Kufra – The Air Traffic Control department is the cornerstone for ensuring the safety and efficiency of air traffic at airports, by monitoring and organizing the movement of aircraft in the airspace and on runways, separating them to prevent accidents, ensuring smooth coordination, and facilitating the reception of emergency aircraft.
This role is particularly important at Kufra International Airport, which is experiencing increasing aircraft traffic and requires advanced equipment and qualified personnel to ensure optimal performance.
The supervisor of Kufra International Airport, Rajab Qandil, confirmed that the main challenges facing the control team involve qualifying controllers through advanced courses in approach control and area control. He noted that the current group specializes only in tower control and needs additional training to cover all sections.
Qandil pointed out that the airport is included in the training plans of the General Civil Aviation Authority, but the implementation of these courses is relatively slow, which necessitates prioritizing Kufra in qualification and training programs.
The airport supervisor explained that installing modern navigational equipment would enhance the controllers’ ability to separate aircraft and expedite air traffic coordination, in addition to providing backup communication devices to ensure communication with other airports when needed.
Qandil noted that the airport’s current readiness level is reasonable, but it needs further development to handle emergency aircraft, pointing out that a 400-meter section of the runway has not yet been maintained and that the current control tower is dilapidated and affects visibility.
