Air quality and noise monitoring station launched at Sultan Qaboos University

A mobile Air Quality & Noise Monitoring Station was opened in Sultan Qaboos University yesterday. Prof Amer bin Ali al Rawas, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research, formally opened the station which is established at a cost of RO 20,000. The unit is equipped with meteorological sensors to measure wind speed and direction, humidity and temperature and noise sensors to measure the level of noise in the atmosphere.

It makes use of nanotechnology (thick film sensor technique) which is best for Oman due to its high humidity in the atmosphere. The instruments integrated in the unit can measure pollutants, particulate matter, ground level ozone, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide levels in the atmosphere. The station is capable for satellite transmission of information and is supported by global positioning system (GPS).

The station is established under SQU research project titled "Urban climate and air pollution in Muscat city-Multi-scale approaches which is funded by His Majesty's Research Fund. Dr Yassin Charabi, Assistant Professor in Geography at the College of Arts and Social Sciences is the principal investigator of this project. Dr Sabah Al Sulaiman, Associate Professor in the College of Engineering is also involved in this project.

Courtesy: www.zawya.com

Yemen, Oman sign agreements in various fields

Transport Minister Khaled al-Wazir described the outcomes of the 9th meeting of Yemeni-Omani Joint Ministerial Committee as a successful and positive.

Speaking to Saba upon his return home on Tuesday, al-Wazir said that the two sides had signed a memorandum of understanding on technical education and vocational training and a number of agreements aims at boosting cooperation between Yemen and Oman.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in environment, agriculture and livestock fields. Aspects related to social affairs, tourism, technical education and vocational training were also came for discussion.

Al-Wazir, who headed the Yemeni side in the meeting, added that the committee will agree to develop the cooperation aspects between the two brotherly countries in various fields.
Courtesy: www.sabanews.net

Oman Air says to fly to 40 destinations by end-09

State carrier Oman Air will fly to 40 destinations by the end of 2009 after taking delivery of nine new Boeing (BA.N) and Airbus (EAD.PA) aircraft, its CEO said on Tuesday. Peter Hill said the airline had already taken delivery of one Boeing 737-800 and would take delivery of four B737-800s and four Airbus A330-300s in the coming months, all as part of previously announced deals. "Our current fleet is 15, with the new deliveries it will go up to 23 by the end of 2009. With new aircraft we plan to fly to new destinations in Europe and Asia," he told Reuters in an interview at an aviation conference in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

"We were a regional carrier until recently but now we are developing our new route structure. New destinations this year include Paris, Frankfurt, Colombo and Maldives. Next year we plan to add some other destinations such as Kuala Lumpur. But by end 2009, we will fly to 40 destinations," he said.

Oman Air will also receive three A330-300s in 2011 and six B787's in 2012, he said. The airline is owned 92 percent by the Oman government and 8 percent by prominent investors in Oman. There are no plans to divest any shareholding in the near term, he said. Oman Air carried 2 million passengers in 2008 compared with 1.6 million passengers the previous year.

"We should be pushing up to 2.3 million or 2.4 million passengers in 2009 simply because we are expanding to new destinations," Hill said.

"No doubt, 2009 will be a tough year but this region is not so badly affected. A lot of the market in Oman is captive because we are the main carrier," he said. Revenues are expected to rise in 2008 over the previous year, he said, declining to give specific figures. Cargo business accounts for a meagre 2 percent of the airline's total revenues, he said but is expected to rise to at least 12 percent over the coming five years.

Courtesy: www.reuters.com