CAAC (), formerly the People's Aviation Company of China (), was the airline owned by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (which it inherited its common English name and acronym from). It enjoyed the monopoly status in the country from 1953 to 1987, before Deng Xiaoping's reform of separation of government and enterprise.
The airline was founded on 17 July 1952, and merged into the CAAC on 9 June 1953. From 1987 until 1991, the monopoly was broken up and CAAC was split into six regional airlines, which nowadays became China's Big Three airlines: Air China (Beijing-based), China Southern Airlines (Guangzhou-based), and China Eastern Airlines (Shanghai-based).
Separation In 1987, the State Council decided to split CAAC airline into multiple airlines in order to encourage operating efficiency and profitability. Between 1987 and 1991, six airlines were formed, each named after the geographic region of their main operating areas:
Air China, the flag carrier, based in Beijing (established 1988), inherited the IATA and ICAO airline code of CAAC China Southwest Airlines, based in Chengdu (established 1987; merged into Air China in 2002) China Eastern Airlines, based in Shanghai (established 1988) China Northwest Airlines, based in Xi'an (established 1989; merged into China Eastern Airlines in 2002) China Southern Airlines, based in Guangzhou (established 1988) China Northern Airlines, based in Shenyang (established 1990; merged into China Southern Airlines in 2004)
CAAC used the IATA code CA on international flights only; domestic flights were not prefixed with the airline code.
CAAC's aircraft livery featured the Chinese national flag on the vertical stabilizer, with blue stripe cheatline and Chinese version of CAAC logo (designed by Lu Shifang in 1965, with the calligraphy of Premier Zhou Enlai) on a white fuselage. Most of the livery designs, especially the blue stripe cheatline, were also used by Air China.
Destinations In 1962, CAAC began operating international services, initially to other countries in the communist bloc, such as the Soviet Union, Mongolia, North Korea, Laos, Burma, Bangladesh, North Vietnam, and Cambodia.1964 timetable scans By the mid-1980s, CAAC had long-haul service to the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia, mainly using American Boeing aircraft, while continuing to use Soviet aircraft on routes to Eastern Europe.1985 route map
This is an incomplete list of destinations served by CAAC: CountryCityAirportNotesAustraliaSydneySydney Airport British Hong KongHong KongKai Tak Airport BangladeshDhakaHazrat Shahjalal International Airport Tejgaon Airport BurmaMandalayMandalay Chanmyathazi Airport YangonYangon International Airport CambodiaPhnom PenhPhnom Penh International Airport ChinaAksu CityAksu Hongqipo Airport AnkangAnkang Wulipu Airport BaoshanBaoshan Yunrui Airport BaotouBaotou Donghe Airport BeijingBeijing Capital International AirportBeijing Nanyuan Airport ChangchunChangchun Dafangshen AirportChangshaChangsha Datuopu AirportChifengChengduChengdu Shuangliu International AirportChongqingChongqing Baishiyi Airport DalianDalian Zhoushuizi International Airport FuzhouFuzhou Yixu Airport GuangzhouGuangzhou Baiyun International AirportGuilinGuilin Qifengling Airport GuiyangHaikouHaikou Dayingshan Airport HailarHulunbuir Hailar AirportHamiHami Yizhou AirportHangzhouHangzhou Jianqiao Airport HarbinHarbin Taiping International AirportHefeiHefei Luogang AirportHefeiHefei Sanlijie AirportHohhotHohhot Baita International AirportHotanHotan Kungang AirportJinanJinan Zhangzhuang AirportJiayuguan City/JiuquanJiayuguan Jiuquan AirportKaramayKashgarKashgar Laining International AirportKunmingKunming Wujiaba International Airport KuqaKuqa AirportLanzhouGongxingdun AirportLanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport LhasaLhasa Gonggar AirportNanchangNanchang Xiangtang AirportNanjingNanjing Dajiaochang Airport NanningNanning Wuxu International