Representatives from government entities participated in an extensive GCAA certified training course on airports security

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 4th October 2010: In a special ceremony endorsed by GCAA and held at Al Bateen Executive Airports, the Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS) celebrated the graduation of the first ICAO "ASTP 123 BASIC TRAINING FOR AIRPORT SECURITY PERSONNEL" course. This extensive training course, accredited and certified by GCAA, is designed to enable selected operational and supervisory security personnel to  enforce, monitor and apply airport security preventive measures in accordance with locally approved airport security programmes. The course included aspects related to response to security emergencies, recognition of explosive devices, motivation and communication skills, physical and x-ray examination of passengers and baggage, and monitor implementation of standard operating procedures.

Following the certification of GCAS facilities by the Department of Aviation Security & Infrastructure in the General Civil Aviation Authority in June this year to provide civil aviation security courses, this course was established in line with the training guidelines legislated by the Civil Aviation Law of the United Arab Emirates. It was attended by representatives from government entities including the Ministry of Interior, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Abu Dhabi Police- Ports and Airports Department, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) and Etihad Airways as part of its role as one of the leading training providers in the region.

Omar Bin Ghaleb, Deputy Director General GCAA, said: "GCAA strives to ensure that all necessary efforts are made to elevate the standards of practice in the aviation industry, and we consider GCAS to be one of our main tools in achieving this through valuable trainings and accredited programs as this aviation security course. I am delighted to witness this graduation today and to be re-assured that the UAE is working collectively on producing a new generation of aviation professionals."

In this regard, Dr. Othman Al Khouri, Deputy General Manager at GCAS, stated: "The completion of the first round in this highly acclaimed aviation security course is a milestone in GCAS's short history, as through such highly professional and fundamentally needed programs the centre will attain its position as a leading aviation training provider in the region"

"GCAS will continue to promote international best practices in aviation safety and security, and all other areas of airport operations, and play a key role in developing the future leaders of this dynamic industry in the region," Dr. Othman concluded.

GCAS, a GCAA certified centre, is the exclusive training provider for JAATO in the Gulf and Middle East region, and is the tenth certified training center to provide ACI courses, which attracted the attention of many aviation organizations from across the GCC and Middle East.

In its efforts to provide the necessary aviation training support to the market locally, regionally and international, GCAS has launched its second term training calendar on its website www.gcas.ae with all its on-going courses and new offerings to come, including two exclusive ACI-ICAO programs; the Airport Management Professional Accreditation Program (AMPAP) and Airport Executive Leadership Program (AELP), which were only available outside the region.  

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About GCAS
The Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS), a GCAA recognized centre of excellence, was created to serve the aviation security training needs of Abu Dhabi Airport Company, its subsidiaries and the region. GCAS has partnered with leading international organizations such as JAA-TO and ACI to ensure that industry best practices and leading-edge courses are brought to the Middle East. Through its own proprietary courses and those of its partners, GCAS provides the region with cost effective training solutions to address the challenges of the 21st century aviation industry.

With its new facilities at Al Bateen Executive Airport, GCAS offers its students the unique chance to observe a leading international airport in operational circumstances. No other training organization can provide the relationships that GCAS has created to ensure that the latest technologies and trends can be observed in practice.

The Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies will offer ongoing training programs covering all sectors of the aviation business including:

  • Airline

  • Airport

  • Cargo

  • Management

  • Regulatory / Civil Aviation

  • Safety and Security

Go to GCAS's website at www.gcas.ae to see our latest course offerings, or contact training@gcas.ae for more information.

About Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC)
Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) is a public joint-stock company wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government. It was incorporated by Amiri Decree number 5, issued on 4 March 2006, to spearhead the development of the Emirate's aviation infrastructure. In September 2006, ADAC assumed responsibility for the operation and management of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain International Airports. In 2008, ADAC added Al Bateen Executive Airport (an exclusive private aviation airport), and Sir Bani Yas and Delma Island Airports to its portfolio. These airports are geared to serve the various segments of air travellers, the aviation marketplace, and will help contribute to Abu Dhabi's development as a destination for both business and leisure tourism.

Currently under way is the multi-billion dollar re-development and expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport designed to increase the overall capacity of the airport to more than 20 million passengers per year. As part of this redevelopment, a second runway and a third terminal have been completed.

For more information, please contact ADAC Press Office:
P.O. Box: 94449, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E
Tel: +971 2 505 3304/ +971 2 635 4452
Fax: +971 2 575 8300/ +971 2 635 4453
Mob: +971 50 818 0467/ +971 55 980 6698
E-mail: ebourani@adac.ae/ adac@hillandknowlton.com
Web sites: www.adac.ae, www.adacmediacentre.com  
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +4

© Press Release 2010