RIYADH, 16 April — Air surveillance and safety concerns in the aftermath of Sept. 11 will top the agenda of a high-profile aviation seminar, which will be officially inaugurated by Prince Abdulrahman, deputy minister of defense and aviation, here today.
The three-day event is being organized by Royal Saudi Air Force.
“The seminar will discuss safety measures in aviation sector with special reference to new technologies being applied particularly in the area of air surveillance,” said Gen. Abdul Aziz Huneidi, commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force.
The move to hold this conference on air surveillance has added significance in view of the fact that the global aviation industry has been keen to upgrade air travel safety checks in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Many nations of the world, including countries of the Middle East, have imposed tighter restrictions in terms of regulations and have been examining new technologies to ensure safe air travel either for civil aviation or for those working in the defense aviation sector.
Aviation sources said the seminar will help the Kingdom to learn more from the experiences of local and international aviation experts.
On private level, the air travel safety concerns in Saudi Arabia have never been as intense as they are today. Saudi businessmen and companies own more than 60 private executive jets, indicating an up-trend for the private aviation market, said Saad Al-Wallan, president of Wallan Aviation, in an interview recently.
This is also evident from the fact that the Kingdom is awaiting the delivery of several private aircraft, besides a major fleet expansion program undertaken by the national carrier Saudia.
Al-Wallan said “there has been a growing awareness among the businessmen that owning a private jet is not as expensive as is widely assumed. Also, it is not a luxury but a necessity to overcome the current flying hassle.”
He said that Cessna/Citation aircraft are sold in the price range of $160,000-$300,000 (single engine), whereas a Cessna Caravan, purchased at a cost of $1.4 million, can be used for cargo handling and visiting remote areas.
The price of Citation jets range from $4 million to $18 million.
This is in addition to the fact that the aviation fuel and aircraft landing fee are a lot cheaper today.
On the contrary, the increase in safety checks and regulations have been making air travel on commercial flights a nightmarish experience for the 24-hour busy upper class businessmen, who are now opting for private aviation.