Airport NingboNingbo Lishe International Airport Pu'er CityPu'er Simao AirportQingdaoQingdao Liuting International Airport SanyaSanya Phoenix International Airport ShanghaiShanghai Hongqiao International AirportShanghai Longhua Airport SharasumeShenyangShenyang Dongta AirportTachengTaiyuanTaiyuan Wusu International AirportTianjinTianjin Binhai International Airport TongliaoTongliao AirportÜrümqiÜrümqi Diwopu International Airport WuhanWuhan Wangjiadun Airport XiamenXiamen Gaoqi International Airport Xi'anXi'an Xiguan AirportXichangXichang Qingshan AirportXilinhotXilinhot AirportXiningXining Lejiawan Airport YantaiYantai Laishan Airport YinchuanYinchuan Xihuayuan AirportYiningYining AirportZhanjiangZhanjiang AirportZhaotongZhaotong AirportZhengzhou Zhengzhou Dongjiao AirportEthiopiaAddis AbabaAddis Ababa Bole International AirportFranceParisCharles de Gaulle AirportIndonesiaJakartaHalim Perdanakusuma International AirportKemayoran AirportSoekarno–Hatta International AirportIraqBaghdadSaddam International Airport JapanNagasakiNagasaki Airport OsakaItami Airport TokyoHaneda Airport KuwaitKuwait CityKuwait International Airport LaosVientianeWattay International AirportMalaysiaKuala LumpurSultan Abdul Aziz Shah AirportMongoliaUlaanbaatarBuyant-Ukhaa International AirportNorth KoreaPyongyangPyongyang International Airportalign=center|North VietnamHanoiGia Lam AirportPhilippinesManilaNinoy Aquino International Airport PakistanKarachiJinnah International AirportRomania BucharestHenri Coandă International AirportSingaporeSingaporeChangi Airport Soviet UnionIrkutskInternational Airport IrkutskMoscowSheremetyevo International Airport SwitzerlandZürichZürich Airport ThailandBangkokDon Mueang International Airport United Arab EmiratesSharjahSharjah International Airport United KingdomLondonGatwick AirportUnited StatesLos AngelesLos Angeles International Airport New York CityJohn F. Kennedy International Airport San FranciscoSan Francisco International Airport West GermanyFrankfurtFrankfurt AirportYugoslaviaBelgradeBelgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
Fleet
CAAC consisted of the following aircraft:Klee, Ulrich & Bucher, Frank et al.: jp airline-fleets international 88. Zürich-Airport 1988, p. 10–13.
+ CAAC civil fleetAircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotesAirbus A310-300519851988All transferred to China Eastern AirlinesAntonov An-2138Antonov An-121419681988Antonov An-247819691988Antonov An-266619741988Antonov An-301319751988British Aerospace 146-1001019861988Boeing 707-320B1019731988Boeing 737-2001119831988Boeing 737-300419861988Boeing 747-200B419831988Boeing 747SP419801988All transferred to Air ChinaBoeing 757-200219871988All transferred to China Southern AirlinesBoeing 767-200ER419851988All transferred to Air ChinaConvair CV-24011949Douglas DC-31Harbin Y-114119761988Harbin Y-12319881988Hawker Siddeley Trident 1E419701975Hawker Siddeley Trident 2E3519721988Hawker Siddeley Trident 3B219751981Ilyushin Il-12419481987Ilyushin Il-145319541988Ilyushin Il-181719641988Ilyushin Il-62719711987Lisunov Li-23119491987McDonnell Douglas MD-82819831988Mil Mi-85719721988Tupolev Tu-154M1219851988Vickers Viscount719631983
Accidents and incidents 1950s On 16 April 1952, Aero Ae-45 952 crashed on landing at Majiagou airfield, Harbin following forest spraying; no casualties. On 30 August 1955, Lisunov Li-2 322 swerved off the runway on landing at Beijing Xijiao Airport after losing hydraulic power; all four crew survived and the aircraft was undamaged, but a 12-year-old boy crouching in the grass and unnoticed by the crew died after he was hit by the aircraft. The hydraulic failure was caused by poor maintenance. On 9 July 1956, Aero Ae-45 958 crashed in Lushi County, Henan Province during a geological survey flight due to an inaccurate map and flawed operation protocol, killing all four on board. On 7 August 1956, Douglas C-47 101 crashed into a pit while taxiing near a short airstrip