Arab News, Sun, Jul 28, 2024 | Muharram 22, 1446
Saudi Arabia’s GACA, SAMI come away from Farnborough Airshow with deals, agreements
Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation built good investment
opportunities with British companies after visiting the Farnborough
International Airshow, which concluded on Friday, its president said on
Saturday.
Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej led the GACA
delegation at the airshow, where they were briefed on the latest technologies,
innovations, and solutions in the aviation industry, including advanced air
mobility, space, and sustainability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
GACA officials also held a roundtable meeting with
the Saudi-British Business Council to discuss investment and cooperation
opportunities in the civil aviation sector during their visit to the UK.
On the sidelines at Farnborough, GACA signed a
memorandum of cooperation with the German company Lilium, a leading manufacturer
of vertical take-off and landing aircraft, “with the aim of contributing to the
development of the regulatory framework for advanced air mobility in Saudi
Arabia,” the SPA reported.
The Saudi Air Navigation Services Company also
signed a framework agreement with the British Air Traffic Control Company, also
known as NATS, to enhance airport capacity.
The Saudi Academy of Civil Aviation, Prince Sultan
University, and Cranfield University also signed an agreement with the goal of
developing aviation science research and exchanging expertise between
specialists.
Flynas, Saudi Arabia’s leading low-cost airline,
also signed an agreement with Airbus to purchase 160 new aircraft, including 30
wide-body A330neo aircraft and 130 single-aisle aircraft of various models from
the A320 family, bringing the total volume of its aircraft purchase orders to
280 within seven years.
The General Authority for Military Industries was
also participating at Farnborough, and Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, its
governor, witnessed the signing of agreements between Saudi Arabian Military
Industries, Airbus Helicopters, and Lockheed Martin.