ACU May Final Draft LR

NEWS FEATURE
Blockchain aviation potentials explored
First ICAO Blockchain Aviation Summit and Exhibition held in Abu Dhabi as
industry mulls Blockchain Technology's application on commercial aviation,
cargo manifests, among others...
Av i a t i o n e x p e r t s a n d
professionals thoroughly
discussed for three days in
April the potentials of Blockchain on
aviation which will strongly impact
the movement of people and goods
in the coming years.
The First ICAO Blockchain Summit
and Exhibition was held on April 2-4,
2019 in Abu Dhabi, under the
patronage of His Highness Sheikh
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and
Deputy Supreme Commander of the
UAE Armed Forces, co-sponsored by
the UAE General Civil Aviation
A u t h o r i t y , G C A A , a n d t h e
I n t e r n a t i o n a l C i v i l A v i a t i o n
Organization (ICAO). Some 800
d e l e g a t e s f r o m 9 0 c o u n t r i e s
participated in the event.
Blockchain literally means just a
chain of blocks which mixed with
technology in today's digital age
meant distributed, decentralized
ledger stored in a public database
resistant to modification. Simplified,
the records or transactions between
the parties are referred to as “blocks”
linked via cryptography with each
block containing cryptographic hash
of the previous block, a timestamp
and transaction data, in an open or
public database known as the
“chain.”
Global air traffic volumes are
anticipated to double within the next
15 years and increases in the number
of aircraft and flights translate to
increased ground, passenger,
ticketing, and cargo handling
activities, and a parallel expansion of
t h e a s s o c i a t e d t r a c k i n g ,
documentation, approval, and
certification requirements, noted
ICAO, a specialized body of the
United Nations.
ICAO said the application of
Blockchain technology can be
envisioned for almost all areas of the
aviation system where complex and
safety critical records are managed
and updated, such as personnel
licensing, aircraft maintenance,
operational approvals, or cargo
manifests and even traveler identity.
This summit is a pivotal point towards the adoption of the
“Blockchain technology by the aviation sector that will help in
overcoming the challenges that hinder the sustained
development of this crucial sector. The level of participation we have
witnessed in the event is a testimony to the commitment of the
aviation industry towards a sustainable growth of the civil aviation
system while maintaining security and safety worldwide.”
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General
UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)