UAE GCAA cuts domestic heliport registration time from 135 days to 48 hours

The UAE’s civil aviation authority, GCAA, has significantly reduced the time needed to register domestic heliports from a lengthy 135 days to a much more manageable 48 hours. This streamlined process replaces the previous certification requirement with a simplified registration system. The authority aims to cut bureaucracy and stimulate investment in the country’s vertical aviation sector while maintaining rigorous safety standards.

GCAA Director General Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi emphasized the shift reflects the UAE’s aviation sector’s maturity and its confidence in a modern, risk-based regulatory approach. The new framework aligns regulatory oversight with operational risk, allowing GCAA to concentrate resources on higher-risk areas while minimizing administrative burdens for lower-risk domestic operations.

Assistant Director General Aqeel Al Zarouni noted that the change is a result of regulatory development and consultation with industry stakeholders. It’s part of the UAE Government’s broader Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme, aiming to boost vertical aviation infrastructure, attract new aviation services, and bolster the nation’s overall aviation landscape.