On August 15, CAAC held the Monthly Meeting on Safe Operation Trend Analysis with the aim of analyzing the trend of civil aviation safe operation and making further deployment for future civil aviation safe production. CAAC Administrator Feng Zhenglin stressed that the whole industry shall stick to the general principle of “making progress while ensuring stability”, properly handle the relationship between safety and regularity, and make efforts in the four aspects of strictly controlling the operation volume, precisely understanding the operation standards, continuing to improve support capabilities, and strengthening technical support, so as to lay a solid foundation for reaching the goals of safe operation and flight regularity this year. CAAC Deputy Administrators Li Jian and Dong Zhiyi, and major chiefs from CAAC departments and bureaus and some civil aviation entities from Beijing attended the meeting.

Feng Zhenglin pointed out that in this July, although the industry maintained a steady and safe condition, the industry faced a number of issues, such as continuous operation with heavy flow and high density, extreme weather conditions and other events, which resulted in more complex operation environment, higher pressure on safety base line, and noticeable contradiction between aviation safety and flight regularity. The industry shall insist on the general principle of “making progress while ensuring stability” and practically balance safety and regularity while keeping the safety base line.

First, the proper handling of the relationship between safety and regularity shall be reflected in strict control of operation volume. Therefore much importance shall be attached to controlling operation volume, from one hand by persisting in strict standards for adding flights and increasing transport capacity, and from the other hand, improving capacity evaluation, basing it on analysis and judgment of operation facts, making scientific capacity evaluation by comprehensively taking into account the support ability of airports and air traffic control, and strictly implementing the evaluation in operation, so as to ensure enough margin for safe operation, leave space for adjustment of flight regularity, and truly make the total operation capacity match safety support capability without working in an abnormal condition.

Second, the proper handling of the relationship between safety and regularity shall be reflected in the precise understanding of operation standards. It is required to coordinate operation standards, safety margin and operation efficiency. Air traffic control authorities shall keep up with the times, upgrade their mindset, establish an appropriate incentive and restraint system, and make full use of limited airspace on the prerequisite of guaranteeing safety. Relevant department shall also include factors related to air traffic management efficiency into the evaluation of flight regularity, conduct scientific assessments on air traffic management ability and indexes, and try to improve air traffic management efficiency on the basis of guaranteeing safety.

Third, the proper handling of the relationship between safety and regularity shall be reflected in continuous improvement of support capabilities. The industry shall lay a solid foundation, pay attention to resource capacity building, continue to enhance communication and coordination with the military, and promote the pilot reform projects of delicate airspace management in south central area, eastern China and northern China. The industry shall also increase the efficiency of airspace resource utilization, and expand airspace as much as possible; enhance ground support capabilities, and draft ground resource distribution plans in advance for building, reconstruction and extension of large airports; formulate timetables and expedite the transfer of ramp operation management.

Fourth, the proper handling of the relationship between safety and regularity shall be reflected in the strong technical support. Technology is the basis of safety, efficiency and benefits. New technology application shall be integrated with the industry’s innovations in concept, management and system. The rigid way of thinking shall be resolutely avoided, and advanced technology which are beneficial to civil aviation safety and service quality enhancement shall be introduced with a more open mindset. In the meanwhile, the industry shall further improve the process, advance innovations of operation and management patterns, research on and solve outstanding problems lying in CDM system, and comprehensively carry out the building of A-CDM system.

Feng emphasized that the industry shall grasp the advantageous time when the effects of thunderstorm weather conditions and other events tend to decline after August, to stick to the safety bottom line, make great efforts to reduce delays due to airlines reasons while guaranteeing safety, and try to significantly increase flight regularity.

Feng lauded civil aviation staff’s outstanding performance in disaster relief efforts for earthquake-stricken areas in Jiuzhaigou of Sichuan and Jinghe of Xinjiang. He required that during their disaster relief work, civil aviation entities shall earnestly implement the instructions of state leaders on earthquake relief work. They are asked to summarize their experience in previous efforts based on CAAC’s requirements and deployment of emergency response for earthquake relief, look for their deficiencies, enhance accountability, strengthen coordination and continue to do a good job in safe operation.

In July, the civil aviation industry showed a good momentum of growth. The year-on-year growth rates of total air transport turnover, passengers carried, and cargo & mail carried were respectively 10.9%, 11.4% and 4.7%.