The Civil Aviation Corporation was set up in 1936 as an affiliate to the administrative secretary. All services were conducted by British companies till Sudan gained independence in 1956 when the corporation was taken by Sudan government under the supervision of the ministry of transport, telecommunications and tourism.
In 1970, civil planes were first introduced in air transport as the Corporation became an affiliate of the Defense Ministry.
In 1985, a republican decree was issued transforming the civil aviation corporation to the Aviation and Tourism Ministry and was vested with the task of constructing airports.
The first airport established in Sudan was east of Khartoum during the World War II. The corporation established 16 airports, with the present Khartoum Airport, not included.
The corporation further provides services for the air transport companies.

The Corporation's Aims:

The corporation's aims to promote and regulate civil aviation services as well as activating the strategic air transport, and securing its air and land safety.
It also aims to promote and raise the standard of air transport both internally and externally from all perspectives.
So we can perceive that the preparation of research and studies is one of the corporation's main objectives.

Tasks and Duties of the Civil Aviation Corporation:

According to what was stipulated in Chicago Convention 1994, which determines the tasks and duties of civil aviation and air transport authorities on the part of independent nations' potentialities, a matter that necessitated forging an international view at the level of governments to set up an international organization meant for supervising implementation of policies agreed upon by member countries.
According to this, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was established as its membership included independent countries.
In this way, duties of civil aviation were represented in finding international means of transport which provides safety guarantees and procedures in both air and land, along with commitment to principles of landing and crossing freely.
The organization has issued detailed supplements reaching 18 covering all aspects of work related to air traffic.

Regional and Arab Responsibility:

The corporation enjoys the membership of the African Civil Aviation Association (AFCA) and the Arab Association for Civil Aviation and it effectively contributes to activities of the two organizations as it took a number of initiatives in this concern.
The administrative responsibility of the organization includes provision of qualified cadres to assume their full tasks and duties entrusted to the aviation authorities.
The organization used to boost training programs for certain sectors in the form of scholarships, technical assistance, provision of equipment, provision of highly qualified experts to assist in the layout of future plans and programs, restructuring and reorganizing civil aviation administrations.
Moreover, resident experts were provided to the corporation to help it carry out its policies.

Executive Responsibility:

This relates to the provision of qualified air traffic control, beside establishment of airports according to international criteria and specifications, provision of technical equipment and provision of safety equipment.
The corporation further established the civil aviation institute to provide engineering cadres in all fields as a full engineering unit had been affiliated to the corporation under the title "Airport Administration".
An air route unit was also set up with a unit well prepared with all qualified cadres for maintenance and rehabilitation purposes.

Future plans and programs:

The Corporation is giving due concern for introduction of the most advanced technology of air transport in such fields as communications, safety equipment and ground aids. Planning is made at the short, medium and long-term levels.

The Corporation Administrative Structure:

Khartoum Airport Administration:

It is one of the pillars of the Corporation. The Administration is operating the airport with high competence. They have to shoulder the technical and security responsibility as has been stipulated in the rules governing work at airports. Assistants of the director assume the task of steering and operating the airport such as air transport and international conventions. The director prepares timetables for air companies. He also organizes the crossing of planes through Sudanese airspace endorsed by air transport and international relations through international channels.

Goods Department:

This sector caters for the flow of exported and imported goods. It is also meant for laying out programs which determine the flow of goods at the airport as well as inspecting their right of privilege.
The internal square and tarmac section organizes movement of machines, equipment and people inside the airfield in a way that guarantees safety and smooth landing and take-off. The section also organizes the functioning of cars and vans intended to render services to travelers.

Pilgrims Town:

This administration functions during the pilgrimage season as it also receives teachers working abroad and includes all sections of air transport represented in small branch offices, each office operates in its own field of specialization. The aims of this administration are to link Sudan with the outside world by air and to encourage air transport activity.

Runways Engineering Administration:

This administration comprises of the following sections:
- The central maintenance.
- Field services.
- Planning and construction of projects, the aims of which are to operate and maintain apparatus of telecommunications and air navigation, to organize work as well as to conduct technical and administrative supervision for engineers and technicians.

Central Planning Administration:

This administration consists of:

1. Projects section
2. Planning and studies section
3. Projects unit
4. Designing unit
5. Technical supervision
6. Training and statistics unit
7. Security unit
   

1. Promoting internal airports
2. Promoting general performance of work inside the corporation
3. Regulating the corporation's policies
   

Operations and Air Safety Administration:

This administration is composed of:

1. Inspection Department for air transport operations
2. Operations and Licenses Section
3. Airports standardization section
4. Aviation accidents control section which is also responsible for maintaining the standard of aviation service.
   

Air Transport and International Affairs Administration:

This administration includes:

1. Airport security and safety section
2. Air transport security section
   These two sections are responsible for securing the airport's establishment as well as guaranteeing air safety by:
   a. guarding inlets to the airport and hangers b. controlling administrative measures and securing air journeys and planes in landing and take-off processes.
   

Air Traffic Services Administration:

1. This administration is composed of:
2. Air traffic control section
3. Aviation telecommunications section
4. Air information section
5. Search and rescue section
6. Unit for assigning duties for planes crossing Sudanese airspace and Sudan airports.
   

