China Archives | Corporate Jet Investor https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/place/china/ Events | News | Opinions Thu, 25 Apr 2024 11:04:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 ExecuJet Haite finishes first Falcon 7X engine change https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/execujet-haite-finishes-first-falcon-7x-engine-change https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/execujet-haite-finishes-first-falcon-7x-engine-change#respond Thu, 21 Mar 2024 16:11:22 +0000 https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/?post_type=news&p=149704 ExecuJet Haite has finished the first engine change on a Falcon aircraft, a 7X, at its Tianjin MRO centre in northwest China. The trijet is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307A turbofans. The facility, equipped with a built-in overhead crane for engine changes and other heavy complex work, changed the number one engine, which ... ExecuJet Haite finishes first Falcon 7X engine change

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ExecuJet Haite has finished the first engine change on a Falcon aircraft, a 7X, at its Tianjin MRO centre in northwest China. The trijet is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307A turbofans.

The facility, equipped with a built-in overhead crane for engine changes and other heavy complex work, changed the number one engine, which was then shipped out for engine repairs.

“Chinese Falcon operators previously had to send aircraft to Shanghai or more often it went overseas for engine changes,” said Paul Desgrosseillers, general manager of ExecuJet Haite. “However, after this most recent event we have now demonstrated that it can be successfully performed at our Tianjin facility.”

The MRO facility has a track record of Rolls-Royce and GE engine changes for other aircraft types, such as Embraer Legacy and Embraer Lineage aircraft. ExecuJet Haite performs line and base maintenance on the 7X and 8X. It is certified by the CAAC as well as by international regulators: US FAA, European Aviation Safety Agency, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, San Marino among others. Falcon 7X and 8X  trijets are Dassault Aviation’s most popular aircraft types in China.

Dassault Aviation recently renewed ExecuJet Haite’s authorised service centre (ASC) status for another three-year term.

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Air Charter Service: ‘Elections and China to shape charter market’ https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/air-charter-service-elections-and-china-to-shape-charter-market https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/air-charter-service-elections-and-china-to-shape-charter-market#respond Wed, 06 Mar 2024 11:28:17 +0000 https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/?post_type=news&p=149512 Worldwide elections and the resurgence of private jet flights in China are two key factors, among others, likely to shape the private charter industry this year, predicts Air Charter Service. More than 2bn voters will head to the polls in 2024 across 50 countries – including US, India and UK – according to the World ... Air Charter Service: ‘Elections and China to shape charter market’

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Worldwide elections and the resurgence of private jet flights in China are two key factors, among others, likely to shape the private charter industry this year, predicts Air Charter Service.

More than 2bn voters will head to the polls in 2024 across 50 countries – including US, India and UK – according to the World Economic Forum. The elections will have a dual impact on charter. “The biggest thing that may affect the market this year, is that more than half the world’s population will be heading for the polls over the next 12 months,” said Andy Christie, group private jet director, Air Charter Service. “This will mean both politicians trying to boost economies in the run up to elections but coupled with uncertainty around long term projects pending the results of the polls. The US economy in Q4 will certainly be affected by the November 5th presidential election,” he said.

The US charter market shrank by around 4% last year, but is still more than 20% up on pre-pandemic figures, according to Air Charter Service.

Charter in China

Charter in China showed particular potential. “I expect the Chinese private jet market to continue thriving after it really picked up again last year,” said Christie. “Long-range flights to Europe and the US became more popular and we expect this market to remain strong, as long as the geopolitical landscape remains stable.”

But global stability was far from assured in an increasingly volatile world. “A major concern this year is the increasing volatility in the Middle East, despite the surge in entertainment, being driven by Saudi Arabia,” he said. “The fragile nature of the current environment and potential effect on oil prices could derail the economic outlook, which would have a far wider reach than just the local markets.”

Elsewhere, the southern hemisphere markets of South America, Africa and Australasia made a quicker recovery post-Covid than some economies. All three are likely to continue to grow in the year ahead. 

European flights saw an 8% fall last year compared with 2022, but they remained 7% ahead of pre-pandemic levels. The company predicts private jet levels will remain similar this year, staying ahead of 2019.

