Second runway of Muscat airport to be ready this year

Muscat: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) held on Monday a media briefing to review their accomplishments in 2022 and discuss their future plans.

Speaking about the most important achievements in 2022, the authority said it has granted permission to Oman Air to re-operate 737 Max, adding that the revenues increased by RO 26.4 million or 58 percent in 2022.

The total air traffic in the Sultanate of Oman in 2022 saw 470, 809 flights, and the number of aircraft crossing the airspace was 386, 391, the authority pointed out.

The authority has awarded the Oman Aviation Academy (OAA) the first Approved Training Organization (ATO) certificate in 2022.

In pursuance of increasing the air traffic from and to Oman's airports, the Sultanate of Oman inked air transport agreements with 122 countries, of which 66 pacts for open skies.

Other highlights from the event:

The cost to rehabilitate the southern runway and taxiways of Muscat International Airport is over more than RO21 million. The project will be completed by the end of this year.

A new automatic meteorological station has been established in Barka.

The early warning system project has been supported by the directives of His Majesty the Sultan with RO8 million. The early warning system upgrades will help in flood forecasting, which can forecast about 7-8 hours before the flowing of wadis.

Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khaduri, Director General, said the "Muzn" program run by the authority seeks to upgrade the early warning system, rehabilitate and train the national human resources technically and scientifically, and raise the efficiency and quality of warnings, alerts, meteorological services and early warning.

The program will have several projects, including the upgrading of the satellite system, the numerical forecast system, the wadis flood forecasting project nd the installation of the Muscat radar, which is expected to be completed next May.

Hamid Al Brashdi, Director General of Strategic Planning at the CAA said the “Ithmar” program” aims to enhance the investment field in the civil aviation sector, increase the benefit from the infrastructure and contribute to the gross domestic product (GDP).

During the media briefing, the CAA’s CEO said that among the most significant projects the authority is working on during the current year is the implementation of the first phase of Musandam Airport Construction (consulting studies), the rehabilitation of the southern runway at Muscat International airport, and the updating of the National Aviation Strategy2040.

Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here