Flight Schools Implicated in Training Chinese Military Pilots

Miki Barnes
April 7, 2023

"...it has emerged that pilot training schools in the United States and Canada, too, have trained Chinese pilots and are recruiting pilots from other countries with the objective to train Chinese air force pilots...Out of the 5,000 pilot cadets needed by China each year, roughly 3,000 are trained each year in schools in the US, and another roughly 800 cadets in other countries, including Australia, Canada, and South Africa."

Almost daily, media reports focus on the growing threat of Chinese authoritarianism – from a Chinese intelligence gathering spy balloon flying over U.S. military bases to concerns about incursions in the South China Sea and Chinese plans to take over Taiwan. As stated in a 4/6/2023 BBC report, "China has sent warships, including an aircraft carrier, into the seas around Taiwan... China's President Xi Jinping has said 'reunification' with Taiwan 'must be fulfilled' - and has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve this."

A few short years ago the world witnessed China's brutal suppression of the Hong Kong democracy movement. Meanwhile human rights abuses against the Uyghurs and Tibetans continue unabated. President Xi has also demonstrated his support for Putin's unrelenting attack on the sovereignty of the Ukrainian people.

Yet for-profit flight schools based at publicly-funded U.S. airports, with a wink and a nod from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Homeland Security, foist the cost of training pilots on behalf of the People's Republic of China onto the American people. In addition to the serious national security and safety ramifications, the communities bearing the brunt of the training are subjected to relentless noise and pollution. A review of the flight schools involved revealed that many of the U.S. airports where the training of Chinese and other foreign pilots occurs are among the top lead-polluting airports in the country.

The following excerpts are from a 10/20/2022 Sunday Guardian article, Companies Based in US, UK, Canada, NZ, France Boost Chinese Air Capabilities:

"After revelations that former pilots of the British army were training Chinese trainee pilots of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at a South Africa-based institute, it has emerged that pilot training schools in the United States and Canada, too, have trained Chinese pilots and are recruiting pilots from other countries with the objective to train Chinese air force pilots. Aviation experts and related companies based in the United Kingdom and who have offices in New Zealand, Sweden, and Singapore, have carried out a similar exercise. The Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom, has recently named a South African company, Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), situated at Oudtshoorn town, Western Cape province of South Africa...in an intelligence threat alert and alleged that the company was recruiting former British military pilots to work in China and possibly help train Chinese military personnel in [exchange for] lucrative salaries.

"As per UK's intelligence agencies, many of the Chinese pilots that are trained by these institutes do not disclose that they are associated with the PLA and seek training by posing as would be 'civilian pilots.' [Bold and italics added] As per a list shared with The Sunday Guardian, there are 35 pilot training institutes across the world from where Chinese nationals can take pilot training. This list is maintained by the Civil Aviation Authority of China. These institutes are based in Australia, the United States, the Czech Republic, France, and Canada. The Sunday Guardian has accessed the list. (List enclosed, which has been translated from Mandarin to English).

The list of 35 pilot training institutes authorized by China to provide pilot instruction is reproduced below.

 

Following is a survey of the flight schools and airports included on the above list.

It is important to bear in mind that the cost of the airports that provide flight training on behalf of foreign governments is foisted onto the American public, whose tax dollars and airline passenger fees pay for air traffic control towers, air traffic controllers, runways, taxiways and a host of other infrastructure costs.

In the instances where information on lead emissions is provided, the data was gathered from the 2017 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emissions Inventory (NEI). The airport rankings on aviation related lead pollution are from an Earthjustice compilation of the top 100 lead-polluting airports in the U.S.

16 Flight Schools Across 10 States May Be Training Chinese Military Recruits at 26 Publicly Subsidized U.S. Airports

(16 of the U.S. airports involved in training Chinese and other foreign pilots are among the top 100 lead-polluting airports in the country)

Oregon (Flight Schools Operate Out of Hillsboro, Troutdale, and Redmond Airports)

Hillsboro Aero Academy (HAA) - HAA is a for-profit school that provides pilot instruction at the Port of Portland's two owned and operated general aviation airports - Hillsboro (HIO)Troutdale (TTD) and at the Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) located in Central Oregon. Though RDM is categorized as a commercial facility, the majority of operations at this airport are general aviation. All of the above airports are heavily subsidized with public money. In addition to FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants, they are recipients of state and local dollars. According to the 2017 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emissions Inventory (NEI), Hillsboro Airport ranked eighth among 20,000 airports nationwide in lead emissions. Troutdale, also among the top 100 lead-polluting airports in the country, ranks 82nd. Both are in the top one percent of lead-polluting airports in the country. Redmond Airport started training Chinese student pilots 6 years ago. Since the most recent version of the EPA NEI was published in 2017, the amount of lead emitted by this airport as a result of pilot instruction is not currently available. According to the FAA Terminal Area Forecast (TAF), between 2017 and 2021 the annual operational count at RDM increased from 39,581 to 76,817. During this time-frame, the number of local touch-and-go and itinerant general aviation operations more than doubled.

