The D-8 Working Group for Cooperation in Civil Aviation convened in Istanbul during the 4-6 April 2012 to develop cooperation on airports and aviation industries. Turkey’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) organized two workshops on the theme of “D-8 Airports Management and Operation” – in cooperation with TAV Airports, and “D-8 Aviation and Industrial Cooperation” –  in cooperation with Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. (TAI).

These two workshops deliberated on various issues and matters on opportunities of cooperation between D-8 countries in aviation sector. Total of 92 participants from public and private sectors from Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey attended the meeting. 

In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Bahri Kesici, the Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation of Turkey, highlighted that the meeting is extremely important to explore, collaborate, and accommodate all potential aspects of cooperation among D-8 countries in the civil aviation field. According to him the meeting also aimed at exchanging information regarding the development of airport management and operation, and also industrial cooperation in the civil aviation of all D-8 countries, besides providing a meeting point for D-8 private sectors to explore development opportunities. 

The D-8 SG, Dr. Widi A. Pratikto, appreciated the DGCA of Turkey, TAV and TAI for organizing the workshops and draw attention to the abundance of advanced technical and highly qualified human resources available in this field within the D-8 community. He stressed the importance of the need to expand the scope and range of the cooperative activities in very concrete terms.  TAV Holding CEO M. Sani Sener also gave brief information about the organizational structure of TAV and informed the participants on their model for the successful implementation of PPP models from their perspective. Mr. Muharrem Dortkasli, who is General Director of TAI, make a short presentation about TAI’s establishment, facilities, business lines, products and capabilities and also vision 2023.

Mr. Orhan Birdal, President of the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI), summarized the structure of DHMI and the airports operated by DHMI in Turkey. He also informed the participants about the economical figures of D-8 countries. By paying attention to the potential cooperation fields with D-8 countries, he underlined the importance of using this potential within D-8 countries in order to reach collective benefits.

After welcoming remarks; the first session of the workshop started with the subject of “Good Examples of Successful BOT Model” and speakers who were the high level management team members of the successful airport operation companies in Turkey (TAV, ISG, ICF, ATM); the session aimed to give brief information about those successful companies and their successful PPP model operations, not only BOT.

The second session of the workshop gave participants some clear idea about terminal management services and general cooperation with the help of the presentations that took place. Speakers gave presentations on the general outcomes of the air service liberalizations by giving examples and tried to take the attention of the participants how those liberalizations affect the overall aviation market. Also they briefly explained the difficulties of taking care of the security issues in such complex structures were discussed and the effective solutions to the problems were handled.

In the third session of the workshop participation from Pakistan and Indonesia briefed the audience regarding the challenges in aerospace industry and the aviation trends, aircraft manufacturing program in their countries. 

On the second day of the Workshop; participants had technical visits to MY Technic, MNG Technic and Turkish Technic and to Sabiha Gokcen Airport in order to visualize the sessions topics and during these visits side meetings also held among the participants.

In conclusion speeches of the workshop and the cooperation areas proposed by each speaker on their specific expertise and requirements on the different aspects of an aerospace platform. They also briefed the importance of the cooperation and coordination between the D-8 countries in order to increase safety and security levels collectively and emphasized the role of the activities, including more involvement of D-8 private sectors of civil aviation industry as well as the significance of the Government’s roles in facilitating and stimulating civil aviation business. 

Photos of these workshops can be view in our gallery, or by clicking here.