more, general aviation (includ- Hawker Beechcraft has had ing business aviation) has been success with its Hawker 4000 specifically earmarked for pos- in China, and increasingly with itive reinforcement and this has the smaller 900XP too. Accord- already resulted in initiatives to ing to Jeff Anastas, the U.S. free up access to airspace for pri- airframer’s vice president for vate aircraft operators. China, many Chinese buyers This year will see a wholesale are not making aircraft selec- change in the political leader- tion decisions based on careful ship of China, with a new gov- analysis of their actual mission ernment due to be appointed. needs. “The Chinese don’t par- Close observers in the coun- ticularly like being asked about try’s business aviation commu- this [how they intend to use the nity have suggested that this aircraft], and you have to earn could result in a more consul- the right to advise them in this tative approach to regulation, way,” he said. “Unless they ask but also yet more bureaucracy. our opinion, we don’t offer it. A change of leadership in Hong They tend to listen to banks and Kong could also have ramifica- go for strong brand names.” tions for the regulatory environ- The first Airbus Corporate Jet ment in which business aviation was sold in China in 2005; total is being nurtured. sales passed 20 only recently. “It is still only the beginning,” ACJ Manufacturers See vice president François Chazelle Cause for Optimism told AIN. “The potential is huge The Chinese Year of the Dragon is off to an auspicious beginning, at least for According to Dassault Fal- because most people [in China Jackie Chan, who took delivery of his custom-designed Embraer Legacy 650 con Jet international sales who have bought a private jet] last month. The aircraft, which is adorned with dragons and Chan’s personal director Jean-Michel Jacob, want to upgrade, so we expect to logo emblazoned on the tail, is the first Legacy 650 to be delivered into China. the Chinese government’s con- sell to people who currently have Chan will also serve as the official brand ambassador to Embraer, promoting its servative approach is governed a Gulfstream or a Falcon.” entire line of aircraft in the China market and globally. –J.E. by a realistic assessment of the According to Airbus, which country’s infrastructure lim- has offices in Beijing and Hong its. “They prefer to be care- Kong, many sales in China are its airline customers, and ACJ Horner maintains that re- 60XR, the Challengers 300 and BUSINESS AVIATION IN CHINA ful because they don’t want to made to privately owned corpo- owners and operators are now strictions on the importation 605 and the Global 6000. Inter- Is now the time for Chinese bizav to come of age? by Charles Alcock see accidents, and so they only rations, where the main share- benefitting from these. The man- of aircraft are being eased pro- est in the long-range Globals is let aircraft enter the country at holder is a wealthy individual ufacturer recently approved gressively and that the past 12 rising in a Chinese business com- 中国商务航空 what they consider to be a rea- who is not accountable to a maintenance company Ameco months have seen marked prog- munity that increasingly wants sonable pace,” he told AIN. wider group of shareholders in Xiamen to provide cabin com- ress in simplifying operations. to be doing business on a global Nonetheless, Dassault does for such investments. In recent pletions for ACJs. That said, the fundamental­ scale, and some of the initial With precious little sign of a Republic being such a land of country’s aircraft register is rig- relatively few established man- but they are restricted in terms see the pace of business air- years, much of the cash funding Even through the dark days requirement to be able to move purchase agreements for the new meaningful economic recovery opportunity for business leaders orous, to say the least. agement companies. of which airports they are per- craft imports picking up, and aircraft deals in the country has of business aviation’s linger- money out of China to ­purchase Global 7000 and 8000 models in the main Western economies throughout the world, there is There are tales of aircraft sit- Most of the operating com- mitted to operate into. Foreign it believes that well-connected come from IPOs. ing downturn, China has con- aircraft continues to be a chal- have come from the country. of North America and Europe, more and more motivation to fly ting on tarmac at ports of entry panies are offshoots of Chinese operators also have to hire the companies such as Minsheng will “There are some constraints tinued to be a beacon of hope lenge for would-be buyers and Cessna also has sought to tap the business aviation industry is into and within this vast coun- waiting for release to their own- airlines, which find it easiest to services of a local, Chinese- be critical to connecting custom- [on the importation of aircraft] for Bombardier, with senior vice Bombardier has learned to local knowledge in its efforts to pursuing growth more intently try. This has been a tough prop- ers. In some cases buyers opt to get the necessary approvals, and speaking navigator