Tafawuq Transportation is part of Tafawuq FM and is a business addition formed to target the specialist critical Facility Management market of Airports, Ports & Transportation Projects.

1. "One of the Seven
Questions You Need to
Ask"
Asif, a member of the procurement team voiced the question: The answer, the girls and boys sitting round the
table, after robust debate decided upon is that an airport is a development consisting of runways for aeroplanes
to land and take-off, taxiing routes, aircraft stands and air-bridges; an all-important control tower; an array of
buildings housing fundamental needs such as check-in desks, customs geared to unearthing contraband, which
could be anything from animals to drugs to armaments; passport control; food courts, restaurants and lounges,
the facilities provided for passengers; administration offices, workshops, aircraft hangers, and so on, building
after building.
Following the aforementioned debate and the subsequent response, the gathering determined they were not
happy with the answer, an answer, they labelled ambiguous. Questions abounded, minor disagreements
unfolded, until the debate was halted to be re-convened within three days. The seven participants were asked to
go away and return with one written question each pertaining to Facilities Management and Aviation. They were
informed that each question must start with "HOW".
A vibrant discussion ensued that took an age to pass beyond the maintenance and repair activities associated
with runways, taxiways, aprons, airfield areas, the danger of birds, fencing, ground lighting systems, service
roads, parking areas and ramps, hangars and security. Security was highlighted following the arrest of aeroplane
watches in the UAE, Fujairah airport to be exact.
The debate, vociferous and exploratory considered performance evaluation, assignment of work, scheduling and
training; the inspections of the various constituents and the necessary tools equipment and vehicles required to
fulfil responsibilities. Qualifications, whether professional or not, and the experience of the responsible people
was also explored.
To the fore was one word; “co-ordination”. How and who coordinates was challenged over and over. The
challenge of co-ordination revolved around the maintenance and repair activities and operational disruptions.
Eventually an agreement was reached that the need is probably not relative to Facilities Management but sits with
an airport operations specialist conversant in the many regulations promulgated by the Civil Aviation Authority,
National and International Codes of Practice and local authorities. So, back to the question: How many services
are associated with airport facility management?
The participants listed mechanical, electrical and plumbing, cleaning, pest control, logistics, internal and external
landscaping, waste management, luggage conveyors, carousels, signage, information technology, wheelchairs
and stretchers, minor project works, painting programmes and so forth, and so forth.
However, the debate suddenly and inexplicitly switched to hanger maintenance and the need for scaffolding and
high level working platforms required when aeroplanes are under maintenance. Consequently, the gathering,
utterly immersed in exploring the demands of hanger maintenance, was brought back to the question in hand.
With time running out Question 1 was put on hold until the next session.
Last week Tafawuq FM introduced its “scrutiny” serialisation on Aviation and Facilities Management, in
doing so Landside and Airside were briefly analysed by Tafawuq’s own employees, their thoughts
scripted and published for comment. Hereunder, the “scrutiny” continues:
AVIATION AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT THE AIRPORT
What is an airport?
Question 1: "How many services are associated with airport facility management?"
info@tafawuq.ae, www.tafawuq.ae