Civil Aviation Authority is confident that Rwanda qualifies to be integrated in the ongoing Unified Flight Information Region (UFIR) study to have East African Community single sky.

The UFIR will enable East African Community (EAC) member states to have one air space control centre.

Traditionally each EAC member state has its own air control centre but a decision was made by sectoral council for transport in EAC to have one area control centre (single sky).

Dr Richard Masozera, the Director General of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA) said the study considers communication system, Navigation equipment and air traffic management.

"The study to have single sky looks into the whole aviation system, what you need, what is needed and it recommends what is missing to be linked to other East African Aviation system,” Masozera said in an interview.

He said this after the recently concluded meeting to discuss how to incorporate Rwanda and Burundi into the Unified Flight Information Region (UFIR).

Rwanda and Burundi were briefed on how they can be integrated in the information study and the next step will be to have the studies conducted.

"These studies are very expensive, the next step calls for EAC to procure and mobilize funds for the studies,” Masozera said.

"As you may recall, Rwanda was commissioned for airspace control by COMESA and this signifies that we have all it takes,” he added.

This will be achieved after the completion of the Karisimbi mast project to provide upper and lower air space control for a radius of 300 miles of Rwanda.

After the completion of the Karisimbi Mast Project, Rwanda will have full ling rights of her The Project is aimed at providing high quality communication navigation surveillance, telecommunications, and radio and television signals.

Masozera said single sky is one project of the Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA). The EAC CASSOA is a specialised agency of the community responsible for ensuring the development of safe and secure civil aviation systems in the region.

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