at costs esti- ers with those who can help them and it could be that authori- president sales Bob Horner con- manage expectations in terms penetrate the Chinese market. than ever in the emerging mar- osition, but it’s getting somewhat have their jets delivered outside operators based in the quasi-off- mated at up to $1,500 per day. to maximize the benefits of their ties feel overwhelmed,” Chazelle firming a continuing trend of of how this and other limit- Last year it appointed Kevin kets of the East. Nowhere epit- more straightforward. China and registered there, but shore enclaves of and Non-Chinese operators re- aircraft. Jacob indicated that acknowledged. But he main- growing business there each ing factors can slow the pace Wu as its new regional vice omizes these expectations quite Tangible evidence that the this means they are much more . Increasingly, faster grow- main tightly restricted in terms early adopters of business avia- tained that Airbus clients benefit quarter. “There is still a lot of of deliveries. “Now when we president for China, , like China, with its soaring cor- Gold Rush drive to get China’s restricted in how they can oper- ing aircraft management compa- of the number of mainland air- tion in China have generally grav- from Chinese officials’ familiarity education required there [about sit down to sell an aircraft, we Hong Kong, Macau and Mon- porate and private wealth. rampant business elite flying ate within China. nies are joint ventures between ports they can use. For the most itated toward the largest models. with its aircraft since the Euro- the ways and means of estab- can better inform clients about golia and is now benefitting There is no doubt that China’s privately came in October when Chinese airlines and private com- part, they are confined to the Going forward, he believes that pean company’s airliners are lishing business aviation], but what it will take to make a deliv- from his 26 years of hands-on business aviation community has Beijing-based leasing group Impediments to panies, including Western-based major airports, obviating a key peer-group recommendations already so ubiquitous in China. the support structures [for oper- ery and that it will likely have to experience in China’s aviation expanded at an impressive rate Minsheng Financial Leas- Business Aviation Growth groups, with more experience in advantage of business aviation: from friends and close business Airbus already has pilot train- ations] and growing acceptance happen 12 to 18 months down sector. Wu started life as an air in the past few years, but this has ing announced two major new To Western eyes, Chinese business aviation. Among the the ability to fly closer to the associates will be major drivers ing and aircraft spares centers of this type of aircraft are com- the road,” he explained. traffic controller and went on to been achieved from a low base sales contracts with Dassault officialdom’s seemingly feet- main and emerging players are passengers’ final destination by of aircraft purchase choices. established in China to support ing along,” he told AIN. The Canadian manufac- teach air traffic management at and in global terms the size of its and Embraer, adding to earlier dragging approach to allowing Metrojet, Deerjet, Asia Jet, Air using smaller airports. With air- turer has strengthened its Bei- the China Civil Aviation Uni- fleet (around 150 jets registered deals with Gulfstream. That private aircraft into the country China’s Beijing Airlines, Hong- line traffic burgeoning in China, . jing-based sales team. Its new versity before becoming direc- in China by the end of last year) they were the only major deals might seem like protectionism. kong Jet and sub- access to the country’s major air- regional vice president, Michael tor of international affairs for remains fairly modest. Questions announced at last year’s NBAA But the fact is that China has no sidiary Beijing Capital Airlines. ports depends on getting land- Han, is Chinese and so are all of the CAAC. In 2002 he joined remain as to the extent to which Convention in Las Vegas spoke home-built business aircraft to Another constraint on the ing slots, and these are routinely his support staff–an approach U.S. defense group Lockheed

shortcomings in infrastructure volumes about the industry’s protect. In reality, according to expansion of China’s business granted to scheduled operators www.ainonline.com it believes has proved critical in Martin and then switched to and somewhat user-unfriendly growing dependence on market Western jet salespeople based in aviation market is a shortage of ahead of business aircraft. making headway in this market. Cessna parent company Tex- government restrictions on air- growth in China. China, the government is delib- pilots. For operational flexibil- There are still fewer than 200 In terms of brand recogni- tron to lead its efforts to get craft ownership and operations If genuine free-market con- erately–and arguably wisely– ity, flight crew generally need civil airports in the whole of tion, Bombardier believes it has into the air traffic management are blocking China from fulfill- ditions prevailed in China it