Limited by shortage of pilots

But a potentially strong summer may be limited by a shortage of pilots and parts. “Both are still an issue for airlines, including the larger charter companies in the major aviation hubs, which could further impact the number of airlines and aircraft available on the market,” said Christie. While capacity should be too much of a limiting factor for the rest of the year, if it is that could offer an opportunity for the company. “We would expect to be approached to source replacement capacity from the global market.”

The combination of so many economic and political factors made it difficult to make firm predictions. “Overall, we think that flight levels will remain relatively flat, year-on-year, potentially with a slight increase in the first half of the year,” said Christie. “But this is likely to be offset by a decline in the second half as the uncertainty of elections potentially putting the decisions on long term projects on hold.”

Meanwhile, Don Dwyer, managing partner, Guardian Jet discounted suggestions that the 2024 US election is likely to curb pre-owned jet sales. While acknowledging some impact on sales linked to the 2012 election, he detected no impact in 2016 and 2020. “I just don’t see anything to slow down the train,” Dwyer told our Corporate Jet Investor London 2024 conference last month. 

 

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Amber Aviation to launch fractional ownership program in China by year-end https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/amber-aviation-to-launch-fractional-ownership-program-in-china-by-year-end https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/amber-aviation-to-launch-fractional-ownership-program-in-china-by-year-end#respond Mon, 26 Feb 2024 09:25:04 +0000 https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/?post_type=news&p=149293 Shenzhen-based business aviation company Amber Aviation announced that it has successfully completed its Series C funding round and will launch fractional aircraft ownership program by the end of the third quarter of 2024. Amber Aviation, under its sub-brand AmberNet, plans to launch a full fractional aircraft ownership program via which owners can purchase a share ... Amber Aviation to launch fractional ownership program in China by year-end

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Shenzhen-based business aviation company Amber Aviation announced that it has successfully completed its Series C funding round and will launch fractional aircraft ownership program by the end of the third quarter of 2024.

Amber Aviation, under its sub-brand AmberNet, plans to launch a full fractional aircraft ownership program via which owners can purchase a share representing a set number of flight hours per year with guaranteed availability and a minimum notice period of 24 hours.

At the end of the contract term, owners will be able to sell their fraction of the aircraft or continue with the program without incurring any additional acquisition costs.

“I am delighted to announce the successful closure of Amber Aviation’s Series C funding round. This achievement provides substantial financial backing for the imminent launch of our flagship initiative, the fractional ownership program, setting a solid foundation for a successful program introduction and future accomplishments,” said Chang Qiusheng, founder and president, Amber Aviation.

Amber Aviation garnered strong support from its existing shareholders during the Series C financing round for its sub-brand AmberNet.

Launched in April 2022, AmberNet launched China’s first fractional lease program to allow clients to own have aircraft without the high costs. This program resonated across Asia, with many clients choosing to join the program from across the region beyond China including growth economies in Southeast Asia.

The company said that one of AmberNet’s Gulfstream G450s was the busiest private jet in 2023, having flown more than 1,100 hours. With an average of 900 flight hours per aircraft, AmberNet achieved the utilisation rate for business jets in line with the industry average.

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Can China overtake India? https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/opinion/can-china-overtake-india https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/opinion/can-china-overtake-india#respond Fri, 29 Sep 2023 13:48:17 +0000 https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/?post_type=opinion&p=146765 “A year ago, the topic was when is China coming back? Now one of the key topics is that India is on the way. This does not just apply to business aviation. India has infrastructure constraints, not dissimilar to China. But it is wanting airplanes now,”says David Dixon, president, Jetcraft Asia. Dixon was talking after ... Can China overtake India?

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“A year ago, the topic was when is China coming back? Now one of the key topics is that India is on the way. This does not just apply to business aviation. India has infrastructure constraints, not dissimilar to China. But it is wanting airplanes now,”says David Dixon, president, Jetcraft Asia.

Dixon was talking after Corporate Jet Investor Asia, which ran last week in Singapore. China is still an important market – with new aircraft deliveries happening – but strong demand from buyers in southeast Asia and Australia have shifted the focus away.

