The CAAC-ACP Eighth Airline Operations Safety Symposium (AOSS), held on March 21-22, was co-hosted by AmCham China’s Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP) and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on Standardized and Differentiated Operation Control. The event was sponsored by The Boeing Company and supported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United Airlines, FedEx, UPS, Collins Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace, Mesa Air, and Pratt & Whitney.
The two-day symposium welcomed 230 attendees and included featured presentations from CAAC, FAA, Chinese airlines, US airlines, and other stakeholders. Notable speakers included CAAC Chief Pilot Wan Xiangdong, ACP Co-chair and Boeing China President Sherry Carbary, Consulate General of the United States of America in Shanghai, Deputy Consul General Daniel Delk, CAAC Flight Standards Department Director General Han Guangzu, FAA Flight Standards Deputy Executive Director Caitlin Locke, The Boeing Company Development Programs and Customer Support Senior Vice President Mike Fleming, and ACP Co-chair and FAA North Asia Senior Representative Noel Arbis.
The agenda included presentations from over 43 experts on topics such as Airlines Operation Center Operation and Regulation, SMS Implementation and Other Measures to Mitigate Operation Risks, Flight Dispatcher Training and Qualification Management, Aircraft Performance, and New Flight Technology.
Both CAAC and FAA acknowledged the importance of ACP and the benefits of public-private partnerships. ACP derives a large part of its success from the strong support it obtains from the CAAC and the US government. The strong representation from the FAA is a testament to the importance of the US-China aviation relationship. As CAAC Chief Pilot Wan and others stated, events like this are win-wins for the global aviation industry.
During the Symposium, leaders provided favorable recognition for an agreement between China Southern Airlines, Collins, and The Boeing Company to conduct an Enhanced Vision System Trail Project to improve flight safety and efficiency. CAAC and ACP also plan to host several other similar symposia later in the year to deepen and expand their already strong aviation safety cooperation.