is taking a conservative approach to be Chinese, and the obvious China, and many of these are an edge with its Learjet brand field in China. He also serves ing its potential. Also now in fair to assume that deliveries to the influx of private aircraft, place to recruit them would be not available to private aircraft. arguably being synonymous as co-chairman for the Aero- question is whether China’s epic of business jets there would be mindful of the limitations of the from the country’s fast-grow- By comparison, a typical large- with private jets, even among space Forum organized by the economic growth (with GDP happening as quickly as the air- country’s aviation infrastructure. ing airlines, where opportuni- cabin business jet in the U.S. can the uninitiated. But the Bom- American Chamber of Com- still rising at more than 9 percent craft could be rolled out of the A key requisite for owning a ties to earn overtime pay make count on being able to access bardier sales force is fast find- merce in China, as well as for annually) could be pegged back factories of Wichita, Savannah, private aircraft in China is prov- the switch to bizav a hard sell more than 5,000 airports. ing a more discerning approach the General Aviation Commit- by its vulnerability to wider, São Paulo and Bordeaux–if not ing that you have someone to and a cost inflator. In the- But despite these hurdles, among prospective clients who tee under the U.S. China Avia- global problems. quite as fast as Chinese goods operate it for you. It is obliga- ory, Western pilots who could the industry has taken encour- are paying closer attention to tion ­Cooperation program. The emergence of busi- head in the opposite direction to tory to have the jet flown under master the agement from the fact that the the performance characteristics Wu told AIN that his move

ness aviation in China isn’t just the shelves of Walmart. But the a management contract and, and pass local exams could fit Chinese government has specif- Publications. All Rights Reserved. For Reprints go to of different models. to Textron was inspired by his

a boon to the country’s rising process of clearing such high- despite the best efforts of global the bill, but this is quite a tall ically highlighted aviation as a AIN In China, Bombardier has had belief that China’s general avia-

entrepreneurial class and to the value goods for import into service providers to get estab- order. In fact, Chinese airlines national priority in its latest five- MARIANO ROSALES sales success across its product tion age is now dawning and he

industry itself. With the People’s China and placing them on the lished in China, there are still also employ foreign flight crew, year plan for the nation. What’s © 2012 At last year’s NBAA Convention Embraer unveiled a model of the Legacy 650 it is making for Minsheng Financial. portfolio, including the Learjet Continues on next page u

28 Aviation International News • March 2012 • www.ainonline.com www.ainonline.com • March 2012 • Aviation International News 29 BUSINESS中国商务航空 AVIATION IN CHINA uContinued from preceding page blocks to their doing just that. specifically wanted to pursue his career According to the Cessna executive, Hawker Pacific opened what is effectively mainland China’s first with a leading business aviation pro- China has begun addressing this conun- purpose-built FBO in April 2010, and now its associated Hawker vider. “This [business aviation] really drum, and since last year the door to Beechcraft service center is fully operational too. only started in China around five years private investment in China’s aviation ago,” said Wu. “There were no expecta- network has been opening. “But people tions that this could happen 10 years ago, are still facing restrictions, with lengthy and 20 years ago this was a bicycle coun- approval processes for projects, and this try, with little opportunity for car mak- is why we are now encouraging the Chi- ers. So in reality, it [business aviation] is nese government to open the door even developing faster than anyone [in China] more,” said Wu. “There is no doubt it expected. That’s why the shortage of will change and China will need, among pilots, mechanics and managerial staff other things, thousands of FBOs.” is such a big challenge, with most of the Cessna has been playing its part, available resources going to the airlines.” claimed Wu, with moves to establish With demand in the early years of authorized service facilities for its air- Chinese business aviation having gravi- craft in China. The U.S. manufacturer is tated toward the larger, longer-range jets, now building its own service center near Cessna has arguably been at something Shanghai and another in Singapore to of a disadvantage with its product line serve the wider Southeast Asia region. strongly weighted toward light and mid- “My conservative estimate is that busi- FBOs Slow To Take Shape in China size models. But Wu sees this changing. ness aviation in China will see 20-percent Beyond Hong Kong and Macao, airports in mainland China have been slow to offer ded- “The first buyers here were not sensitive growth annually over the next five years, icated support