It is easy to forget that mainland China only fully opened its borders to visitors in March this year. For more than two years it was closed, but despite this the country is one of the few markets not to have seen a big post-lockdown demand for business aviation. This is partly because so many aircraft left the country during Covid.

The aircraft that are still here are flying again, which is positive, but we have not seen the bounce that certainly we would have hoped to see in terms of transactional activity or aircraft coming back into the region just yet,” said Simon Bambridge, commercial director, TAG Aviation. “There is interest but we have not seen transactions come back yet.

The mainland Chinese fleet has fallen from more than 300 aircraft to about 200 now, according to speakers and attendees. This is now less than the fleet based in Nevada (and a lot less when NBAA BACE is running in Las Vegas).

It had already started falling before Covid partly because some owners were nervous about ownership. Although this has created opportunities for new products like Amber Aviation’s AmberNet fractional lease. 

Business is still good. There’s no doubt about. We are still growing, as are most of our colleagues here. There are aircraft still coming in, but there were a lot also going out in northern Asia in particular,” said Darren Broderick, CEO of ACAM, Asia’s largest operator. But the market is definitely slowing. The post-Covid rush, of first time buyers is done.

The falling fleet in China also means that there is a shortage of aircraft to charter.

“There is strong charter demand both from former owners and new billionaires,” said Alex Jiao, chief executive, Hongkong Jet, who also highlighted opportunities in other markets. This includes Singapore, which has attracted a lot of Chinese UHNWIs.

This shortage of aircraft available for charter – which is felt across much of the region – is also encouraging illegal charter. This is something that many of the speakers and attendees touched on. Everyone agreed that regulators need to do more ramp checks but there is no sign of that happening in most countries.  

On the whole, the operators attending are optimistic but not getting carried away. They see opportunities to grow, but no one expects a return to the gold rush of the early 2010s when Chinese buyers suddenly demanded aircraft.

All of the operators also have had aircraft grounded waiting for parts. Phil Balmer, director maintenance Asia, TAG Aviation, explained the pain that all operators have suffered. He is also optimistic they are slowly improving but said they are seeing some quality issues with new suppliers coming in.

“China will come back slowly, as a more rational market – and there are deliveries coming in,” says Dixon. “There is strong demand in southeast Asia – including Indonesia. But India is now the rising star.”

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Amber Aviation to take delivery of 20 jets from NetJets https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/amber-aviation-to-take-delivery-of-20-jets-from-netjets-921 https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/amber-aviation-to-take-delivery-of-20-jets-from-netjets-921#respond Wed, 17 Nov 2021 10:55:14 +0000 https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/?post_type=ourlatestnews&p=133616 NetJets is to transfer up to 20 aircraft to Amber Aviation over the next two years amongst other investment, as it assists the Asia-based firm in building up its core fleet. Amber has just closed its Series B funding round, as well as investment from NetJets, the firm will receive additional financing from existing investor ... Amber Aviation to take delivery of 20 jets from NetJets

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NetJets is to transfer up to 20 aircraft to Amber Aviation over the next two years amongst other investment, as it assists the Asia-based firm in building up its core fleet. Amber has just closed its Series B funding round, as well as investment from NetJets, the firm will receive additional financing from existing investor Hony Capital, and new investors Fung Investments, and Macau-based Liu’s Group.

NetJets said the aircraft will be transferred from its existing fleet which will then be operated under Amber Aviation’s AOC.

Adam Johnson, NetJets chairman and CEO, said: “The team at Amber Aviation shares NetJets ’commitment to safety and service, and is a truly collaborative partner that we look forward to working with alongside our respected co-investors. NetJets will also support Amber in the acquisition of additional business jets direct from various manufacturers with whom NetJets has long standing relationships.”

The funding will also assist Amber in setting up a new jet card, a membership club and a shared lease programme.

“The shared lease programme will be amongst the first in China,” said Chang Qiusheng, founder and president of Amber Aviation. “There’s a huge gap in the market for charter users that wish to take the next step towards full aircraft ownership given the financial undertaking required.”

