China has grounded flights operated by private light fixed-wing aircraft nationwide following last week’s fatal plane crash into Beijing’s tallest building, according to a Financial Times report on Monday, citing aircraft operators across the country.
The authorities have issued a nationwide airspace control order covering recreational flights, effectively banning all related flying activities. The restrictions have not been publicly announced.
The move comes after a twin-seat aircraft crashed into CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, in Beijing’s central business district during evening rush hour on Friday.
The 528-metre-high skyscraper is the tallest building in the Chinese capital.
Local authorities said on Saturday that the sole pilot aboard the aircraft was killed in the crash, while 13 people on the ground were injured.
According to the report, the suspension affects private light fixed-wing aircraft operations across the country, citing industry operators familiar with the directive.
Chinese authorities have launched an investigation into the crash but have not disclosed any details about the possible cause of the incident.
Further information is awaited as the investigation continues.
Tightly controlled
The reported suspension of private light aircraft operations comes against the backdrop of one of the world’s most tightly regulated airspace systems, where the Chinese military exercises primary control over access and flight approvals.
Airspace over Beijing, in particular, is subject to some of the country’s strictest restrictions due to its political and strategic significance.
According to a Reuters review of official aviation navigation regulations, a permanent no-fly zone covering approximately 100 square kilometres is enforced over the heart of the Chinese capital.
The restricted area encompasses key political and government sites, including Tiananmen Square and Zhongnanhai, the leadership compound that houses the offices and residences of China’s top political authorities.
The no-fly zone lies immediately west of Beijing’s central business district, where the city’s tallest skyscrapers, including the recently struck CITIC Tower, are located.
Aircraft activity over central Beijing is highly unusual. While helicopters and other aircraft operated by police or government agencies are occasionally seen in the area, and military flypasts take place during major national celebrations, civilian aircraft rarely operate near the capital’s dense urban core.
Commercial airlines are generally routed around the city centre, while low-altitude general aviation flights are largely confined to outlying districts and designated corridors on the city’s periphery.
Authorities have also tightened controls over unmanned aircraft. Earlier this year, Beijing introduced a citywide ban on drones, significantly restricting their sale, transportation and storage within the capital as part of broader efforts to strengthen airspace security.
The timing of Friday’s crash has added to official sensitivities. The incident occurred only days before the ruling Chinese Communist Party marks the 105th anniversary of its founding on July 1, a politically significant occasion that typically sees heightened security measures across the country.
The crash and the subsequent reports of a nationwide suspension of recreational flights are likely to intensify scrutiny of low-altitude aviation management and place additional pressure on regulators to tighten oversight of private aircraft operations.
Investor sentiment in China’s emerging low-altitude aviation sector appeared to reflect those concerns. Shares of CITIC Offshore Helicopter fell about 4 per cent on Monday, while Zongsen Power Machinery dropped 7.7 per cent, amid concerns that stricter regulations could weigh on growth prospects for the industry.
With inputs from agencies
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