Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International (DWC) airport marked its first takeoff on Monday after receiving aerodrome certification on Sunday from the General Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE, creating a milestone in the region’s aviation history.The emirate joined an elite group of two-airport cities on Sunday when Dubai Airports officially opened DWC for cargo operations welcoming inaugural flights operated by Rus Aviation, Skyline and Aerospace Consortium.The first official aircraft to land was an Ilyushin IL76 that brought cargo from Afghanistan and will fly to Djibouti today. Other cargo aircraft currently at the airport include a Boeing 747 jumbo jet and a Russian made Antonov 32.Now the airport features one A380 capable runway, 64 remote stands, one cargo terminal with annual capacity for 250,000 tonnes of cargo and soon will include a passenger terminal building designed to accommodate five million passengers per year which will open early next year.When completed, Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International will be the largest airport in the world with five runways, four terminal buildings and capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo. “Phase 1 is the first step in a long infrastructure development project that over time will see our new airport transformed into the world’s largest global gateway and a multi-modal logistics hub that plays an increasingly integral role in the ongoing economic and social development of Dubai” Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports, said in a statement.Cargo carriers that have signed up to operate into DWC include Aban Air, ACI, Aerospace Consortium, Aviation Service Management, Coyne Airways, EuroAsian Services, Gatewick, Ramjet, Reem Style, Rial Aviation, Rus Aviation, Sonic Jet, SunGlobal, Skyline and United Aviation Services.