HE Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Futtaisi- the Minister of Transport and Communications presented on Wednesday the achievements of 2017 and plans of 2018 for the Ministry and the sectors under its supervision on Wednesday.

HE Dr. Mohammed bin Nasser Al Zaabi, CEO of Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) reviewed the executive position of the PACA during 2017 starting from the Sultanate's international airports. The completion of the structural works of the passengers building has been clarified. As well as the success of the last operational experiment done by PACA for Muscat airport. PACA succeed in assessing the Muscat Airport's capacity through the reception of Airbus Aircraft (A1000-350). In addition, the tender offers of rehabilitation for the south runway of the airport and complete structural work in freight building was received. HE confirmed about the completion of the structural works of freight building for Salalah airport. Besides the achievement on regional airports level in sultanate such as the completion of the structural works (third package) of Duqum airport. The passenger building of Sohar airport was expanded. Apart from that, the study on establishing an airport in Musandam is completed as well as the assignment of the tender and the issuance of the operating order to the consultant.

HE presented the achievements of PACA for 2017, among them; completion of the draft national strategy for Civil Aviation, and the study of separation of the meteorology and air navigation from PACA. HE also emphasized on the success of hosting the works of the 4th meeting of the heads of all Civil Aviation Authorities in the Middle East, the adoption of the Muscat Declaration and the recognition by ICAO of its excellence in managing aviation emergency plans.

He added that an Air Operator certificate was issued for Salam Air. Likewise, the Issuance of operational licenses AOC and EOL, opening the skies for international flights at Sohar Airport. Moreover, completion of the draft for Civil Aviation law and commencement of the electronic transformation project of PACA.

In the framework of PACA effort to raise the level of the Civil Aviation sector in the Sultanate, HE Dr. Al-Zaabi reviewed the 2018 plans of PACA, which includes the following:the implementation of the Civil Aviation Security Quality Control Plan, the draft of the National Civil Aviation Strategy for the approval and the updated draft of the Civil Aviation law to be adopted in accordance with the followed procedures, the launch of the Air Navigation Radar at Salalah Airport and the Air Navigation Emergency Center in Muscat. The development of Oman's airports, the management and operation of Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport for the Oman Airports Management Company.

HE concluded his speech by presenting the TRA statistics on passengers, air traffic movements, income and expenditure statistics and the total amounts due and surpluses during 2017 and previous years. The revenues of PACA until the end of 2017 amounted to 114,469,77 million OMR, an increase of 44% over 2016. The expenditure approached 23,626,302 million OMR. The surplus of these revenues amounted to 53,842,812 million OMR. Revenues for the Authority for 2017 amounted to 92,296,323 million OMR, an increase of 13% over 2016, with a surplus of 68,670,021 million OMR.