China’s CCAR-129 explained: Business aviation operators currently operating humanitarian and cargo flights to China may urgently require a CCAR-129 approval to ensure their missions stay on schedule. The Civil Aviation Authority of China allows foreign operators to operate a limited number of flights without having a CCAR-129 approval. Without CCAR-129 approval, the number of flights cannot exceed 10 within the period of a year. Here’s everything that you need to know about CCAR-129 and how we can help you get it.
What is CCAR-129?
CCAR-129 is a regulation that ensures frequent operators to China are complying with CAAC operational and safety standards and requirements. To ensure this, the CCAR-129 regulation was implemented under which operator approvals are reviewed and checked for compliance with CAAC regulations.
Who needs a CCAR-129?
Any foreign air carrier who:
Holds an Air Operator Certificate and appropriate Operations Specifications, approved and issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of the State of the Operator (CAA) authorizing it to conduct public air transportation
Operates airplanes or helicopters into and out of China to provide scheduled public air transportation or non-scheduled public air transportation (29-seat rule)
Please note that public air transportation refers to aircraft operations transporting passengers, baggage, mail or freight for commercial purposes.
When is this regulation applicable?
When you are preparing scheduled operations to China, CCAR-129 is necessary
If you are preparing non-scheduled operations to China, CCAR-129 will be required when you operate more than 10 flights per consecutive 12 months
What is the difference between CCAR-129 and traffic rights?
They are very different things. To operate commercial non-scheduled flights to China an operator will need:
Traffic rights
Landing permit
Slots
The CCAR 129 approval is a basic requirement to get the traffic right approval. Operators with less than 10 flights within the previous 12 months are exempted of the CCAR-129 until they reach the benchmark of 10 flights within 12 consecutive months, after that when you applying for traffic rights, the operator is requested to provide relevant approval part of CCAR-129.
Is application through aircraft registration or aircraft type?
The CCAR-129 approval is valid only for the applied aircraft registry, airport, and other details that you applied.
I am a scheduled operator; do I need an ITP to apply on my behalf?
UAS can apply for the CCAR-129 on behalf of any operator who needs it, operators can also apply themselves.
How long will it take to get?
CCAR-129 can take between 60-90 days to process, sometimes this is shorter for humanitarian fights. UAS can significantly expedite this because we review and check all documents before application to reduce potential delays. The average time mentioned can vary if the operator doesn’t provide all necessary documents and translations, has insufficient documents, or any delays occur.
Please note: A central component of CCAR-129 is an SGHA between the operator and the airport and cannot be substituted by any ITP under normal circumstances. UAS can act on behalf of the operator to communicate with the airport for the SGHA processing to reduce the time significantly and arrange handling on behalf of the operator.
Our team based in Beijing has CCAR-129 expertise and application experience to take you through the process of obtaining or renewing your CCAR-129. If you need support obtaining or renewing your CCAR-129 certificate quickly, economically, and stress-free, click here.
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Mitch Launius
Instructor Pilot for 30 West IP
Mitch is the CEO of 30 West IP where he is also an instructor providing pilot training on international procedures. With an illustrious career of over 34 years in the cockpit, Mitch has acquired over 13,000 hours of flight time flying worldwide, with over 9,000 hours of this in Challenger and Gulfstream aircraft. He is an experienced safety officer and was also an IS-BAO project manager for a fortune 500 flight department. He has presented on Safety and Operations topics at the NBAA International Operators Conference and the Canadian Business Aviation Association Convention and is currently on the NBAA International Operators Committee and serves as the North Atlantic Regional Lead. Mitch is also a member of an FAA working group on General Aviation International Authorizations and Tabletop Exercises (GIATE). He was recently selected to represent IBAC as a member of the ICAO Personal Training and Licensing Panel (PTLP) and was also recently named as a 2020 recipient of the NBAA Tony Kern Professionalism in Aviation Award for his contribution to the business aviation community.
Henry ‘Duke’ LeDuc
Director Of Operations, Americas, UAS International Trip Support
Duke has been a dearly respected member of UAS Americas team and the UAS global family for more than five years. A safety-oriented, FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher, he oversees all of the operations of the elite UAS Operations Team. With twenty-five years of experience in aviation overall with more than fifteen years of experience in international flight planning and VVIP trip coordination, he is responsible for the development of the dispatch training program and involved in the strategic development of UAS Americas. With a myriad of rich aviation experience behind him, he has extensive experience in worldwide operations with both corporate and charter environments, including seven years as Operations/Dispatch Manager in an industry-leading, Fortune 500, IS-BAO Stage III Certified corporate flight department. Duke is frequently asked shares his knowledge at major industry events and is currently serving on the NBAA’s International Operators Conference (IOC) Planning Committee.
Dudley King
President and Founder, FlightBridge
Dudley is the Founder and President of FlightBridge, which he established in 2011 and has been focused on technology solutions for the private aviation industry since 2006. Since he graduated from Dartmouth in 1988, he has worked with an array of companies listed anywhere from VentureWire to the Fortune 100. A rare blend of executive, entrepreneur, and consultant, Dudley’s executive roles have included acting CIO positions for several companies and tech advisory services to CEOs trying to rebuild their technology organizations or looking for an external, professional point of view. Highly skilled at deeply understanding his customer’s business challenges and drawing from a long and varied experience in information technology services, Dudley excels at designing technology solutions to solve their problems.
Dr. Paulo Alves
Global Medical Director, Aviation Health, Medaire
Paulo has extensive experience in medical advisory in the aviation industry. As a cardiologist, he provides technical guidance and analysis for MedAire’s MedLink medical advisory service and is MedAire’s liaison with civil aviation regulators and industry associations. Paulo worked with Varig Brazilian Airlines for 23 years, 10 of which were spent as General Medical Manager. A member of the MedAire Medical Advisory Board, Paulo is also President of the Ibero-American Aerospace Medical Association, a member of the International Academy of Aerospace Medicine, a member of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Safety Committee, a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA), and a Fellow of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. Throughout his illustrious career, Paulo has held industry leadership roles including Chairperson of the AsMA’s Air Transport Medicine Committee, President of the Airlines Medical Directors Association, President of the Brazilian Society of Aerospace Medicine and was a member of the IATA Medical Advisory Group from 2002 to 2006.
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