In accordance with the Civil Aviation Law, Chapter 2, Article 3, the Foreign Operators Affairs was established to regulate safety and compliance of all foreign operations in the UAE. This includes foreign aircraft, foreign operators, foreign maintenance organisations based in the UAE (not holding GCAA CAR Part 145 Approval) and foreign training organisations based in the UAE (not holding GCAA CAR Part 147 Approval).

In addition to the above, Foreign Operators Affairs also represents the UAE as a Participating State to the European Commission, Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA ) programme, and is responsible to conduct routine and non-routine ramp inspections on foreign aircrafts operating to/from the UAE.

​​​The primary functions of Foreign Operators Affairs are:

• Issue certificates/approvals for foreign aircraft operators intending to commence the following operations:
  1. ​​​Commercial operations for remuneration or hire (e.g. commercial air transport, sightseeing, aerial work)
  2. General Aviation for non-revenue (e.g. Demonstration, ferry/position, airshow, etc.)
  3. Foreign Aircraft holding a Foreign Permit to Fly (restricted or invalid CofA/requesting test flight)
  4. Foreign Aircraft requesting Re-registration to foreign registry in the UAE (foreign to foreign only)
  5. Departure of a long term parked Foreign Aircraft (More than 6 months)
  6. Basing for commercial air transport or private operations in the UAE
  7. All weather operations of Foreign Operators (As per UAE AIP 1.6)
• Issue certificates for the following aviation activities:
  1. ​Foreign Maintenance Organizations not eligible for GCAA CAR 145 approval
  2. Foreign Training Organisations not eligible for GCAA CAR 147 Approval
  3. Dismantling and Scrapping of an aircraft (A6 and foreign)
• Safety coordination and consultation with UAE and international aviation authorities.
• Enforcement actions e.g. (Ban, Ground and Release of foreign aircraft/operator/state)

UAE Rules and Regu​lations:

• ​​UAE Civil Aviation Law
• UAE Civil Aviation Regulations:
  1. ​CAR PART IV OPERATIONS REGULATIONS > AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS > CAR FOR - FOREIGN OPERATORS REGULATION
  2. CAR PART III GENERAL REGULATION > ​CHAPTER 6 MAINTENANCE AND TRAINING ORGANISATIONS WITHIN THE TERRITORY OF THE UAE OTHER THAN CAR-145 AND CAR-147
• UAE Aeronautical Information Publication
• Safety Alerts and Information Bulletins

UAE GCAA e-publication service:

All foreign aircraft operators and foreign organisations in the UAE are further directed to subscribe to the UAE GCAA e-publication service. This service has been established to ensure that registered users are notified of any changes to the UAE rules and regulations.

• New User:​​
  

  ​​

  If you are a new user, your organisation will have to create a login account prior to subscription. You may register here​.

• Subscribe, change or add users:

  You may subscribe, change or add users here

How to report an unsafe condition?

• For foreign aircraft accident or serious incident, please contact:

  GCAA Air Accident Investigation Duty Inspector

  Phone: +971 50 641 4667

• For all other safety reports, that do not require immediate GCAA action, please submit a report through VORSY(Voluntary Reporting System).

For Enquiries / Approvals:

• ​​​For FOA Enquiries/Approvals, you may send an e-mail to: FOA@gcaa.gov.ae
• For GCAP Enquiries/Approvals, you may send an e-mail to: gcap@gcaa.gov.ae
• For SAFA Enquiries/Approvals, you may send an e-mail to: safa@gcaa.gov.ae

 Frequently Asked Questions