TEHRAN - Head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) has said his organization has prepared a 10-year roadmap for the development of the country’s aviation industry, IRNA reported.

Speaking in a meeting with representatives of some knowledge-based companies on the occasion of Government Week, Mohammad Mohammadi-Bakhsh said the mentioned roadmap includes two major axes one of which is regarding the manufacturing of airplanes by knowledge-based companies and the other is the supply of parts and equipment needed in this industry.

Mentioning the problems that the U.S. sanctions have created for the Iranian aviation industry, the official said: “We have no choice but to build our own airplanes.”

“According to the decision of the Supreme Council of Aviation, there is no limit for the entry of knowledge-based companies and startups into the country's aviation sector,” Mohammadi-Bakhsh noted.

Stressing the importance of training and education in the aviation industry, the official stated that in the 10-year roadmap special attention has been paid to cooperation with universities and research institutions for holding training courses and keeping the people active in this industry up-to-date.

The CAO head further said that three separate three-year executive programs have also been prepared and defined for the development of the country’s aviation industry, noting: “We will not wait for the sanctions to be lifted.”

According to Mohammadi-Bakhsh, the number of the country’s passenger airplanes will increase to 550 within the next 10 years, based on the mentioned comprehensive program.

“Under the framework of this program, fleet expansion up to 550 airplanes, repairing airplane parts and indigenizing the knowledge for the construction of aircraft inside the country are set on the agenda,” he said.

“Following President Raisi's orders, we have focused all our efforts on a few areas, including buying airplanes, manufacturing airplanes, and repairing grounded airplanes. We need 550 airplanes to meet the country’s air transportation demands,” Mohammadi-Bakhsh noted.

EF/MA