Page 16 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2013 Online Magazine
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FEATURE CHINA BUSINESS JETS







                                                                                Military transport, Flight Inspection, Air
                                                                                Ambulance, Flight Training and Aerial
                                                                                Surveillance. Nonetheless, Airbus also
                                                                                describes  the business  jet potential  in
                                                                                China as being “so huge”, according to
                                                                                François Chazelle, VP, Airbus Corporate
                                                                                Sales. He noted that Airbus sold 10
                                                                                ACJ319 business jets last year, half of
                                                                                them to clients in the Greater China area.
                                                                                “For Airbus, China is the market with
                                                                                the fastest growth, and that can be up to
                                                                                25%,” he said in an interview with CCTV.
                                                                                “This market is just starting.”
                                                                                   Chazelle did note that despite all the
                                                                                business  interest, much  relied on the
                                                                                role of government in terms of opening
                                                                                up airspace, and in granting certification
                                                                                to operators and aircraft alike. “There is
                                                                                still a long way to go,” he noted. “Airbus
        The business jet market leader in   future for the broad corporate aircraft   has certification but that is [partly] thanks
        China is undoubtedly Gulfstream,    market was looking good. “We are very   to our existing Airbus China company
        with no less than 122 aircraft at   optimistic about the prospect of China’s   infrastructure,” he said.
        the end of 2012                     business jet market. Compared to Europe   Likewise, Embraer is making the most
                                            and the US, this industry lags behind the   of its Sino connections and its agreement
                                            economic level of China nowadays,” he   with Aviation Industry Corporation of
                                            said. The company, which opened hangar   China (AVIC) for local assembly of Legacy
                                            doors for business in 2011, now has three   600/650 jets in China at Harbin Embraer
                                            jets. “We expect strong growth in our   Aircraft Industry Co., and has chalked
                                            business and aim to have more than 30   up many executive jet sales. In the PRC
                                            jets on our books within five years,” noted   market alone, the company booked 28
                                            Liang Fuhua, company VP.            firm orders and five options for its jets.
                                               One aspect of the business jet market
                                            in China that differentiates it from the   Making the moves
                                            rest of the world is that almost one-  Many businesses eyeing the China
                                            fifth (18%) of the fleet in the PRC (35   market agree that the way to go is to link
                                            aircraft) operates for Special Mission   hands with local operators, and to provide
                                            applications,  including  Government/  the support facilities that will take some


          FIGuRES IN THE SKY                                                PRC OPERATORS FLEET SIzE
          43 to 60                              The biggest operator in     Year End 2012        Donghai Jet 7

                                                Hong Kong is Metrojet,
                                                Aviation HK and Hong
          In 2012, the number of business jets   followed by TAG, Jet     HNA Group 57              Lily Jet 8
                                                Kong Jet. These four
          in the PRC grew at a growth rate of 40%  operators manage                                 Hanhwa Airlines 4
          28 vs 7                                 81%                                                Nanshan 6
                                                                                                     CITIC GA 4
                                                                                                   China Eastern 11
           Gulfstream         Others                                          BAA Ltd 27       Beijing Airlines 11
           G550                                 of the HK fleet, and each
           The undisputed leader is Gulfstream,   company on average
                                                operates 10 different
           with the G550 and G450. The G550     business jet types
           completely dominates its global
           competitors in the Chinese arena

        16   ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS  MARCH / APRIL 2013                      WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM
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