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King Abdulaziz’s Maiden Flight Aboard ‘Dakota’ Aircraft

King Abdulaziz descending from the Dakota aircraft in one of his air travels (Saqer Al Jazeera Museum)
King Abdulaziz descending from the Dakota aircraft in one of his air travels (Saqer Al Jazeera Museum)
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King Abdulaziz’s Maiden Flight Aboard ‘Dakota’ Aircraft

King Abdulaziz descending from the Dakota aircraft in one of his air travels (Saqer Al Jazeera Museum)
King Abdulaziz descending from the Dakota aircraft in one of his air travels (Saqer Al Jazeera Museum)

After the late King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud dismounted from his steed “Ubayyah,” declaring the unification of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and charting its geographic boundaries to the world, he ascended the heights of the skies aboard his “Dakota DC-3” aircraft.

Through this remarkable journey, he aimed to connect the kingdom with the world and draw the political map of the state.

The tale of the “Dakota DC-3” begins with a decision by then US President Franklin Roosevelt to give King Abdulaziz a present.

He sought advice from White House advisors on what kind of gift to offer to a “Saudi king residing in a desert region.” One of his advisors suggested that the best gift for this king would be an airplane.

The Director-General of Communication and Media Affairs at Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, Saudia, Engineer Abdullah Al-Shahrani, explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that this idea was initially rejected due to its substantial budget.

Nevertheless, on February 14, 1945, the Dakota aircraft, gifted by President Roosevelt to King Abdulaziz, touched down at the makeshift airstrip in what is now known as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs area in the city of Jeddah.

It was received by Prince Mansour bin Abdulaziz on behalf of King Abdulaziz.

On September 30, 1945, King Abdulaziz boarded the gifted Dakota aircraft for the first time.

Departing from the city of Afif near Riyadh, he headed towards Al-Hawiya in the city of Taif.

This flight was led by American pilot Captain Joey Grand, accompanied by his Saudi counterpart, Captain Hamza Tarabzoni. One of the most notable features of this aircraft was its ability to land on any prepared terrestrial area.

According to Al-Shahrani, this feature facilitated the aviation sector in seamlessly connecting the various regions and administrative areas of the kingdom.

He emphasized that this aircraft made a significant impact in the aviation world, particularly within the kingdom, laying the foundation for the concept of civil aviation in Saudi Arabia.

During that flight, King Abdulaziz became convinced that, after experiencing the speed of travel, ease of connectivity, and the convenience of takeoff and landing, this was the appropriate means to link the various parts of his nation.

He then decided to purchase two additional aircrafts.

This journey marked the inception of civil aviation for connecting the Kingdom’s regions, realizing King Abdulaziz’s initial vision, which was the localization of migration.

The “Dakota DC-3” aircraft was first manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company in 1935.

It is a twin-engine, low-wing monoplane produced by the Pratt & Whitney company, with a capacity for 28 passengers, roughly equivalent to 2725 kg.

The aircraft measures approximately 20 meters in length, with a wingspan of 30 meters, and it cruises at a speed of 370 kilometers per hour.

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Gulf

Lebanese President Honors Saudi Ambassador Bukhari with National Order of the Cedar

President Aoun decorated Bukhari with the National Order of the Cedar - SPA
President Aoun decorated Bukhari with the National Order of the Cedar - SPA
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Lebanese President Honors Saudi Ambassador Bukhari with National Order of the Cedar

President Aoun decorated Bukhari with the National Order of the Cedar - SPA
President Aoun decorated Bukhari with the National Order of the Cedar - SPA

President of the Lebanese Republic General Joseph Aoun welcomed Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Waleed Bukhari at Baabda Palace to mark the conclusion of his diplomatic mission, SPA reported.

President Aoun decorated Bukhari with the National Order of the Cedar, commending his role in strengthening and developing relations between the two countries across various fields, and wishing him success in his new duties.

Bukhari expressed his gratitude and his hope that Lebanon would reclaim its prominence in the region and that its people would enjoy security, stability, and prosperity.

Gulf

860,000 Pilgrims Arrive as Saudi Arabia Declares Full Readiness for Hajj

The ministers affirmed the Kingdom’s full readiness to serve pilgrims. (Photo by Saleh Al-Ghannam) 
The ministers affirmed the Kingdom’s full readiness to serve pilgrims. (Photo by Saleh Al-Ghannam) 
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860,000 Pilgrims Arrive as Saudi Arabia Declares Full Readiness for Hajj

The ministers affirmed the Kingdom’s full readiness to serve pilgrims. (Photo by Saleh Al-Ghannam) 
The ministers affirmed the Kingdom’s full readiness to serve pilgrims. (Photo by Saleh Al-Ghannam) 

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it was fully prepared to receive and serve pilgrims during this year’s Hajj season through an integrated system of security, health, transport and logistical services from arrival through departure.