Amber Aviation will receive its first aircraft in April next year, with the remaining aircraft due before the end of 2023. NetJets will also provide service support, sales assistance, product design and legal support.

Qiusheng added: “I am incredibly proud that NetJets chose Amber to be its partner, as it demonstrates how far Amber Aviation has come in the past four years since being set up. With NetJets’ assistance we can quickly build up the available fleet of aircraft so that we can be ready once international borders fully reopen. We understand that the size of the fleet is very important, so by having aircraft in place ready, we are sure that we can be successful.”

Amber is planning to base its new aircraft across major cities in China and Asia, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Macau, Hong Kong and Singapore.

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China sees surge in demand for CCAR-129 approval  https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/china-sees-surge-in-demand-for-ccar-129-approval-328 https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/china-sees-surge-in-demand-for-ccar-129-approval-328#respond Wed, 22 Jul 2020 13:55:27 +0000 https://corporatejetinvestor.com/?post_type=ourlatestnews&p=125186 There has been a surge in demand from operators attempting to gain CCAR-129 approval primarily due to a big  increase in cargo flights to-and-from China, Carlos Schattenkirchner, regional director for China, UAS International Trip Support, told Corporate Jet Investor.   The CCAR-129 is a commercial requirement for operators who run more than 10 flights in a 12-month window. Below ... China sees surge in demand for CCAR-129 approval 

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There has been a surge in demand from operators attempting to gain CCAR-129 approval primarily due to a big  increase in cargo flights to-and-from China, Carlos Schattenkirchner, regional director for China, UAS International Trip Support, told Corporate Jet Investor.  

The CCAR-129 is a commercial requirement for operators who run more than 10 flights in a 12-month window. Below that threshold the approval is not required. However, if above 10 flights, CCAR-129 approval is a mandatory step, without holding it any further commercial operation is not possible and your request for landing rights, permit and slots will not be met. 

Schattenkirchner said that most wide-body business jet operators will rarely cross that 10-flight threshold, however since the outbreak of the pandemic the demand on humanitarian cargo has risen dramatically. Schattenkirchner said he has seen many wide-body operators using their fleet to pick-up cargo from China. He notes those operators might soon fall into the category since they have been operating more flights in the region. 

“The demand will remain high in the coming months because, even if the need of humanitarian cargo decreases, the international belly cargo and passenger transport remains heavily interrupted,” said SchattenKirchner. 

“Especially when it comes to essential industrial spare parts or specialised technician teams. We likely will move to a high demand and the market requirement for wide-bodies with their seating and belly cargo capabilities will remain high.” 

Schattenkirchner notes that the CCAR-129 approval is not a common practice globally and so many operators might fall into this category without being aware. It is also important to note that the CCAR-129 only applies to commercial operations, not private, the distinction is made by the number of seats in the aircraft. Any aircraft with more than 29 seats is considered by default as commercial and not private, irrespective of the flight category. Actual headcount on board is also not considered, only the certified seating capacity. 

Schattenkirchner said: “The CCAR-129, in essence, is a check of your  operational  standards and documents, rather than a normal permit. This means, the CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) will ask for a lot of documents to be presented. I.e. the AOC, OPS-Specs, Aircraft documentation,  handling agreements etc. The CAAC wants to ensure that the applicant is meeting operational standards in China and complies with the safety and operational standard requirements. This is why the entire process is very time consuming and requires a lot of communication between all parties.” 

Following the pandemic’s outbreak, specifically for humanitarian flights (pick-up of relief goods) the process has been simplified by the CAAC. According to Schattenkirchner the Chinese authorities are very focused on reducing the processing time and there have been efforts to also minimise the required documentation.  

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Business aviation in China in 10 key moments https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/business-aviation-in-china-in-10-key-moments-258 https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/business-aviation-in-china-in-10-key-moments-258#respond Wed, 08 Jan 2020 10:03:17 +0000 https://corporatejetinvestor.com/?post_type=ourlatestnews&p=119858 China is one of the most exciting and dynamic business jet markets in the world. But it is also one of the most frustrating. Here we chart 10 key moments, identified by the China Business Aviation Group (CBAG), that tell the story of business aviation’s development in the country. From its earliest roots in 1995, ... Business aviation in China in 10 key moments

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China is one of the most exciting and dynamic business jet markets in the world. But it is also one of the most frustrating. Here we chart 10 key moments, identified by the China Business Aviation Group (CBAG), that tell the story of business aviation’s development in the country. From its earliest roots in 1995, right the way through the gold rush of the late 2000s, China’s business jet market has had more peaks and troughs than any other market still in its infancy.

