Page 17 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2013 ( CHINESE EDITION ) Online Magazine
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FEATURE CHINA BUSINESS JETS

























        time for the local operators to reach full   there is plenty of demand for aircraft and   adds yet more time and expense to the
        efficiency in, rather than to try to navigate   what they can offer, there is a major speed   process. Alternatively, Chinese owners
        route and operator certification hurdles.  bump for would-be users. Right now this   of CAAC-registered aircraft can opt
           As  such,  the  MRO  and  training   will delay even the most well-documented   for subsidiaries of Chinese airlines to
        sectors are looking good. According to a   import by as much as nine months.  manage their aircraft, but to date no
        commercial aircraft marketing executive                                 foreign management company has been
        at GE Aviation, the number of business  High hurdles                    granted an AOC.
        jets in China could reach 500 to 1,000   Bearing in mind that private jet ownership
        units halfway through the next decade.   was illegal in China as recently as 2003, it  Keeping momentum
        And as the number of aircraft operating   is no surprise that there is a backlog and   “China was flush with cash ... It was a
        in China grows, MRO services will be in   delays in implementing registration and   conveniently timed mini-rescue,  a nice
        high demand.                        certification needed before anybody can   shot in the arm at a critical moment,” said
           Honeywell Aerospace too sees plenty   fly any aircraft.              market analyst Brian Foley, of Brian Foley
        of optimism  despite some  hurdles.  It is   Everybody who runs an aircraft needs   Associates. However, he warned that even
        building a technical operations  centre   to obtain an Air Operator’s Certificate   though the China region provided a “steady
        at Shanghai, offering technical support,   (AOC) from the country’s aviation regulator.   sales stream of large and expensive
        troubleshooting  and  documentation  Some reports indicate a mere 20 business   jets at the height of the world economic
        questions. The company says it is   jet operator certificates will be granted in   downturn” the sales teams should be wary
        committed to supporting the development   China by the end of 2015, taking the total   of over-forecasting. The good figures will
        of China’s aviation industry with four   to a mere 30 – for a 1.3 billion population.  only continue if the government comes
        industry leading JVs and one wholly-owned   Getting an AOC from the CAAC (Civil   through on its promises to liberalise
        facility, delivering repair and overhaul   Aviation Administration of China) is a   airspace, issue more AOCs and help with
        services on APU, SCAS, avionics, wheels   long, expensive and onerous process,   more MRO and FBO incentives.
        and brakes for the China domestic and   and is required even for private business   Even if that means single-digit growth
        international  aviation  market,  as  well  as   jets. Taking up to two years, it covers   (excellent in comparison to other regions
        manufacturing engine and environmental   specific criteria in the areas of experience,   globally) there is still plenty of room for
        control system components.          organisation, staffing and training – plus   the industry to grow.
           In addition, Honeywell is working   aircraft equipment maintenance expertise.
        closely with aviation regulators in China,   Furthermore, this process demands   For copies of the Asian Sky Group report,
        said Briand Greer, President of Honeywell   sign off by nine separate departments,   email sales@asianskygroup.com.
        Aerospace Asia Pacific. “Although current   and only then can the owner or operator
        fleets are relatively small … China will   apply for an import licence.
        generate significant new aircraft demand   In some cases, companies and private
        if realised,” he noted. As long as the   flyers opt instead to use an external AOL
        operators can work out who is certified to   holder who has already been approved –
        fly the aircraft, who can legally maintain   but this is not cheap either. For example
        it, where it will be hangared and how it   Swiss-based Vistajet signed up with Air
        will be financed.                   China’s business jet subsidiary, Beijing   ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT:
                                                                                Brian Foley of Brian Foley
           Current  reports  indicate  that  Airlines, to get approval.         Associates, François Chazelle
        challenges abound in all these areas.   Some  operators  go   for  the  of Airbus China, and Briand
        China’s aviation authority has a backlog of   internationally recognised ISO 9001   Greer, President, Honeywell
        80 jets waiting for paperwork. So though   quality management certification, which   Aerospace Asia Pacific
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