Recently, to implement the decisions and requirements on fighting COVID-19 as deployed by the Party Central Committee and the State Council, CAAC issued a notice on adjusting the processing method for civil aviation related administrative approval applications during the outbreak, by promoting online or none-contact channels, which aimed to steadily and orderly proceed civil aviation administrative approval in the prerequisite of safeguarded life and health of the people.

According to the notice, whole-procedure online processing is now available through an electronic system for review and approval of applications for Civil Aircraft Pilot License, Physical Examination Certificate for Air Crew and Air Traffic Controllers, and Qualification Certificate for Civil Aircraft Maintenance Personnel, after which an electronic license would be issued. For Qualification Certificate of Civil Aviation Air Traffic Controllers and Certificate of Civil Aircraft Registration, application and review will be conducted online while issuance of certificate will be proceeded via fax or mail. For those without available online processing channels, paper application materials could be sent via mail or fax and so will be the paper certificate. For the review and issuance of Civil Airport License, intended on-site inspections will be replaced by remote ones; and for the commercial non-transport operator project, the originally planned on-site inspection and supplementary qualification certification via flight inspection will be substituted by remote inspections with video recordings provided by operators.

The notice provided that, for projects need to be examined and surveyed on field such as “approval on qualification of air operator for dangerous goods transport”, “approval on site and master plan of civil airport”, “approval and review of newly built, reconstructed and expanded civil airport as per due authority”, and “Production License of Civil Aircraft (Engine and Propeller)”, the administrative organ shall discuss with the applicant to modify or adjust on-site review plans or only execute necessary random inspections. For first-time application of “Civil Aviation Safety Inspection Equipment and Facilities Use Permit”, procedures for organization, preparations and summary of on-site verification should be simplified, and coordination should be done via telephone, video meeting, correspondence and other means. For necessary on-site inspection, survey and verification, the working time, place and implementation method shall meet local epidemic prevention and control requirements.

The notice specified that “Business License of General Aviation Enterprises” and “Registration and Approval of Non-commercial General Aviation Activities” will apply a notification-and-commitment policy, where administrative organ would publish conditions for approval, and grant approval after a qualified enterprise makes a written commitment; for “Professional Project Acceptance Approval of Transport Airport”, partial reconstruction and expansion projects except for new runway and terminal construction, the same notification-and-commitment policy is applied. After the applicant submits the completion acceptance report and quality supervision report, the administrative organ will approve acceptance and carry out relevant inspections after the outbreak is over.

The notice also specified that the validity of some projects will be extended with or without an assessment, and further updated review will be arranged after the epidemic.

For initial qualification certification of “commercial non-transport operator”, initial qualification certification of “civil aircraft pilot school” and other non-urgent proceedings, CAAC will suspend administrative approval process.