According to a new list of the top 10 most important moments ‘ground zero’ was in 1995 when the first business jet delivered to a civilian entity entered the country.

The first business jets in China were quasi-military. China United Airlines, then the VIP transport division of the Chinese Army, ordered five Bombardier Challenger 601s, with the first delivery taking place in August 1986.

That first civilian aircraft was a Learjet 55 registered as B-3980. Although the aircraft only stayed in the country for three years before being sold onwards, the aircraft is important not only as it was the first business jet in the country, but also because its owner was Hainan Airlines, which would later go on to create its own business jet operator and management company – Deer Jet.

The aircraft operated its first charter flight on April 21st 1995, and operated a Beijing to Dunhuang and back again flight on behalf of ESSO.

Two years later, a major breakthrough came with the delivery of the first privately-owned business jet to be delivered into China. Broad Air Group, mostly commonly known for its air conditioning systems, took delivery of a Cessna CitationJet in October 1997. That aircraft is still with the company today, although it is now joined by a Citation Excel at its Guangzhou base.

The next two major developments according to CBAG were the founding of the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) in 1999, and the first Asian Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (ABACE) being held in 2005.

Although neither AsBAA nor ABACE are China-centric, each has helped immeasurably with the establishment of the industry in China. AsBAA has several China Chapters and has been key in lobbying the government to open its airspace and effect changes needed to help the industry grow.

ABACE is the premier business aviation show in the region. It was first held at Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport in 2005 and continues to be held there to this day.

In the year that the first ABACE was held Hainan Airlines, Deer Jet business aviation division when it took the first aircraft to be managed in China under its wing. It was Raytheon Premier 1 B-8018 that was owned by Hangzhou Daoyuan Group.

The next important milestone came in time for the 2008 Olympic Games, which was held in Beijing that year. Deer Jet built a new FBO at the airport to handle all the extra business jet flights that year. Unfortunately, due to current Chinese government rules, only one FBO is allowed to operate per airport in China. Deer Jet still operates the FBO, however, aircraft have to be towed from the Deer Jet facility to the CJET facility before they can be used.

Deer Jet now operates the largest FBO network in China, with facilities in eight key Chinese cities, including Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Xi’an.

Towards the end of the CBAG Top 10 list are events that are all shaping the future development of the market in the country.

Two of the biggest hurdles to growth have traditionally been a lack of infrastructure to support business aviation in the country, as well as the Chinese Air Force retaining tight control over the county’s airspace.

Whilst there is infrastructure in the largest cities, there is a distinct lack of the necessary facilities to support business aviation operations in smaller cities. China has one of the most developed domestic airline networks in the world, with multiple airlines running multiple daily services between top tier cities. While Beijing to Shanghai remains as the top city pairs linked by business jets, until we see facilities in smaller tier 2 and tier 3 cities, the fear is that business aviation will not grow within the country.

The country’s airspace has also been a major barrier to growth. Large swathes of China’s airspace are still controlled by the military, making direct routings between cities almost impossible. China’s grip on its airspace affects all types of aircraft operations in the country, but it’s the airspace below 1,000 meters that has had the biggest effect on business and general aviation development, with many operators complaining that they aren’t able to compete effectively due to the heavy restrictions that they face.

The publishing in 2010 of the government’s ’Opinions on Deepening the Reform of China’s Low-altitude Airspace Management’ was the beginning of airspace issues being addressed, and helped promote the development not only of business and general aviation in the country, but also its aviation manufacturing sector as well.

This was followed in 2016 with the ‘Guidance on Promoting the Development of General Aviation’ document that promoted the construction of build 500 general airports in prefecture-level cities before end of 2020.

