New assignments in GCAA of Air Navigation Services and Aviation Accident Investigation

In an endeavor to keep abreast with the latest trends in the global aviation industry, develop civil aviation systems and enhance its control function, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) carried on its activity with appointing new leading cadres for the two sectors of Air Navigation Services and Air Accident Investigation within the framework of the new organization structure that has been announced previously. 

According to the new organization structure, Mr. Ahmad Ibrahim Al Jallaf was appointed as Acting Executive Director of Air Navigation Services Department which includes Air Traffic Management (ATM), Communication Navigation & Surveillance (CNS), Aeronautical Information Services (AIS), Training (TRN), and Support Coordination. He will be in charge of Air space planning, air traffic management, and to participate to national and international forums and panels on behalf of the UAE government.

Mr. Al Jallaf is one of the first UAE air-traffic controllers at the GCAA. He joined GCAA as an air navigation trainee in 1998. He was appointed afterwards as an Area Air Traffic Controller between 2000 and 2005 before being appointed to an On Job Training Instructor in 2005 when he started training many interns and helped effectively in qualifying many locals in this field. Afterward, Mr. Al Jallaf was appointed as an ATC Watch Supervisor in the year of 2006. In 2009, he was appointed as an inspector in Air Navigation Regulation Department before assuming his current post. Mr. Al Jallaf holds a master science degree in air safety management from City University of London since 2007. He worked as a member of a team commissioned to draft the Strategic Plan (2007-2010) and has represented the GCAA in numerous international conferences.

Eng. Ismael Mohammad Ahmad Abdul Wahed was appointed as an executive director for the Air Accident Investigation Department. He will be responsible for managing the air accident investigation, preparing, maintaining and issuing air accident investigation regulations and policies, conducting investigations and analyzing accidents and incidents data and reports.

Mr. Abdul Wahed started his professional career in August 1988 as an aircraft maintenance engineer, then a chief transition supervisor in the Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Company (Gamco) until February 2002, before joining the GCAA as an inspector in the department of airworthiness, then as a head of Investigation and Aviation Regulation Department in 2009.

Mr. Abdul Wahed has reviewed and developed policies, measures, and systems regarding airworthiness, as well as reviewing, evaluating and approving technical booklets of various aircrafts (MEL, CMP, etc…). He assumed the tasks of approving/modifying/cancelling airworthiness licences, as well as aviation permits, aircraft maintenance, engineers and operators’ licences, and participating in issuing AOCs, in addition to direct supervision of lower supervisors and inspectors under training, and communicating with international civil aviation authorities to follow effective standards regarding airworthiness. 

Mr. Abdul Wahed, who holds a license in aircraft maintenance engineering, electronic and machines section,  from the Civil Aviation Authority in UK and a Diploma in electric aircraft systems and machines from Holland, participated in issuing AME, as well as inspecting various companies operating in the field of repairing, building and maintenance of civil aircrafts, in addition to inspecting and cross checking various systems, defining the level of incompliance and reviewing correcting measures. Also, Mr. Abdul Wahed took part in the  process of drafting, developing, and evaluating systems, standards and measures according to the practices and standards recommended in the publications of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other relative documents, as well as evaluating and approving aircrafts leasing agreements.