By Syed Mussarat Khalil

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Pilots Association conducted its first activities in 2020. The event was organized by MMJ Warsitech group at Sheikh Abdul Qader Hall at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) had approved the establishment of Association of Pilots, the first specialized professional association in the field of aviation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in June 2019.

Maj. Gen. Dr. M. Mohammed Mustafa Juhani, founding member of the association, welcomed all the guests. Capt. Saad Bin Ali Al-Shehri (independent safety expert) gave an important safety lecture with presentation.

The presentation outlined the lessons learned from major aircraft accidents, and highlighted the impotence of emergency planning for an airline. Saudia flight 736’s midair collision with a Kazakhstan plane near New Delhi in India in Nov 1996 was used as the practical example for the lessons learned.

Al-Shehri examined the effectiveness of the airline emergency plan, the adequacy and the composition of the emergency response team and the team’s main responsibilities in the crash site that includes assisting victims families & friends, supporting the technical investigation, providing public information and press releases as the condition required, and coordinating the arising various insurance claims.

He highlighted several unexpected difficulties that responders can expect in a crash site, and presented his experience of the best-known ways to handle it.

Al-Shehri also presented certificate and shields of appreciation to pilots and other aviation personnel. Pilots and other aviation personnel attended the presentation.