note

Former flag carrier of People's Republic of China. State owned enterprise created in 1954 as CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration Company) by the government. In its beginning fleet of Lisunov Li-2s (Soviet built Douglas DC-3s) were used gradualy replaced by Ilyushin IL-14 and IL-18s. Airline purchased its first western aircraft Hawker Siddeley Tridents in 1972 after 2 year trial lease of the type from Pakistan International Airlines. In 1973 CAAC purchased Ilyushin IL-62s and Boeing 707s and established its first long-haul routes. In February 1980 first wide-body, a Boeing 747SP, entered service. CAAC functioned like many national airlines of communist states. It operated passenger and cargo airline service as well as utility flights for the government, and the civil aviation administration buys and owns airplanes used by national carrier. In 1988, pursuant economic reforms, CAAC became purely government agency overseeing commercial aviation in the country and new company called Air China was create to take over CAAC's international airline business. Domestic operations were split into newly established China Northern, China Southern, China Northwest, China Southwest and China Eastern Airlines. Flight Inspection Center: 18 North Wuhu Rd, Capital Airport

founded - demised (age)

1954 - present  (71years)

headquarters

23 Tianzhou Road Area A, Beijing

web

www.caac.gov.cn

official

base airports

ZBAA Capital International Beijing (Peking)
ZUGH Guanghan Chengdu	CCAFC

related operators

Air China	successor
China Northern Airlines	successor
China Southern Airlines	successor
China Eastern Airlines	successor
China Northwest Airlines	successor
China Southwest Airlines	successor