infrastructure for business aircraft operators. Western flight support special- to price, so they tended to buy larger jets, but the shortage of trained staff could be ists, including leading players such as Jet Aviation, TAG Aviation and ExecuJet, have been but since last year we have seen stron- a limiting factor,” predicted Wu. In sev- seeking to forge joint ventures for FBOs, but these plans have yet to come to fruition. ger interest in midsize and super-mid- eral instances, prospective clients have At Beijing’s Capital Airport an executive terminal opened in time for the 2008 Olympic size models, including the Sovereign asked Cessna’s salesman to help them Games. But four years on, the basis for developing this facility is still unclear, apparently be- and Citation X, and types like these will find pilots and operators to manage air- cause the local airport administration is not comfortable with the terms under which Western become more popular over the next few craft, and Wu believes that a willingness years,” he maintained. Cessna claims that to support clients in this way will be criti- partners might be involved. the first private entrepreneur in China to cal to success in China. At Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport, Hawker Pacific is running what is arguably China’s flagship, own a jet was an air conditioning tycoon It has been 10 years since Gulfstream full-service FBO, which opened in April 2010. Next month, the facility will host the new Asian Busi- who bought a Citation. delivered its first aircraft into Greater ness Aviation Convention & Exhibition (Abace–see box on page 34). In Wu’s view, some of his fellow coun- China, handing over a G200 to an oper- In January, the Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre, which is a joint trymen still regard private aircraft as status ator in Hong Kong. Today, the manufac- venture with the Shanghai Airport Authority, completed its first scheduled maintenance work on symbols and have little objective knowledge turer claims to have more than 60 aircraft a Chinese-registered midsize jet, following its Part 145 approval by the Civil Aviation Adminis- about which models would be best suited there–evenly split between the mainland tration of China late last year. to their needs. In this regard, he believes and Hong Kong. According to Roger According to Hawker Pacific, this work marked the first scheduled maintenance event com- ­manufacturers such as Cessna have a duty Sperry, regional senior sales vice pres- pleted by an authorized service center for a Western business aircraft manufacturer in China to educate prospective buyers to help them ident for South America and the Far and the first by an independent maintenance organization. Hawker Pacific’s Shanghai base is an take a more balanced and pragmatic view East, demand for the company’s larger, authorized service center for Hawker Beechcraft. The 43,000-sq-ft maintenance facility is im- of what business aviation can deliver. longer-range models, such as the G450 mediately adjacent to the main FBO building. Wu also had a candid view of what and G550, continues to dominate. At the For its part Jet Aviation still harbors ambitions to get more permanently established in Chi- it will take to establish the sort of infra- same time, he claims that the market is na. “We started early in China, and you don’t always get rewarded for being brave,” said Christof structure and operating environment that showing growing interest in midsize mod- Spaeth, Jet Aviation’s senior vice president for MRO and FBO services in Asia, as well as Europe, business aviation will need to flourish in els such as the G150, which can more effi- the Middle East and Africa. “This is still a demanding area. China is a big country and there is a China. He warned against assuming that ciently serve shorter routes such as Hong lot of missing infrastructure. Finding trained personnel is also challenging, and there is still just just because this mode of transportation Kong to Beijing or Tokyo. a small fleet [of business aircraft] so it is hard to make an efficient start [in launching FBOs].” has won official recognition in China’s Sperry shares the view that China is In Spaeth’s view, the key starting point for building Chinese business aviation to its full latest five-year plan, it will therefore ben- now taking larger strides toward estab- potential is the availability of aircraft management services that would allow the country’s efit from government funding. Instead, lishing adequate infrastructure, with a fleet to expand and so provide the stimulus for investment in supporting services such as private enterprise will need to come up plan to add another 100 civil airports maintenance. In other words, it’s almost a classic Catch 22: no aircraft, no services but with investment and this has been a vexed over the next decade. “Actually we see also no services, no aircraft. issue, with foreign companies privately Article continues on page 34 u “We are intensively talking to potential partners and we are getting closer,” Spaeth told expressing frustration at bureaucratic Report continues on page 32 u AIN. “We are realistic