March 1, 2025, marks a significant regulatory change for business aviation operators planning flights to China. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has upgraded its “Preflight” landing permit application management system, introducing new documentation requirements that all operators must satisfy.

New Documentation Requirements

Effective March 1, 2025, all business aircraft operating to China must provide the following documents through the updated CAAC Preflight system:

1. Aircraft Nationality Registration Certificate
2. Airworthiness Certificate
3. Radio Station License
4. Insurance Certificate
5. Noise Certificate
6. Cabin Layout
7. Authorization Letter

The Authorization Letter requirement deserves special attention, as it combines two previously separate authorizations into a single document. This letter serves to:

• Authorize youandler as your long-term handling agent in China
• Provide trip-specific authorization for your upcoming operation

Authorization Letter Signing Requirements

The good news is that CAAC has implemented fairly flexible signing requirements for the Authorization Letter:

• Any employee of the operator may sign the document
• No specific position or title is required for the signatory
• A standard company stamp is sufficient
• No specialized seals or notarizations are needed

What This Means for Your Operations

These changes represent a streamlining of CAAC’s documentation processes, combining multiple authorizations while simultaneously requiring more comprehensive aircraft documentation upfront.

For operators with established operations to China, this primarily means ensuring all aircraft documentation is current and readily available in electronic format for upload to the Preflight system. For those planning their first trips to China, these requirements highlight the importance of working with an experienced handler familiar with CAAC’s evolving regulatory framework.

How Universal Aviation China Can Assist

When you choose Universal Aviation China as your handling agent in China, we will:

• Provide you with the template for the new combined Authorization Letter
• Guide you through the documentation requirements
• Submit all required documentation through the Preflight system
• Monitor your landing permit application status
• Provide updates on any further regulatory changes

We will continue to send specific reminders for individual trips to China, ensuring all documentation requirements are satisfied well ahead of your scheduled operations.

Looking Ahead

These changes reflect CAAC’s ongoing modernization of its permit application processes. While additional documentation is now required, the consolidation of authorization letters represents a positive step toward streamlining the application process.

We will continue to monitor developments with CAAC’s Preflight system and provide timely updates as the situation evolves.

For more information or assistance with your China operations, please contact your Universal Trip Support team.