HAA's website states that, "HAA is one of only a handful of US-based flight schools authorized by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to train future Chinese airline pilots; regular review and renewal of our CAAC certification ensures that we continue to meet the strict training and safety standards required by Chinese authorities. Our CAAC certification applies to both our airplane and helicopter career pilot programs. Because of our certification and long track record with Chinese flight students, we have secured career partnerships with a number of Chinese airlines, including China Air, Sichuan Airlines, Shandong Airlines, and Juneyao Air." Click here to see a list of HAA's partners. Most are from outside the U.S.

California (Flight Schools Operate out of Gillespie Field, Redding Regional, and Castle Airport)

Scandinavian Aviation Academy (SAA) - This company provides flight training at Gillespie Field (SEE) in El Cajon, California. SEE, which is owned and operated by San Diego County, is ranked 13th among 20,000 airports nationwide in lead emissions. San Diego County is the third most lead-polluted jurisdiction in the country, surpassed only by Los Angeles County and Maricopa County in Arizona.

IASCO Flight Training - This company is located in Redding, California. Per their website, "We approached the Chinese market and obtained new contracts that began in 2008...The Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) has approved us for a capacity of 180 students in their approved training program." Pilots enrolled at IASCO train at the Redding Regional Airport (RDD), a facility that according to the EPA NEI released 414 lbs of lead into the air in 2017.

Sierra Academy of Aeronautics - Pilots in this school train out of the Castle Airport (MER) in Atwater, California. MER is the 75th largest lead-polluting airport in the U.S. According to their website, "Sierra spehttp://www.flycastleairport.com/index.htmlcializes in training international students from Asian-Pacific region, primarily from China, South Korea, Japan and Vietnam...At present, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics is the only flight school in Castle Airport where 99% of the airport's take-offs and landings are produced by Sierra Academy."

Arizona (Flight Schools Operate out of Falcon Field, Deer Valley, Chandler Municipal and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway)

CAE Aviation Academy Phoenix - Located at Falcon Field Airport (FFZ) in Mesa, Arizona, FFZ ranks 15th among 20,000 airports in lead pollution nationwide. CAE has multiple locations across the globe including the CAE Oxford Aviation Academy which operates out of the Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne, Australia, an academy that is also included on the above list of training airports for Chinese pilots. CAE also provides military training.

Bird Acquisition - This company operates under the trade names Transpac Aviation Academy, and AeroGuard Flight Training Center. Students in this program train out of the Deer Valley Airport (DVT) which is owned by the City of Phoenix. Among 20,000 airports nationwide, DVT is the number one facility source of lead emissions in the entire country. An August 2015 Smithsonian Magazine article, China Needs Pilots stated, "TransPac is one of a few large, private U.S. flight schools specializing in the training of Asian pilots. In TransPac's case, the student body, approximately 400, is more than 80 percent Chinese, with about 45 Vietnamese and a few American and Colombian students in the remainder."

According to a 12/5/2022 press release AeroGuard Flight Training Center Signs Long Term Agreement with Cathay Pacific, Plans to Train Hundreds of Cadet Pilots at its Phoenix Campus, "AeroGuard has over 20 years of experience training pilots from over the world including the Chinese Mainland, South Korea, Vietnam, and more, and is looking forward to welcoming cadets from Hong Kong within these programs." The release further states, "Arizona Congressman Greg Stanton, and member of the House Subcommittee on Aviation, assisted AeroGuard in securing and expediting the training program approval with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Representative Stanton's support was invaluable in making sure the approvals were obtained in a timely fashion." AeroGuard also offers training out of the Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD) which ranks 10th in lead emissions among 20,000 airports nationwide. Per the EPA NEI, Deer Valley and Chandler, combined, released more than one and half tons of lead into the air in 2017 during landing and take-off cycles.

A 10/3/2019 Reuters article, As Protests Rack Hong Kong, China Watchdog Has Cathay Staff 'Walking on Eggshells', offers additional detail on China's oppressive, authoritarian approach to managing Cathay Airlines. Per the article,

"Since an Aug. 9 [2019] directive by the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) that called for the suspension of staff who supported or participated in the demonstrations, the regulator has rejected some entire crew lists without explanation, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The rejections have forced Cathay to scramble, pulling pilots and flight attendants off standby while it investigates social media accounts in an effort to determine which crew member has been deemed a security threat...Other disruptions have come in the form of a huge jump in the number of plane inspections upon landing, four pilots said. The flexing of regulatory muscle has contributed to a climate of fear within the airline, with employees telling Reuters they felt Cathay's longer-term future as an independent company was highly uncertain and subject to Beijing's whims. The CAAC's labeling of employees who support the protest as a security risk and its demand that they be suspended from flying over mainland airspace has been a de facto career killer."