about growth in China. Maintenance is a tough business model be- cause it is mainly new-generation aircraft for now. What we want to try to capture is access to managed aircraft. “The FBO side of the business is dependent on the relationship with the airport,” he added. “It is difficult to develop an independent FBO chain in China, because you need a link into the airport and it is natural for the airport to wish to keep the business to itself.” The perspective of rival bizav services group ExecuJet Aviation is similar. It has established an aircraft management and sales office in Beijing and a maintenance support joint venture at Tianjian, but it would like to get involved in handling too. “Infrastructure has been slow to develop in China largely as a result of the inability of private companies to obtain land at airports and the slow progress of foreign companies in partnering with local companies,” said Graeme Duckworth, managing director of ExecuJet Asia. Through its joint venture with Chinese partner Tianjin Haite, the Switzerland-based group is now building a full MRO facility at Tianjin, near Beijing. This is due to open in the second quar- ter, and ExecuJet is evaluating FBO ventures at several airports. “There has been a great deal of progress made regarding ease of ownership and operations of business aircraft in China, with bureaucracy being the primary reason for the delays in the past,” Duckworth told AIN. “In my view there is still more required in further opening up the air- ways, developing secondary business and private airports and streamlining government appli- At last year’s Asian Aerospace, Larry Flynn (left front row), then Gulfstream senior v-p of marketing and sales, cation processes generally.” –C.A. and Jin Chuan, of Hong Kong International Aviation Leasing, signed a memorandum of understanding calling for five G450s and G550s to go to the DeerJet subsidiary of Hainan Airlines Group’s .

30 Aviation International News • March 2012 • www.ainonline.com for successful fractional ownership offer- Operators prepare to expand ings. To that end, last month the company added five large-cabin aircraft to its exist- Chinese bizav’s flight envelope ing fleet of six managed aircraft. Bucholz claims that Asian clients will Asia Jet epitomizes the emerging pack simplify the myriad complications associ- expect a higher level of service and greater of private flight service providers jockey- ated with operating aircraft between these flexibility from a fractional ownership pro- 中 ing for position in China. The Hong Kong- territories. “But for now the barriers of gram than is currently the norm in the based operator was formed in 2008 by protection are still in place,” he concluded. West. Hongkong Jet and its backers intend investors who were on close terms with the For the time being, Asia Jet’s fleet con- to expand the program beyond China via then president of NetJets, Richard Santulli. sists mainly of Gulfstreams, including a network of commercial operators. The The objective had been for it to somehow a G200 and a G300 that it bought from group also has ambitions to move into partner with the U.S.-based fractional own- Toyota USA. More G200s and G150s business jet maintenance, with approvals to ership group, but that year’s major eco- and an Embraer Legacy 600 are due to work on several different makes of aircraft. nomic downturn put paid to that plan. be delivered to the jet card provider, some “The market here is growing extremely According to CEO Mike Walsh, plans of which will be directly owned and oth- quickly, and there is no sign of its slowing to break into mainland China through an ers leased. Also in the mix are a Bombar- down,” he told AIN. 国 alliance with Deerjet fell apart because of dier Challenger 605 and a Citation XLS+ According to Bucholz, the majority problems with an audit, so instead Asia Jet leased through Cessna. of new jet owners in China are private looked to launch its own answer to NetJets According to Walsh, demand and individuals rather than corporations. He through an alliance with Metrojet, which profit margins are stronger for aircraft in characterizes the typical new customer as already held a Hong Kong air operator’s the super-midsize and large-cabin classes. a workaholic tycoon who buys an aircraft certificate (AOC), allowing it to launch a Average flight times for Chinese clients are with personal funds rather than mak- new charter jet card. After Metrojet failed three hours and longer, with aircraft carry- ing the case for channeling the aircraft to secure an AOC for mainland China, Asia ing six or more passengers. One factor tip- acquisition through his company, even if Jet hitched its wagon to China Eastern Air- ping the balance against the use of smaller financing the aircraft through a loan or lines Executive Air, a new Shanghai-based jets is that landing and handling fees at lease would be more fiscally efficient. private jet offshoot of the Chinese airline. Chinese airports are not sufficiently differ- “When these people are buying their first 商 Even as NetJets prepares to announce entiated according to aircraft size. aircraft they are generally comparing the