NetJets announced today that it has been granted its air operator certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and can begin charter operations within the country, making it the first international aircraft operator to earn that distinction.
“It’s part of our overall expansion plan at NetJets, not just from a geographic perspective but also from a product perspective,” said company chairman and CEO Jordan Hansell. “The first product offering will be a charter operation; we hope to follow that up shortly with a full management program similar to the one run by our sister unit, Executive Jet Management, in the United States and in Europe.”
The company currently has a pair of Hawker 800s stationed in Zhuhai available for ad hoc charter. Previous CAAC timelines lead NetJets to anticipate receiving approval for aircraft management services around the beginning of the year.
“At some juncture we hope to offer fractional flying in China,” added Hansell. “It’s our view at the moment that a true fractional experience is probably a bit premature.”