Antonov An-12 banned in UAE airspace (Sjarjah/Dubai)...

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Breaking News: UAE bans ANTONOV An-12 Aircraft

by Robeel Haq on Feb 18, 2010

ANTONOV An-12 aircraft have been banned from the UAE's airspace by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

The move, which will be effective from 1st March 2010, is aimed at raising safety standards in the country's civil aviation sector and was made after the GCAA set up a special technical committee to determine the airworthiness of foreign aircraft flying to the UAE airports.

The technical committee conducted a technical audit on ANTONOV Design Bureau, the design organisation in Ukraine for An–12 aircraft and also assessed the civil aviation administration system in Ukraine. The audit showed that the aircraft does not meet all of the international safety standards.

Ismail Mohammed Al Balooshi, director of safety at GCAA, announced during a press conference that at the beginning of last year, GCAA started applying an advanced program which particularly allows the assessment of aircraft registered in foreign countries in order to ensure their safety and airworthiness.

"There were numerous incidents that involved ANTONOV aircraft in year 2008, including three minor incidents at Sharjah International Airport and one crash in Iraq," he added. "That is why GCAA made an initial decision to temporarily ban this aircraft model which posed a threat to air safety, pending the results of the assessment by the technical committee regarding the airworthiness of ANTONOV An-12. The assessment showed that this aircraft can not be operated safely."