But perhaps one of the most important developments in recent years came in 2017 when China released its 13th Five-Year Plan.

China’s Five-Year Plans have been released every five years since 1953. They are designed as a focal point for the next five-year period and put forward national agendas that are focussed on social and economic development.

The 13th Five-Year Plan, released in 2017 is seen as a key moment in the development of business aviation in China as it explicitly mentions developing general aviation in the country.
Although much of the plan focusses on safety, it also proposed that there should be 500 general aviation airports in operation by the end of 2020.

The Chinese government is currently researching the themes for its new Five Year Plan, which is due to be approved and published by 2021.


Read the full list of 10 key moments that have shaped Chinese business aviation below.

1) 1995 – A Learjet 55 becomes the first civilian business jet to be delivered into China
2) 1997 – Broad Air Group takes delivery of a Cessna CitationJet – the first privately owned business jet in China
3) 1999 – Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) is formed
4) 2005 – The first Asian Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (ABACE) is held in Shanghai
5) 2005 – Deer Jet signs the first management contract – A Raytheon Premier 1 for Hangzhou Daoyuan Group
6) 2008 – Deer Jet opens Beijing FBO
7) 2010 – Chinese government publishes “Opinions on Deepening the Reform of China’s Low-altitude Airspace Management”
8) 2016 – China’s State Council released “Guidance on Promoting the Development of General Aviation” in 2016 aiming to build 500 general airports in prefecture-level cities before end of 2020.
9) 2017 – Fee’s for registering aircraft are abolished, as is the need to apply to the government before acquiring aircraft
10) 2017 – China’s 13th Five Year Plan is published and aims to promote general aviation in the country

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Sino Jet subsidary GEOSTAR leads China’s specialist travel market https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/sino-jet-subsidary-geostar-leads-chinas-specialist-travel-market Mon, 25 Mar 2019 10:59:48 +0000 http://192.168.192.229/corporate-live/?p=115461 In 2018, Sino Jet subsidiary, GEOSTAR, has been rising the ranks of specialist travel service providers in China. The company is making a mark on the business aviation industry as specialist “flying clubs” are on the rise in the region. The company says that despite a slowdown in the Chinese economy, it has performed well ... Sino Jet subsidary GEOSTAR leads China’s specialist travel market

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In 2018, Sino Jet subsidiary, GEOSTAR, has been rising the ranks of specialist travel service providers in China.

The company is making a mark on the business aviation industry as specialist “flying clubs” are on the rise in the region. The company says that despite a slowdown in the Chinese economy, it has performed well and retained its position by adapting to market conditions and personalising its services to meet clients’ evolving expectations.

The company’s leader, President Ms. Zhao Lingyun said, “As a group, Sino Jet is entrepreneurial. GEOSTAR follows this model and we seek opportunities to be first-to-market by adapting our services to growing trends”. She explained that since 2015, specialist travel services and “flying clubs” are growing in popularity in China. These clubs provide bespoke, once-in-a-lifetime experiences including driving across the Sahara Desert, exploring the islands of the Pacific and a trip to Antarctica.

Zhao said “As the China market matures, bespoke service models are emerging. Clients are now more discerning, and they expect personalised and exclusive services. We quickly adapted because our niche business model is more sustainable than a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Our clients use business jets to gain access to previously inaccessible parts of the world. They work with GEOSTAR to obtain specialist travel guidance for unusual destinations, while leveraging that platform to network with China’s elite. The combination of niche travel, business jet transfers and elite networking provides a special circle that would otherwise be very difficult to access. This is attractive to Chinese customers”.

The company, which forms part of the wider Sino Group, makes use of three of Sino Jet’s aircraft to escort Chinese entrepreneurs on highly specialist travel experiences around the world. As the preference for highly-personalised experiences has grown in China, GEOSTAR has developed a suite of travel options to meet the demand. GEOSTAR has also secured several high-profile collaborations with popular brands to give its clients access to certain privileges while travelling. GEOSTAR provides access to golf clubs, medical and wellness services, financial services and specialist high-end hotels and properties. The company is becoming a growing presence in the bespoke travel sector in China.

