuring their compatibility with international standards.

"These results are due to the efforts such as the new Civil Aviation Law and its guidelines, restructuring of the sector to include various specialisations, attracting national and international competencies, issuing the necessary licences for aircraft crews and maintenance stations, and concluding bilateral air agreements between the Sultanate of Oman and other countries, in addition to setting policies and controls to ensure airport security and air transport safety," Al Abri said.