USTDA Names Projects for China ACP
Jul. 20, 2007
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has identified and secured funding for the four projects that are part of the latest phase of the U.S.-China Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP), an agency official said.
U.S. industry members of the ACP will contribute US$2.3 million toward the third phase of the agreement, said Henry Steingass, USTDA regional director for Asia. This builds on the US$1.69 million the agency has pledged toward the projects. Chinese government agencies will also contribute toward the projects, but details were not available at press time.
Steingass said the four projects the agency will fund are executive management and training programs for Chinese officials, pilots and industry executives; transport aircraft continued airworthiness, maintainability analysis and certification training; studies on regional and general aviation markets in China; and studies on air traffic flow management systems.
USTDA and U.S. industry members will work with Chinese government and airframers to bring that country's airworthiness certification up to FAA standards, especially for new aircraft, such as the planned Chinese regional jet, Steingass said.
For regional and general aviation, Steingass said USTDA is breaking with its usual practice and is working with industry partners Rockwell Collins, Honeywell, UTC, Textron, GE, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to commission Booz-Allen Hamilton to study the emerging market in China. General aviation is almost non-existent in the country, but its importance in training pilots and flying to underserved areas is recognized by the Chinese government, he said.
A preliminary study on regional and general aviation in China is expected to begin in the fall.
USTDA is teaming with Boeing, FAA and others to study air traffic management in China. The main aim is to find ways to increase capacity in the system, Steingass said. The U.S. will contribute funding and technical expertise in airspace management to the project. A preliminary study is expected to wrap up in mid-2008, he said.