renewed plans to launch fractional own- In Walsh’s view, margins have become cabin experience to first-class airline service, ership in the Chinese market, Walsh indi- precariously thin, partly through what he which is very good in Asia,” said Bucholz. cated that Asia Jet could also start offering regards as predatory pricing strategies dic- Bucholz indicated that foreign compa- shared aircraft ownership options there. tated by some charter brokers. In these cir- nies have found it hard to break into the The key to this will be to find an efficient cumstances, he isn’t particularly keen to see Chinese market because generally they fiscal plan for making the best of what an influx of new competitors, but he expects have struggled to secure the right part- Walsh refers to as the “high barriers to this to happen in the none-too-distant future. nerships with local companies. A foreign entry in China,” most specifically a 24-per- “In a growing market where barriers to investor is allowed no more than a 49-per- cent tax on imported aircraft. entry are high, the barriers are somewhat cent stake in a Chinese company. 务 One option, maintains Walsh, is to treat welcome because otherwise there would be In his view, linguistic and cultural dif- the aircraft as a shared asset that is leased, a dogfight,” he concluded. “In China people ferences have been a bigger obstacle to the offshore, to Asia Jet, which in turn leases are expecting growth as high as 24 to 30 per- success of business aviation joint ventures it to China Eastern. For the owners this cent annually over the next 10 years or more, than China’s notorious bureaucratic maze. means paying tax on only the lease pay- but it can’t happen at the pace that the West- To operate effectively in China, ments, spread over the term of the lease, ern world would like,” Walsh told AIN. Bucholz maintains, it is imperative to do rather than on the full asset value. Both Walsh shares the view that Chinese offi- so under a Chinese AOC. In practice, but Deerjet and BAA Management have cials are quite consciously limiting busi- not officially, access to airspace and air- already adopted similar tactics. ness aviation market expansion to a pace ports is somewhat easier for Hong Kong- “The process for delivering aircraft into that they are comfortable regulating and based operators. Hongkong Jet believes it 航 China is still precarious and time-con- to make best use of limited infrastructure. benefits from its direct connections with suming, resulting in many owners keep- He believes that Chinese authorities know a major, established Chinese operator ing aircraft in China or on the N-register they could use some help from Western such as Hainan Airlines with strong con- [U.S.],” explained Walsh. In some cases, counterparts to break this logjam, but nections with aviation regulators. owners are able to import aircraft through that Westerners must wait to be asked for “In terms of operational flexibility, the city of Shenzhen, where reportedly this help. “It is better to have growth at a the situation is far better than it was 10 the bureaucratic barriers are less onerous. slow pace than to have it closed down alto- years ago,” said Bucholz. “Compared with In Walsh’s view, it is possible that the gether, and some people are simply too India, China is light years ahead and it will mainland Chinese government might impatient,” said Walsh. improve further, but at some point it will eventually recognize Hong Kong and Another up and coming operator is have to open up airways on the mainland.” 空 Macau–and maybe even Taiwan–as part Hongkong Jet, recently formed by China’s In December 2010, TAG Aviation of an “open skies” zone that would greatly Hainan Airlines as its new business avia- announced plans for a partnership in tion division under the leadership of Chris China with local operator First Manda- Bucholz. Deerjet is its sister company on the rin Business Aviation Company (trading Hong Kong-based Asia Jet is working through an alliance with Executive Air to provide charter and management services in mainland China. mainland, but the plan calls for Hongkong as Lily Jet). The planned joint venture Jet to get its own Chinese AOC eventually. has yet to materialize despite the fact The company’s first focus will be to that government approval for it had been serve foreign charter clients wanting anticipated by early last year, based on access to China and surrounding Asian Lily Jet’s existing AOC and Part 145 destinations. But Bucholz revealed that maintenance certification. Hongkong Jet also is to be the conduit However, the Switzerland-based group for a fractional ownership program to be has just announced new leadership for its launched this year. Last October it took Asian division. Carlos Gomez has taken delivery of its first aircraft, a G550. He over as CEO of TAG Aviation Asia, says Hainan Airlines has big ambitions which is based in Hong Kong. TAG Avi- in business aviation and plans to add doz- ation Asia was formed in 2006 and holds ens of aircraft over the next few years to a Hong Kong air operator’s certificate and start tapping economies of scale needed Part 145 maintenance approval. –C.A.

