The need to increase safety over China’s skies has been underlined by the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC), which is threatening to put a brake on excessive airline growth if training is not ramped up immediately.
With innovative training providers hawking their services at the APATS Hong Kong show, including Alpha Aviation Group’s Multi-Crew Pilot Licence (MPL) training regime being highlighted, the race is on to accelerate the much-needed pilot and maintenance expertise, which is currently in short supply in mainland China.
In a statement released by the head of CAAC, Yang Yuanyuan warns the air transport industry is developing “too fast”, and is confronted with “huge pressure to ensure safety”. With insufficient qualified personnel, airport infrastructure and regulated airspace, Yang says current growth “is too much for the industry to handle and may produce high risks in flight safety”.
The message comes after the fire on a China Airlines Boeing 737-800A on August 20, which was thought to be caused by a loose wing-slat bolt that punctured a fuel tank. “The fast pace needs control by scientific measures otherwise, any disaster could severely hamper the industry’s healthy development,” Yang adds.
China’s growth has been phenomenal with passenger and cargo throughput having increased by nearly 20% year on year, about 6 percentage points above forecast. More aircraft coming on stream has also been “excessive”, the CAAC says. In the first six months of this year, 56 more aircraft have been added. And it is estimated that the net increase between 2006 and 2010 will hit a record 725.
The race to create more airlines is also on. Ten new Chinese airlines are in the pipeline waiting approval, in addition to six private carriers. While no fatal flying accidents have befallen a Chinese operator in almost three years, the administration is worried it might repeat the mistakes it made in the early 1990s. “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,” Yang says.
To try and ensure safety, the administration has cut 48 daily flights in and out of the Beijing Capital International Airport, and warns it might refuse applications for most new airlines before 2010. For debates on training in all aspects of aviation, go to Rooms 2003-2005 on Level 2 to take part in the APATS 2007 Conference today and tomorrow.
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Source: Flight Daily News