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Sino Jet employs data analytics to achieve China’s highest standards https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/sino-jet-employs-data-analytics-to-achieve-chinas-highest-standards Wed, 30 Jan 2019 16:07:32 +0000 http://192.168.192.229/corporate-live/?p=114221 In 2018, Sino Jet Ltd. was the first operator in mainland China to reach IS-BAO stage III, the internationally recognized safety standard from the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC). The company’s President in Beijing, Ms. Chris Wu, has since shared that Sino Jet leverages data analytics to continually advance its safety record, enhance efficiency, and ... Sino Jet employs data analytics to achieve China’s highest standards

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In 2018, Sino Jet Ltd. was the first operator in mainland China to reach IS-BAO stage III, the internationally recognized safety standard from the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC).
The company’s President in Beijing, Ms. Chris Wu, has since shared that Sino Jet leverages data analytics to continually advance its safety record, enhance efficiency, and improve business practices.

IS-BAO stage III is the highest level in a six-year performance-based assessment that specifically recognises compliance with IS-BAO standards and practices. Sino Jet is the first operator in Mainland China to reach stage III, which followed an in-depth audit and rating of its Safety Management System (SMS) since 2013. The company’s SMS is used to identify and prevent risk. Hazards and latent dangers are identified, addressed, then measures are put in place to prevent potential risks. As an end-to-end process, the data is then also used for training purposes to improve and maintain the highest international safety standards.

The essential criteria for obtaining Stage III certification is to gather, store, and monitor a multitude of operational data and then comprehensively evaluate it to promote safety. Sino Jet has evidenced during the certification process that it has satisfied this rigorous evaluation in a way that is unique among operators in mainland China.

IS-BAO evaluations are conducted every two years to ensure that standards are well-maintained. As the first Chinese operator to reach this standard, Chris Wu, who leads on the company’s safety programmes, shared the context behind the achievement. She said that the company leverages data analytics to maintain its safety record and boost efficiency, carrying out flight quality monitoring projects by analysing a series of operating parameters and data. This information is then used to develop Sino Jet’s pilot training and skill enhancement programmes. Using analytics from its large pool of data, the company continually evaluates its efficiency and safety capabilities, setting new goals to refine processes and continually conducting risk evaluations.

Chris Wu, President of Sino Jet Beijing, said, “becoming the first company in mainland China to obtain IS-BAO Level III certification is a huge honour and an enormous responsibility. We have set the bar for the industry in mainland China and we will continually re-evaluate our systems to ensure that we maintain this standard for our stakeholders. This is a huge milestone for Sino Jet and one that will support the company as we continue to grow. We thank the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) for recognising and supporting Sino Jet’s SMS. We worked hard to reach this point and we will remain focussed on delivering safety, security, service and value to our stakeholders. We thank the industry for its recognition.”

“Sino Jet is a well-established organisation. One of our differentiators is that we consistently prioritise stability, safety, service and standards above all other business goals. We are proud to have evidenced this over the last six years of continuous successful safety assessments. We retain a competitive edge by ensuring an unwavering commitment to these values, while also seeking new business opportunities in growth sectors,” said Jenny Lau, Founder and Group President of Sino Jet.

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China stalls https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/china-stalls-587 Thu, 17 Jan 2019 11:37:06 +0000 http://192.168.192.229/corporate-live/?p=114010 In a speech in the middle of December last year, Xiang Songzou, Renmin University’s senior fellow of the Center for International Monetary Research, cast doubt on the Chinese government’s official GDP growth numbers. According to a report on the Epoch Times website Xiang said that through a combination of his own research and access to ... China stalls

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In a speech in the middle of December last year, Xiang Songzou, Renmin University’s senior fellow of the Center for International Monetary Research, cast doubt on the Chinese government’s official GDP growth numbers.

According to a report on the Epoch Times website Xiang said that through a combination of his own research and access to some official documents, China’s recent growth was not the 6.5% that the National Bureau of Statistics had said, but more like 1.67%.

Worse still, Xiang said that some estimates put China into negative growth territory.

