Forum aims to bond U.S., China aviation agencies

Forum aims to bond U.S., China aviation agencies    Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Civil Aviation Administration of China jointly launched the U.S.-China Airport Environmental Partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to the successful U.S.-China Aviation Cooperation Program at a China-U.S. aviation symposium held this week in Beijing.
   The symposium, according to the U.S. Trade Development Agency is being held to promote 'a high-level dialogue between the United States and China to address current and future challenges to the growth of the aviation sector, including discussions on how to mitigate environmental impacts from increased commercial aviation.'
   The idea is to develop solutions that aid trade and promote aviation environmental sustainability.
   “Working in cooperation with our government partners and the U.S. and Chinese civil aviation industries, we are helping our aviation systems grow together in mutually beneficial ways,' said USTDA Acting Director Leocadia I. Zak. 'By sharing experiences and best practices with each other, we can achieve results that will strengthen our respective systems and shape the future of commercial aviation.”
   In the last two decades, China’s civil aviation sector has undergone significant development and that development is expected to continue despite the current global economic crisis. Total air traffic volume is expected to double by 2010 from 2005 levels. China is planning to spend $30 billion on aviation infrastructure in 2009 and $17 billion on airport construction and expansion over the next five years.
   USTDA also said it awarded a $1.2 million grant to expand the U.S.-China Aviation Cooperation Program, funding that will go toward developing an environmental best practices technical assistance program between the two countries, as well as executive management training and air traffic management programs.
   'The programs are designed to expose (Civil Aviation Administration of China) managers and future leaders to U.S. aviation practices, procedures and technologies as they work to establish a framework for managing the continued growth of China’s aviation sector,' USTDA said.