Nov. 10, 2014
NBAA and the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) are objecting to a ban on business aircraft the Chinese government has imposed on Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, pointing out the irony of the ban in light of proposed APEC policies that would benefit general aviation.
The APEC meetings culminate Nov. 10 and 11 with a gathering of leaders from the 21 member countries. President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are among the heads of state in attendance. The ban runs through Nov. 12.
The Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control Bureau in Beijing ordered non-APEC aircraft to leave Capital Airport no later than midnight Oct. 31 ahead of the summit.
In a letter to the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration, AsBAA Chairman Kevin Wu and NBAA Vice President of Regulatory and International Doug Carr referenced an agreement by APEC transportation ministers to create a regional framework to support the development of business aviation. That came in the form of a core statement of principles recognizing the benefits of business aviation expansion in the region that was approved by the transportation ministers last year.
“Government has its rationality in terms of the airport (air space) management and scheduling during APEC period, however, it is the development of business aviation and the effective complement to the aviation operation that are the current trends,” the letter stated.
The Beijing ban “resulted in objections from most members” of AsBAA, the letter said.
Carr and Wu went on to express their hope that the Chinese government and its regulatory agencies “related good policies can foster the development of business aviation in China, which can bring more energy” to China, APEC and Asia in general.
Read the AsBAA/NBAA letter to the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.