The National Institute for Civil Aviation:

This institute comprises of the following:

• Air traffic control department
  
• Airports administration department
  
• Aviation telecommunications operations department
  
• Air transport department
  
• Fire and rescue brigade
  
• English language department
  
• Audio-visual department
  
• Machines and equipment maintenance department
  

Fire Brigade and Rescue Administration:

1. Airports and airstrips department which has 17 airports and landing strips
2. The corporation's establishments department. Its arms include:

Effective organization and control of all services concerning fire extinguishing, rescue and emergency operations within all units of the fire brigade with a necessity of taking the suitable decision at the right movement.

Airports Engineering Administration:

The main aims of this administration includes:

1. Construction and maintenance of airports by conducting the necessary technical studies such as feasibility studies and working out technical and engineering design to carry out work according to international specifications of the ICAO.
2. Providing round-the-clock services to airports, furnishing air conditioned systems to passengers' halls and securing air and land safety for aviation operations.
   This administration is the first one to apply the privatization system and is to become a company working in the field of construction of airports, road and brigades.

Sudan Airways Company:

The Sudan Airways Company started its journeys in July 1947 with an air fleet composed of 4 planes - Hafiela - a small sized plane accommodating eight passengers. A fifth plane of the same model joined the fleet in 1952.
When the company was established, it was affiliated to Sudan Railways Corporation as it covered remote regional towns lying beyond the reach of the railways corporation and joined those areas with Khartoum.
In the first year of the company's life span, its small fleet transferred 736 passengers and 1543 kilograms of cargo.
In 1952, the company added to its fleet 7 D-C3 planes with a capacity of 28 passengers and started its first international journeys to Cairo in November 1954 - and to Antebbi - Asmara - Aden - Beirut - Jeddah in 1955.
The company's next forward step was in June 1959 when it launched the Blue Nile flights to the European cities as from June.
During that year, the company launched three regular journeys to London, Rome, Athens, Cairo, on a weekly basis, besides journeys to Beirut and Naoribi via Addis Ababa.
The Sudan Airways Company was first non-British aviation company to use Gatwick airport - London as its planes broke the record as to the number of passengers it transported and the distance it traveled over.
In 1959, the company became a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Arab air Transport Association (AATA) and the African Aviation Companies Union (AFRO).
After 10 years the Fokker-F-27 D planes entered the service of the Sudan Airways Company, becoming the first airlines to use this type of planes.
In the same year, Viscount planes were substituted by D-Heavyland Twin Outer. These planes continued to work satisfactorily for a period of 11 years launching Blue Nile journeys between Khartoum and London.
The second achievement was the purchase of three more planes D-Heavyland Twin Outers as towns of Al-Jeneina, Fashir, Kassala and Atbara were added to the internal journeys scheduled in 1968.
In 1973, and coping with the fast rate of development and expansion in the services of the company, Boeing 707-320 S planes were added to the fleet. At that time the company had obtained two Boeing 737-200 S Planes to promote its fleet to meet its local and regional services as Chad and Nigeria were added to the company's flight schedule.
From the policy of promotion adopted by the company, an agreement had been reached with Jordan on a joint operation pact (Tristar) with 1011 broad capacity to boost the fleet. The Tristar was put into service in April 1987 to boost international journeys for several months. Another agreement was made in 1990 with the Jordanian government to charter an airbus to work on the company's airlines, however, the circumstances of the Gulf war hampered continuation of its services.
The fleet had repeatedly been enhanced with broad capacity planes during peak seasons as a Tristar plane put into service during peak seasons as a Tristar plane put into service during pilgrimage season in 1991 and a Fokker 50 plane was purchased in 1989 and joined the company's fleet.
At the end of 1992, two airbus planes joined the company's fleet as a number of booking offices were opened at the Industrial Bank building, Hilton Hotel, Friendship Hall in Khartoum, Omdurman and Khartoum North and an office at Al-Gasr street.
The present company's fleet includes five Boeing 707 planes, three Boeing 737 planes, two fokkers 50 planes, one fokker 27 plane, two airbus 315 planes and one twin outer plane.

International Stations:

Local Stations:

The Company's Economic Role:

The company plays a pioneering role in boosting the national economy as it brings some vital agricultural and industrial input inside the country. It also brings more than $90 million from its international and regional journeys.
The company is considered as a considerable contributor to the national economy through payment of income tax customs duties and airports and aviation charges.
The company is also regarded as an important workshop and a center of training for Sudanese citizens, especially with regard to technological sectors, thus boosting the national economy even stronger.
The company as well extends vital services to Sudanese citizens in the field of health as it allows free tickets for Sudanese citizens needing treatment abroad, besides bringing sensitive medical supplies and anti-biotics into the country from abroad.
It also extends services in the field of education, culture and sports as it boosts educational missions of university students and professors abroad. It also provides for sports teams participating in international competitions and pilgrims during the pilgrimage and Omrah season.
The Sudan Airways Company experienced the severest crisis during its long history in the second half of 1996, when the U.N. Security Council issued a resolution calling for imposing an air embargo on the company's external activities, a matter which caused depression in its international market.
However, it is certain that the Company, with its long history and good reputation, will survive this crisis and emerge more stronger soon.

This is in addition to the company's diligent role in transporting goods from Sudan and to the outside world.
Judging by what is mentioned above, we can clearly perceive that the Sudan Airways Company plays an effective role in the country's national economy as it extends great services to Sudanese citizens as well as citizens of neighbouring countries having no national carrier of their own.