In a notice dated 22 April 2026, CAAC’s Airworthiness Certification Department released four draft industry standards for public consultation, headlined by the first dedicated Safety Management System (SMS) requirements for Chinese airlines and airports. The package also includes specifications for human-machine interfaces in air-traffic-control automation and two standards governing 5G AeroMACS applications for ground-movement guidance and vehicle coordination. The move aligns China with ICAO Annex 19 and reflects lessons learned from the 2022 China Eastern MU5735 accident, after which investigators urged regulators to codify proactive risk-management processes. If adopted, carriers will need to designate accountable safety executives, implement data-driven hazard-identification programmes and submit annual SMS performance reports to CAAC. For airport operators, the drafts are equally consequential. The proposed AeroMACS standards pave the way for high-bandwidth 5G networks on the airport surface, enabling real-time tracking of aircraft and service vehicles. Trials at Guangzhou Baiyun have already cut average taxi-out times by 90 seconds per flight, saving an estimated 3,900 tonnes of fuel annually.
![China Drafts New Aviation-Safety and 5G AeroMACS Standards, Invites Comments Until 17 May]()
For aviation professionals who will be traveling to China to support SMS implementation, AeroMACS roll-outs, or related audits, VisaHQ can expedite the necessary visas and travel documents. The company’s China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) provides step-by-step electronic filing, status tracking, and live assistance, helping engineers, trainers, and safety inspectors arrive on schedule and fully compliant with local entry requirements.
Industry stakeholders have until 17 May to file comments via a standard feedback form; CAAC has signalled that implementation could begin as early as Q4 2026. Airlines should therefore start gap-analyses against the draft SMS clauses, while ground-handling providers should evaluate the CAPEX and cybersecurity implications of 5G antenna deployment. Global operators will welcome harmonisation but must note China-specific nuances: the draft mandates Mandarin-language safety-risk briefings for foreign flight crews and obliges airlines to integrate the country’s new “Civil Aviation Data Net” into FOQA (Flight Operations Quality Assurance) uploads. Compliance teams should budget additional training time and software-interface work before the rules go live.
For aviation professionals who will be traveling to China to support SMS implementation, AeroMACS roll-outs, or related audits, VisaHQ can expedite the necessary visas and travel documents. The company’s China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) provides step-by-step electronic filing, status tracking, and live assistance, helping engineers, trainers, and safety inspectors arrive on schedule and fully compliant with local entry requirements.
Industry stakeholders have until 17 May to file comments via a standard feedback form; CAAC has signalled that implementation could begin as early as Q4 2026. Airlines should therefore start gap-analyses against the draft SMS clauses, while ground-handling providers should evaluate the CAPEX and cybersecurity implications of 5G antenna deployment. Global operators will welcome harmonisation but must note China-specific nuances: the draft mandates Mandarin-language safety-risk briefings for foreign flight crews and obliges airlines to integrate the country’s new “Civil Aviation Data Net” into FOQA (Flight Operations Quality Assurance) uploads. Compliance teams should budget additional training time and software-interface work before the rules go live.
