Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi-US High-Level Roundtable for Advanced Air Transport discussed ways to enhance economic ties, opportunities for partnerships and exchange of expertise in the aviation industry and related services.

The meeting highlighted the sector’s strategic programs and initiatives and their role in advancing the air transport industry according to the highest international standards, in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

The Saudi-US Roundtable attended by Vice Presidents of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), 12 American companies specialized in the advanced air transport sector in Saudi Arabia, and a number of government agencies and the private sector, including Ministry of Investment, Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Human Resources Development Fund, the Advanced Electronics Company, Airports Holding Company, and NEOM Company.

The meeting reviewed the integrated logistics areas, roadmap for advanced air transport, and its implementation of a number of successful experiments in more than one location within Saudi Arabia, most notably the first successful flight experiment in Saudi Arabia for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft in June 2023 in Neom, and the successful experiment of air taxi during Hajj season 2024.

The programs and initiatives of the civil aviation sector system in Saudi Arabia, the available cooperative and investment opportunities, in addition to researching, transferring and localizing the advanced air transport industry, and developing human cadres in this sector were also discussed.