Civil Aviation Authority: Developing Local Capabilities and Empowering National Cadres

20 November 2024

The Deputy CEO of Strategy and Business Intelligence at the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Eng. Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Khuraisi, reaffirmed GACA’s commitment to developing local capabilities and empowering national cadres, a cornerstone of the National Aviation Strategy.

This statement was made during his participation in a dialogue session entitled “The Impact of Local Content on the Logistics Sector,” held alongside His Excellency the Assistant Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Ahmed Al-Hassan, and the Assistant Director General for Transformation at the Saudi Group, Dr. Ibrahim Shira. The session was part of the Local Content Forum, taking place from November 20-22 in the Mayadeen Al-Diriyah Hall in Riyadh.

Al-Khuraisi emphasized that GACA is leading a comprehensive strategy to enhance human capital in the aviation sector, ensuring the workforce is equipped to meet the sector's goals while upholding global safety standards and protecting passengers. He noted that the Kingdom is implementing a range of initiatives to boost workforce skills, including vocational training, partnerships with higher education institutions, and professional development programs conducted in collaboration with international entities.

He highlighted significant progress made through collaboration with major aviation companies, specialized educational institutions, and local universities. These partnerships aim to meet the sector's needs and leverage growth opportunities. For instance, Riyadh Aviation Company signed a memorandum of understanding last July to establish its first flight simulator at Prince Sultan University. Additionally, the Saudi Academy, a Saudi Group entity, announced earlier this year the addition of two new A320neo simulators, bringing the total to five of this type.

Al-Khuraisi also revealed that GACA has formed a dedicated local content team, working in coordination with the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority. The team’s responsibilities include collaborating with to localize industries such as aircraft control structures, surfaces production, and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) within the Kingdom.

At the sector level, several initiatives have enhanced local content and economic diversification. These include the Saudi Group's “Nartaki” program, which provides vocational training to develop expertise, and the Airports Holding Company's “Jusoor” program, which creates investment opportunities for local suppliers and manufacturers.

He highlighted the Kingdom’s advantage of a young and dynamic workforce eager to contribute to the sector’s growth. Currently, more than 104,000 people are employed in the sector, with a localization rate exceeding 72%. As the sector continues to expand, the demand for pilots, engineers, technicians, logistics specialists, air and ground crews, and trainers is expected to grow. By 2030, the number of workers in direct aviation professions is projected to more than double to meet increasing demands.

Al-Khuraisi concluded by outlining the National Aviation Strategy’s ambitious investments of $100 billion from both public and private sectors. These investments are distributed across three main areas: $50 billion for airport development, $40 billion for modernizing the aircraft fleet, and $10 billion for services and other projects. These efforts aim to increase annual passenger numbers to 330 million and expand air connectivity to over 250 destinations worldwide.