See the North Dakota section below for flight training at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

North Dakota (Flight Schools Operate Out of Grand Forks International and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport)

University of North Dakota, John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences - This program offers training at two airports. Grand Forks International (GFK), where the majority of operations are training flights, ranks 9th among 20,000 airports nationwide in lead emissions, while Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (IWA) in Mesa, AZ ranks 17th in lead emissions. Per the 2017 EPA NEI these two airports, combined, emitted over a ton of lead into the atmosphere during the landing and take-off phase of flight.

Florida (Flight Schools Operate out of Sanford International, North Perry, Opa-Locka, Vero Beach, Daytona Beach International Airport and Flagler Airports)

Aerosim Academy (formerly Delta Connection Academy) - L-3 Communications purchased the school in 2016 and renamed it L3Harris Airline Academy. "L3Harris Technologies, Inc. engages in the provision of defense and commercial technologies across the air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains." The flight training school is located at the Sanford International Airport (SFB) in Orlando, Florida. SFB ranks 6th among 20,000 airports nationwide in lead emissions.

Wayman Aviation Academy - North Perry Airport (HWO) is owned by Broward County (Pembroke Pines, Florida). North Perry ranks 12th among 20,000 U.S. airports nationwide in lead emissions. Wayman Aviation also lists an address with Opa Locka Airport (OPF), located in Miami, Florida. OPF is owned by Miami-Dade County. This facility was linked to the training of terrorists involved in the 9/11 attack.

Phoenix East Aviation - This school trains pilots at the Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) which is 14th largest lead emitting airport among 20,000 airports nationwide and Flagler, the 39th largest lead emitting airport in the country. These two airports, combined, released close to a ton of lead into the air in 2017.

Skyborne (formerly Flight Safety Academy) - Skyborne trains pilots out of the Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB) which is owned by the City of Vero Beach, Florida. Flight Safety Academy, which is now closed, was acquired by Skyborne in 2021. VRB ranks 27th among 20,000 airports nationwide in lead emissions.

Indiana (Flight School Operates Out of Griffith-Merrillville Airport)

Griffith Aviation Inc. - Students in this school train out of the Griffith-Merrillville Airport. See Chinese Students Soar at Northwest Indiana Aviation School for additional information. According to one of pilots interviewed in the article, "'We come here. We get the knowledge and that's good,'...In China, the airspace belongs to military. We can't just go out and do the different maneuvers we do here without getting permission from the military. That takes time.'" [Bold and italics added]

Illinois (Flight Schools Operate Out of Centrali, Mt. Vernon and Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois)

Airgo - This flight school provides training out of three Illinois airports - Centrali (ENL); Mt. Vernon (MVN), and Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois, also known as Williamson County Regional Airport (MWA).

Utah (Flight Schools Operate out of Salt Lake International and Ogden Airport)

Cornerstone Aviation - This business operates out of two Utah locations - Salt Lake International (SLC) and the Ogden Municipal Airport (OGD). According to the EPA NEI these airports emitted 301 and 525 lbs of lead, respectively, in 2017.

Oklahoma (Flight School Operates Out of Tulsa Riverside Airport)

Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology - This company provides flight training at the Tulsa Riverside Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, previously known as the Richard Lloyd Jr. Airport, a facility that ranks 31st among 20,000 airports nationwide in lead emissions.

Texas (Flight Schools Operate Out of Denton Enterprise and North Texas Regional Airport-Perrin Field Airport)

U.S. Aviation Academy - located in Denton, Texas. Students in this program train at the Denton Enterprise Airport, owned by City of Denton (Denton, Texas). Denton Enterprise ranks 42nd among 20,000 airports nationwide in lead emissions. A 1/17/2013 KTEN ABC News article stated that the U.S. Aviation Academy started training Chinese pilots at the North Texas Regional Airport-Perrin Field (GYI) in Denison, Texas in 2013. "About 50 men from China are students in a new flying school U.S. Aviation Academy, which also has a larger facility in Denton...The school works with four different airlines in China to train their future pilots." According to the 2017 EPA NEI, GYI emitted 449 lbs (.2245 tons) of lead into the air.

Flight Schools Outside of U.S. Providing Flight Training to Chinese Pilots

To see a survey of the flight schools and airports in South Africa, Canada, Australia, France, and the Czech Republic identified on the above list as institutes that provide training to Chinese pilots click here.

Concluding Remarks

Just as China's authoritarian encroachment poses a threat to democracy, so to do the for-profit flight schools and government agencies that promote aviation industry profiteering and cronyism. Flight Schools Outside of U.S. Providing Flight Training to Chinese Pilots over national security, democratic engagement, public health, community livability and the environment. This dangerous and imbalanced situation highlights the need for full transparency on the part of all entities involved.

Flight schools that benefit from public money should be required to fully disclose who they are training and how their relationships with foreign governments are forged. Local communities should have a voting voice as to whether they want their community given over to greedy airport owners and flight schools whose pursuit of money severely clouds their decision-making capacities. On a federal level Congress needs to legislate safeguards to ensure that the rights of the American people are upheld and protected.