With today’s great advancement in technology and infrastructure in the aviation sector, one must understand the progression and development of the sector to appreciate the advancements even more. It is important to understand the history of aviation in Bahrain as a pioneer in the aviation sector in the Arabian Gulf region. Bahrain’s important and strategic location aided in bridging the distance between the United Kingdom and its sphere of influence in Asia, the Far East and Australia.

The most important event that put Bahrain on the map of aviation was the landing of a British airplane headed to India in 1918 in Bahrain as a stopover, to deliver British mail to India and then to Australia. The Ministry of Transportation, Communications and Postal Administration in the United Kingdom issued a postage stamp commemorating that trip as a token of appreciation to Bahrain. From then on, Bahrain was part of the main route of many British plane trips whether for the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom, mail, or commercial flights.

Bahrain saw the great opportunity and advantage of being the hub of aviation in the Arabian Gulf region, and by the 1930s had developed two airfields in Manama and Muharraq, as well as facilities to adapt for flying boats. Bahrain constantly attempted to catalyze the development of the aviation sector throughout history until today in line with Bahrain’s Vision 2030. The ambitious aviation plan foreseen by the country’s leadership continued to flourish and prosper, leading to the establishment of Bahrain’s National Space Science Agency in 2014 and the expansion of Bahrain’s International Airport, and strengthening Bahrain’s position as a regional hub linking many destinations around the world, extending Bahrain’s aviation trajectory to aerospace marked by the launch of the Bahraini satellite “First Light” in December 2021. This conference aims to present an overview of Bahrain’s history in aviation and demonstrate the roles of entities such as the Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), Bahrain Airport Services Company (BAS), The Royal Bahrain Air Force (RBAF), Bahrain International Airport, Gulf Air, BAFCO and BJFCO, including speakers with firsthand experiences in Bahrain’s aviation knowledge; in developing this vital sector in the Kingdom and prospects in this field.