at Baoding; all 10 on board survived. The aircraft had been re-engined with Shvetsov ASh-62 engines. On 5 April 1958, Ilyushin Il-14 632 struck a mountain from Xi'an while flying too low, killing all 14 on board. The crew had violated minimum safe altitude requirements. On 20 August 1958, Flight 502, a Douglas C-47 (106) lost control and crashed in Lai'an County, probably due to encountering turbulence in a thunderstorm, killing all 13 on board. On 11 October 1959, Ilyushin Il-14M 646 crashed short of the runway at Diwopu International Airport due to poor visibility stemming from a dust storm; no casualties. 1960s On 29 July 1960, a CAAC Shijiazhuang Y-5 crashed at Jinniu District, Chengdu after failing to recover from a dive, reportedly killing two. On 14 August 1960, Shijiazhuang Y-5A 8307 was struck from behind by Shijiazhuang Y-5A 8311 over Chuanshan District, Suining. Both aircraft crashed, killing all six on board both aircraft. For unknown reasons, 8311 did not respond to the ground controller's instructions and warnings before the collision. On 21 August 1961, Shijiazhuang Y-5 18168 crashed on climbout at Henchuan due to a broken propeller blade; both pilots survived. On 31 August 1961, Shijiazhuang Y-5 107 struck a hill in Chengdu in cloud during a training flight, killing both crew. The instructor and student pilot were both inexperienced in IMC. On 26 September 1961, Shijiazhuang Y-5 18188 struck Qinglongshan (Blue Dragon Mountain), Henan Province, killing all 15 on board. The aircraft entered IMC conditions and the pilots, not qualified to fly in IMC, asked ATC to ascend to a high altitude to climb out of the clouds. ATC never responded and the pilots decided to descend below the clouds to get visual reference and struck the mountain in the process. On 16 June 1962, Shijiazhuang Y-5 18090 flipped over on landing at Zhangjiakou; no casualties. The trainee copilot applied the brakes by mistake during landing. On 6 September 1962, Shijiazhuang Y-5 18237, Shijiazhuang Y-5 48484 and Douglas C-47 105 were written off at Longhua Airport following damage by a tornado that had spawned from Typhoon Amy. On 1 September 1964, Shijiazhuang Y-5 18185 hit powerlines and crashed in Liaoyang County while spraying pesticide, killing both pilots. The pilot probably left the spraying area to dump leftover pesticide before returning. On 15 February 1966, Shijiazhuang Y-5 18152 struck trees and crashed in a mountainous area in Yongdeng County, Gansu Province due to a navigation error; all four on board survived. On 26 April 1966, Shijiazhuang Y-5 18027 crashed in Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous County, Guizhou Province during an aerial seeding flight, killing both pilots. The aircraft entered a valley that it could not climb out of and it crashed and burned. On 27 July 1966, Shijiazhuang Y-5 18116 crashed in Shayang County while spraying crops; both pilots survived. The pilot pulled up without increasing engine power and made a right turn. As a result, the aircraft entered a dive and crashed. On 20 March 1967, Shijiazhuang Y-5 8205 struck a power line and crashed in the Chang'an District after drifting off course during a low-altitude training flight, killing all three on board. On 1 July 1967, Shijiazhuang Y-5 8007 crashed in Changxing County while crop spraying; both pilots survived. The crew had misjudged the height of a mountain and could not avoid a collision with terrain. On 22 October 1967, Shijiazhuang Y-5 8025 struck Hou'erbao mountain (Wen County) during an aeromagnetic survey flight, killing all seven on board. Due to the remote location, the wreckage was not found until July 1968; CFIT in poor visibility was blamed. On 10 September 1968, Shijiazhuang Y-5 8420 struck a mountain at Mianyang during an IFR training flight, killing both pilots. The aircraft had strayed off the planned route by around ; the pilot probably failed to use navaids to check the aircraft's position.