32 Aviation International News • March 2012 • www.ainonline.com BUSINESS中国商务航空 AVIATION IN CHINA uContinued from page 30 In the face of claims from concedes that CAAC is still business aircraft so valuable.” for the long haul,” he told AIN. infrastructure developing fairly some in the industry that Chi- firmly on a learning curve. In the face of what Sperry “In that sense, Gulfstream is an quickly, considering­ the starting nese officials are still slow to “We should recall that ease of characterizes as a Gold Rush overnight sensation more than a point,” he commented. “Airspace grasp the imperative to loosen use is a two-way street,” he added. mentality toward this exciting decade in the making. Our prod- is opening up, flight planning controls on business aviation “There is a fair amount of time- new market, he emphasizes that uct support organization grows is easier and quicker. However, growth, the Gulfstream execu- consuming red tape to fly a Chi- Gulfstream has taken a decid- with the fleet, with more parts in with rapid growth, ramp space tive insists there is now a more nese-registered aircraft into the edly long-term approach since the region, and Chinese-speak- in places such as Hong Kong is cooperative attitude. This is U.S. That means earlier planning getting its feet in the door 10 ing product support manage- at a premium. More FBOs and extending into the realm of get- on the part of Chinese compa- years ago. “It takes time to build ment and technical specialists hangar space will be needed ting Western aircraft certified in nies and deprives them of some relationships and trust, and to embedded with fleet operators across the region.” China, but in this respect Sperry of the spontaneity that makes reinforce that you are in a market such as Deerjet.” o ABACE Convention News

Count on AIN for Full Coverage of the ABACE 2012 Show

The Asian Business Aviation Con- ference & Exhibition (Abace) has the makings of being a watershed event for the industry’s development in China. Organized by the U.S. NBAA, the event is being staged at Shang- hai’s Hongqiao International Airport from March 27 to 29. As of early Feb- ruary, exhibit space for the show was sold out, except for a few slots on the static display, where 26 aircraft are already scheduled to appear. NBAA had already made plans for an ad- ditional pavilion to accommodate strong demand from exhibitors. “This news is further evidence of Abace’s standing as Asia’s premier business aviation event,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “We created a first-of-its-kind, enclosed exhibitor pavilion specifically to ac- commodate additional exhibitors, and to see that area sell out along with our original floor space under- scores the significant interest in the show in China and across the Asian region. Clearly, momentum contin- ues to build for a strong show that will give exhibitors an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate their products and services, and show- case the value of business aviation to a fast-growing marketplace.” Abace is being organized in part- nership with the Shanghai Airport Au- thority and co-hosted with the Asian Business Aviation Association and the Shanghai Exhibition Company. U.S. deputy transportation sec- retary John Porcari will be among speakers at the Abace opening ses- sion. The show will also feature educational sessions. For more in- formation see www.abace.aero. AIN will publish its award-win- ning special show editions on each day of Abace, as well as provide full online coverage from the event. Also available at the show will be the first Chinese language edition of the annual Buyer’s Guide pub- lished by AIN sister publication Business Jet Traveler. –C.A.

34 Aviation International News • March 2012 • www.ainonline.com