ZBAA/Beijing: New departure rules

There are some new rules at ZBAA about how to go about getting clearance to depart. The new guidance doesn’t seem to have been officially published anywhere yet, but ground handling agents have been handing out a bit of paper translated from Chinese. Check out the image below for original version, which shows what you need to do. Here’s the short version:

Make sure your tow tug is in position.
Contact the delivery frequency for ATC clearance. Tell them you’re ready to go.
Next, contact the ground frequency to apply for clearance to push-back and start-up. (This clearance can only be given by controllers on the ground frequency, not the delivery frequency.)

Also, it’s been reported by an Opsgroup member that if you do not then push-back within 5 minutes of getting your clearance, you will get bumped to the bottom of the pile. Same thing happens if your EOBT is more than 15 minutes early or late from the filed time in the FPL.

Remember, slots are required at ZBAA, and GA aircraft are not permitted to arrive/depart between peak hours 0700-0900 local. There’s also only 24 hours maximum parking time allowed at ZBAA for foreign GA.