Corporate flight from Europe to China

[New on NG]

Hi everyone!
I'll do my firs flight toChina and i would like to ask for some hints.
Thanks!!

[inbalance]

Be on time, as in your entry permission to China.
If you are not on time, they won´t let you in.

Inbalance

[INNflight]

China is EXPENSIVE, esp. the larger airports like ZBAA.

Get estimates up front for everything to have a general idea, if possible avoid having to pay in cash (ask for a pro-forma invoice maybe and pay up front) as you'll be lurking a TON of money around with you otherwise.

[FrankR]

Flying to China from Europe is not that big a deal, but remember that business aviation is a new concept in China. Here are a few things I learned flying there:

- You may be able to request higher, but don't count on it.
- You may get "40 right for spacing" or "slow to .80" when 2 hours from your destination.
- Very doubtful you will get any shortcuts.
- You may take 30-40-50 minutes to get pushback clearance OR sit at the hold bars to take off. They are very very conservative when allowing takeoff or landing. It's the opposite of ORD or EWR, where they stack you in as close as possible.
- Count on "3-5 mile offset right" once at altitude.
- Controllers will request your code often.
- You are cleared to altitude in Meters, and must use the Chinese charts for conversion.
-You must have a crew ID in possession to gain access to the aircraft.
- It's very safe in China, they post 24 hour guards at your aircraft (really).
- Hong Kong and Macau are not part of China for travel, visa, listing as an alternate etc.
- Catering can be a problem, your hotel is the best bet.

If you give me more specifics as to AC, destinations, departure airport I can perhaps give you a few more helpful tips.

- Hope this helps
FR

[FrankR]

Hi INNflight, you indicate that China is expensive. What are you comparing it to, and what were your costs?

Thanks,

FR

[Oldschoolflyer]

Agree with FrankR. It's no big deal, controllers struggle with English so pay attention.

Hotels are good, try and get exec rooms, usually a free bar!

It's interesting...

[con-pilot]

Hi INNflight, you indicate that China is expensive. What are you comparing it to, and what were your costs?

Thanks,

FR

It's been a few years since my last trip to China, but one of the fees they charged us was a 'pollution' fee for each leg you fly in China. If I remember correctly it was $2,000.00 USD a leg.

Then when you are coughing your lungs out while on the ground in China because of the terrible pollution that is all over China, you really wonder if that fee is really necessary.

Somehow I just didn't believe that the pollution caused by a Falcon 50 was all that significant when compared to all the other sources that pollute the air so badly in China.

[INNflight]

Hi INNflight, you indicate that China is expensive. What are you comparing it to, and what were your costs?

Thanks,

FR

Not sure what to compare it to really.

One aircraft I worked on in my last job went to ZBAA among other chinese airports, I found approx. 10,000 US$ landing / parking fee for a short trip very rough for a CL30.

What con-pilot said as well obviously.
Re. ATC... heard from others that they even got a 360° turn at cruising altitude "for separation".

[KPHOU]

Hi New on NG,

We recently published a series of posts on our blog covering business aviation ops to China which you may find useful: China | Universal® Operational Insight Blog.

Ken Paynter
Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc.