The China Daily — so you can take it as official — reports China has ordered domestic airlines to reduce delays and improve service around August’s Beijing Olympics or face penalties.

Among other possible penalties one that could really hurt is that airlines that fail to improve performance could be barred from expanding services for two years. Scrutiny will be intensified from July to September nd airlines have fair warning of what is expected.

It is, in truth, asking an awful lot.

China’s airlines and airports have struggled with soaring demand for passenger and cargo services amid the country’s economic boom. Despite increases in airline fleets and new airports, air traffic corridors have become clogged around major cities and hubs.

The situation is not helped by the fact that total control of the air rests with the PLA which, perhaps understandably, has a tendency to regard the skies as being an arena in which they allow domestic airlines to operate. And sometimes, quite arbitarily, can withdraw that permission for a period of time which can range from minutes to even more than a day.

Then there are the airports.

Beijing’s overcrowded airport, the world’s 9th busiest, will open a new US$4.6 billion terminal and runway this year to cope with the demand. And, in truth, it will only just be enough for the Olympics.

The Civil Aviation Administration has ordered airlines to stop overbooking flights and keep one or two planes on standby at six key airports in case of delays. Which means, practically be definition, that the airlines are going have to turn customers away. Which will be very difficult.

To make it even more difficult the aviation regulator has also extended a penalty measure introduced last year allowing it to cancel flights that are regularly delayed.

It looks like being a difficult summer for the airlines.
Source: Canadian Press

The English phrase for it is a pig’s breakfast.

As reported in these columns the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) has implemented the Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) standard, increasing the flight lanes in the height between 8,400m to 12,500m from the original 7 to 13. This effectively doubles the airspace available.

It provides airline companies more flight route resources (they will be applying for more routes), but also puts a lot of pressure on airports.

Meanwhile, just as this was coming in to play airspace controls disrupted the travel plans of thousands of air passengers traveling to and from Shanghai.

These were controls which appear to have been applied by the General Administration of Civil Aviation (CAAC).

Li Jingao, an official with CAAC East China Air Traffic Management Bureau based in Shanghai. said, ‘The controls will be removed on Sunday.’ And apparently this is the case.

But why were these new controls applied in the first place and what was the reason?

CAAC East China Air Traffic Management Bureau, operating as if it were still in an earlier era, refused to divulge the reason for the imposition of the controls.

All that is known is that it came at the behest of the PLA which controls these matters. At least 40 flights were delayed at Shanghai’s two airports, Pudong and Hongqiao, on Friday, including flights bound for Hong Kong, Harbin, Dalian and Chongqing.

Li Jingao, said, ‘More flights are departing now to make up for the previous delays and this has increased pressure on the airports that are already operating at full capacity.’

More than 150 flights were delayed in Shanghai and about 7,000 passengers were affected during the first two days of the airspace controls.

A Chinese company and a Russian aviation institute have agreed to launch a private airplane production project in northeast China’s Jilin Province.

The cooperative venture, with a total investment of RMB800 million ($106 million), is expected to produce 500 two-seat and four-seat light aircraft and seaplanes for private use every year with an estimated revenue of RMB800 million.

Jilin-based Dingxin Technology and the Moscow Aviation Institute will be the two owners.

The Chinese company will hold 60% and the remaining 40% will belong to the institute. It will be located in the Jilin Municipal Economic Development Zone nearly 100 km east of the provincial capital Changchun.

Matveenko Alexander, principal of the institute, said the planes are likely to enter the northeast Asian market after the project is put into operation.

Which raises the small problem of where the planes will fly in China. As matters stand the control of air space means that general aviation — the term used for small aircraft being used for private business and pleasure — has little space in which to manouever. No doubt this will change now that China is going to produce its own light aircraft.

The illustration is of a Chinese light aircraft, the Little Hawk-500, which is about to start a spin test in Xi’an. This was the last in a series of flight-tests and the aircraft waltzed through it. This was the first time civil aviation had had this test in China.
Source: China.org.cn

The civil aviation authority has warned that the air transport industry is developing ‘too fast,’ and is confronted with ‘huge pressure to ensure safety.’

Yang Yuanyuan, head of the CAAC, is reported as saying, ‘The fast pace needs control by scientific measures otherwise, any disaster could severely hamper the industry’s healthy development.’

Passenger and cargo throughput has increased by nearly 20% year on year which is much more than forecast. The CAAC said more aircraft coming on stream has also been ‘excessive.’

The number of aircraft between 1996 and 2000 was 111 and between 2001 and 2005, 336.

In the first six months of this year, 56 more aircraft have been added.

It is estimated that the net increase between 2006 and 2010 will be 725.

The CAAC said ten new airlines are in the pipeline waiting approval, in addition to six private carriers and four that started operations in June 2005. However, there are indications that approval will be quite slow in coming.

The CAAC said, with considerable truth, that with insufficient qualified personnel, airports and airspace, the growth ‘is too much for the industry to handle and may produce high risks in flight safety.’

Although China has experienced no major accidents in the past 33 months the administration does not want them to happen. And they did between 1992 and 1994.

The CAAC said, ‘A major reason for having nine accidents between 1992 and 1994 was growth had been too rapid for the industry to cope with flight safety.’

To further ensure safety, the administration has cut daily flights in and out of the Beijing Capital International Airport by 48 since August 15, and said it will not accept applications for most new airlines before 2010.

And the situation has not been helped by a Taiwan-based China Airlines 737-800 aircraft bursting into flames on landing in Japan on August 20.
Source: China.org.cn

On July 22, the first private aircraft shop was opened in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, with mainly planes and helicopters in its major stock. Currently, there are more than 10 private planes in Zhejiang Province, while the national figure is no more than 100.

Li Shurong, a financial analyst said, ‘There is a huge demand for private aircraft in China. Thus a great many capable pilots and technicians and related regulations will be needed to guarantee the healthy development of the industry.

‘It is normal to witness the booming of private aircraft, as nowadays a helicopter is no more expensive than a BMW. However, we don’t have related laws and regulations, thus many enterprises are still biding their time.’

Currently, many enterprises are already using private aircraft. It requires about two weeks to apply for the opening of a private airline which is one way around the regulations.

According to the latest data, there are 200 Chinese with private aircraft driving licenses, including owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, ordinary workers and college students. This will change as China’s ability to manufacture aircraft increases and more air space is freed. At the moment much of it, the majority, is under the direct control of the PLA and until that changes to a significant degree general aviation will be difficult. But eventually it will happen. China is a country designed for general aviation.
Source: China News.cn