CRI听力: China to Open Airspace for General Aviation

Chinese aviation authorities have placed the opening of low-altitude airspace on its agenda in a move to promote the development of its aviation industry. With detailed policies to be issued, private aviation is expected to experience a boom.
 
Chen Zhe has more.


China's civil aviation authority is drafting a guideline for promoting the development of general aviation and plans to open low-altitude airspace for private aviation. The State Air Traffic Control Commission says it will also complete its airspace classification later this year.

Wang Xia, vice president of the General Aviation School at the Civil Aviation University of China, confirms that progress will be made in the later half of this year.

"The progress will be made in the coordination of different departments on air control, shorten the time to apply for private flights and strengthen the infrastructure for private aviation."

Currently, low-altitude flying is under strict control by the Civil Aviation Administration and the Air Force.

Any application of low-flying aircraft must go through a complex approval process involving several governmental departments. Airspace with an altitude of lower than six hundred meters has not been open to private aircrafts.

Professional associations as well as wealthy Chinese have long been awaiting the government to make it easier for private jets to fly.
 
In the move to open low-altitude airspace, a trial project has been carried out in Northeast China.

Jason Liao, vice chairman of the Asian Business Aviation Association, says the opening of low-altitude airspace will play a key role in boosting China's aviation industry.

"Its influence will be indescribable. I should say general aviation industry didn't exist in China because it's very difficult for general flights to take off here. However, the industry in America has created over one million job opportunities and revenue of over 150 billion US dollars."

China has less than one thousand civilian aircrafts and the market will be in need of ten thousand of them in 2020.
It's estimated that the general aviation industry in China will generate more than $14 billion yuan by 2021. Private flying, air ambulance, police aircraft and business aviation will be the main types of civil aviation.
 
But Professor Wang Xia foresees difficulties ahead of the reform.

"Security is one of the concerns. A reasonable airspace classification is the key to solve the problem. Another problem is how to supervise private aviation. The government needs to establish a clear-cut supervision system."

China lifted an airspace ban and allowed people to apply for private flying licenses in 1997. Wang Xia says private aircrafts and flights are expected to be as popular as ordinary automobiles once the airspace opens.

For CRI, I'm Chen Zhe.