Xiang made the speech on the eve of president Xi’s address to mark the 40th anniversary of China’s transformation initiated by Deng Xiaoping from a centrally planned economy, to more market driven one.

The legitimacy of China’s officially released growth data has been questioned several times in the past. Search on Google for ‘Real China GDP growth’ and you’ll see many article titles like “China’s real growth rate: what’s true and what’s fake?” and “What’s China’s actual GDP?”. Of course, if you are in China you won’t be able to use Google and, perhaps unsurprisingly, a search on Baidu for the same terms brings back an entirely different set of results.

Regardless of whether the GDP growth figures have been massaged or inflated, recent figures have shown that growth has been slowing.

Since 2010 the official growth rate has been slowly falling. It is too early for the country to release its full-year figure for 2018, but in the third quarter, growth had slowed to 6.5%, a touch lower than the 6.6% that was projected.

Part of that slowdown can be attributed to the China-US trade war. Although in reality it has not, for now at least, had much of an impact on trade figures, the knock-on effect has been a lowering of consumer confidence inside China.

Although the trade war started in earnest in July 2018, anecdotal evidence suggests that Chinese consumers had curbed their spending habits long before that. This was very much evidenced late last year when Apple released a statement saying that its 2018 financial year figures would be lower than expected because of weaker sales in China.

Apple blamed the slowing Chinese economy for the decline. Chinese consumers blamed Apple’s high prices.

Apple’s sales of its new iPhone models in China have fallen, but the worst might still be to come. A recent report on the Nikkei Asian Review suggests that Chinese companies are offering its employees incentives for dumping Apple products, following the arrest of Chinese phone and tech company Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou who was detained by the Canadian authorities in Vancouver on December 1 2018 at the request of the US Government which accuses her of being part of a Huawei cover up after breaking sanctions on sales to Iran.

China struck back by arresting two Canadian citizens, saying that they had endangered the country’s national security. A third Canadian was later arrested for working illegally in the country.

Since the arrests the US has upped its travel advisory for its citizens to what it calls a Level 2 alert, where people travelling to China should exercise increased caution. The advisory says “Exercise increased caution in China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws as well as special restrictions on dual U.S.-Chinese nationals.”

But it is not only Apple that has been struggling in China. Ford, the car manufacturer, has also seen its sales slide in the country. In 2018 its sales were 37% lower than in 2017.

Apple and Ford are of course two completely different beasts. Whilst the newer iPhone models are eye-wateringly expensive, they are usually bought using cash. Very few cars are bought outright this way, many times they are financed by the car dealership, or the customer takes out a loan to buy the car.

But with uncertainty surrounding the state of the economy, people are less likely to make big purchases. They are even less likely to take out a financing agreement or loan.

To encourage more people into spending, the government introduced new tax rules at the beginning of January, where individuals could deduct certain expenses, including the interest on mortgage payments against a first property.

The tax cuts that China has introduced are untested in the country. The last time any changes was in 2011 when a modest rise in tax was implemented. Many analysts and economist are unimpressed with the cuts, suggesting that it might be too little, too late to make much difference in short term consumer spending.

Whilst the lack of short-term confidence in the market has affected consumer spending, it is also a reason for why the business-jet market in China has started to slow down.

Early in 2018, the market was okay. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was okay. China had started to accept pre-owned aircraft and in its annual fleet report Asian Sky Group said that China’s business-jet fleet had grown by 9% in 2017.

But that confidence has also waned. Or at least short-term confidence has. People talk now of a winter of discontent, but a winter that lasts for several years.

Independently we have been told about slowing aircraft deliveries and aircraft leaving the country. We have also been told of Chinese customers holding back on replacement plans and even of aircraft repossessions.

Jenny Lau, president of Hong Kong-based operator Sino Jet and chairperson of the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) told Corporate Jet Investor during an interview on November 2018 that China’s slowdown is part of the global cycle and pointed to slowdowns in Europe and the US several years before.

“It’s going to get better soon, and I hope that period can be shorter than expected,” says Lau. “But this industry is closely linked with the economic cycle. Normally people say it is around 14 months behind, but I see the cycle being much closer. Maybe it is eight months to one year following the economic cycle for our industry.”

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