Public Authority of Civil Aviation (PACA) recorded a new accomplishment to its previous achievements in recent years, which in line with its strategic objectives in the field of aviation services in the Sultanate. The Seventh Region Sector has been inaugurated to add noticeable improvements in the Omani Airspace, as well as supporting the network of communications for the current and new sectors.

 This project successfully resulted in dividing the Southern Region Sector by being the largest sector of the region in Omani Airspace, into two Sectors: The Middle Sector and, The New Southern Sector, was activated at peak and, according to the requirements for air traffic management in other and exceptional cases.

This expansion comes in less than two years after the inauguration of the Sixth Region Sector, adding capacity that effectively contributed in absorbing the unprecedented increase in the volume of air traffic that Omani Airspace had been witnessed during March this year, to be increased up to 30%. This leap was due to the regional situations in the region, which in turn reflects the efficiency of management planning of airspace and the enhancement of resources — besides, effective skills and expertise of air controllers, engineers and technicians in air navigation.

This occasion, thereafter, followed by many achievements, HE Dr Mohammed bin Nasser Al Zaabi, the Executive President of PACA emphasized on the prominent role of the Sultanate represented by PACA, under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, in advancing the aviation sector as well as enhancing the Omani airspace with the highest levels of security and safety. Thereby, to facilitate air traffic safety and improve the level of civil aviation at both the regional and the international level. So as Sultanate of Oman become a pioneer in the civil aviation industry and an honourable gate to all countries of the world.

 He also added that: "This expansion in the Air Sectors was already part of PACA's series of projects to develop the infrastructure of the civil aviation sector from its investments income, Where national potentialities and capabilities of the Muscat Air Control Center have been utilized, including its modern and expansion able systems, adding capacity to keep pace with air traffic growth and, promote the ability of air traffic control services responding to the normal or exceptional increase in emergency cases of air traffic in the Central and Southern part of the Omani Airspace. As well as to provide better services, improving the flow of air traffic in the Sultanate and boosting the level of security and Safety".

Also, the feasibility study, data analysis and outputs of simulation activities carried out during the work phases. All indicated that the Middle Sector would achieve a 47% reduction of the total workload from its current level, while the new South Sector will achieve a 51% reduction also.

  It is worth noting that, the air traffic in the Southern Sector increased significantly during 2018 and in the first quarter of this year to a level exceeding in some cases its size in other sectors of Omani Airspace. The activation of the middle and new southern sectors will also address challenges in communications and will reduce the need to use several communication stations in the situations in which the two sectors are activated.

Besides, improvements have been made in the middle region sector by reducing its area to improve air traffic management and thereby, extra reduction of air traffic loading on the air traffic controllers. The project also included the inauguration of new communications frequencies and expansion in its coverage area, to provide additional options and raise the efficiency of performance and safety level in the Omani Airspace.

Specialists in air navigation consider the importance and necessity of this expansion, in supporting the future growth of air traffic in Middle and Southern Airports of Sultanate of Oman as in Duqm and Salalah. Thus, to accommodate the growing movement of transit aircraft using the southern sector also to continue promoting the network of routes in the southern Oman airspace during the next phase.