Speaking at a government press conference on Wednesday, five Saudi ministers stressed the Kingdom’s readiness to ensure the safety of pilgrims, facilitate their movement and improve services at the holy sites in Makkah and Medina.

Saudi Information Minister Salman Al-Dossary said the Kingdom’s Hajj security system was operating through detailed plans based on crowd movement analysis and forecasting using artificial intelligence and modern technologies to improve response times and safety.

Al-Dossary stressed that the Interior Ministry continued to implement the “Makkah Route” initiative for an eighth year in 10 countries through 17 entry points. Since its launch, more than 1.2 million pilgrims have benefited from the program, he said. He added that fifth-generation mobile network coverage at the holy sites had reached 100%, supported by more than 4,200 technical personnel working on the ground.

More than 150 media organizations and over 3,000 local and international journalists are covering this year’s Hajj season, according to Al-Dossary.

Meanwhile, Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said more than 860,000 pilgrims had arrived so far through air, land and sea ports.

“The opportunity has been made available for more than 30 Saudi companies to provide services for foreign pilgrims and enable direct booking without intermediaries from more than 126 non-Muslim countries,” Al-Rabiah stated.

He added that accommodation capacity at Mina had been expanded through the construction of the Kedana Al-Khaif camps near the Jamarat complex over an area of 24,000 square meters.

Al-Rabiah revealed that the “Pilgrim Without a Bag” initiative had been expanded to all foreign pilgrims this year, allowing them to ship luggage directly from their home countries to their accommodation and have it returned after the pilgrimage. He said processing times had been cut from 120 minutes to 15 minutes.

He added that services for pilgrims were being coordinated among more than 60 government and operational entities through over 600 work plans. The Nusuk application now serves more than 51 million users worldwide and offers more than 130 digital services during this year’s Hajj season, he underlined.

For his part, Transport and Logistics Minister Saleh Al-Jasser noted that the aviation sector had mobilized its operational capacity across Saudi airports to ensure a smooth travel experience for pilgrims.

More than 3 million seats have been allocated through six airports linking the Kingdom to more than 300 airports worldwide via 104 airlines, he said, adding that airports were equipped to receive more than 1.5 million pilgrims arriving from abroad. Early transport packages introduced for pilgrims would help shield them from rising transportation costs, he remarked.

The minister further pointed that authorities had carried out extensive road maintenance and bridge repairs and expanded the use of road-cooling technology at the holy sites.

He explained that more than 3,000 buses have been allocated to transport pilgrims between accommodations and the Grand Mosque, while another 5,000 buses will provide shuttle services. More than 46,000 personnel have also been deployed to serve pilgrims during the Hajj season.

Municipalities and Housing Minister Majed Al-Hogail said services provided to pilgrims had evolved significantly in recent years through greater coordination among government agencies.

He told the press conference that municipal authorities across the Kingdom were working together to support pilgrims arriving through ports and regional roads, while advanced infrastructure networks covering 4.6 million square meters had been completed between the holy sites.

More than 88,000 sanitation workers are operating around the clock, while authorities are conducting 2,800 daily inspections covering food, water and public facilities, according to Al-Hogail.

Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel said Saudi Arabia had continued developing its Hajj system year after year until it became a global model for managing mass gatherings.

Responding to concerns over epidemics, including hantavirus, Al-Jalajel stated that there was “no concern over any epidemic” affecting pilgrims and that Saudi authorities were closely coordinating with international organizations.

He noted that more than 52,000 healthcare workers had been deployed for this year’s Hajj season, supported by over 20,000 hospital beds, including 3,800 beds at the holy sites — triple last year’s capacity.

Authorities have also allocated 3,000 ambulances, 11 medical evacuation aircraft and 7,700 paramedics, in addition to 25 healthcare centers supporting hospitals at the holy sites, he added.

 

 

 

Gulf

Saudi Defense Minister Meets with UK’s National Security Adviser

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz
Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz
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Saudi Defense Minister Meets with UK’s National Security Adviser

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz
Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has met in Jeddah with National Security Adviser for the United Kingdom Jonathan Powell.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed aspects of Saudi-British relations and cooperation and discussed coordination to address the challenges facing the region amid its current developments, as well as efforts to de-escalate the situation in a manner that preserves security and stability.

The meeting was attended by Adviser to the Minister of Defense for Intelligence Affairs Hisham bin Saif.

On the British side, the meeting was attended by Prime Minister's Special Adviser for Business and Investment Varun Chandra, British Ambassador to the Kingdom Stephen Hitchen, and a number of officials.