Цитата:
WantChinaTimes.com
General aviation sees emerging investment craze in China
Staff Reporter 2014-01-08 11:34 (GMT+8)
The gradual liberalization of low-altitude airspace in China has sparked an investment craze for general aviation among municipal governments and enterprises, with over 116 counties and higher-level municipalities rushing to set up general aviation industry parks at hefty costs, reports Netease.
Of the 116 projects, 95 were rolled out after 2011, when the Chinese government announced the reform of the management of low-altitude airspace. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has also pledged to implement the reform nationwide by 2015.
Observers said many municipalities have earmarked large plots of land, spanning hundreds or even thousands of acres, for general aviation industry parks, perhaps as a disguise for realty speculation.
Total space of the 56 publicized projects tops 282.55 square kilometers, with total investments reaching 629 billion yuan (US$103.9 billion), or 5.05 square kilometers and 11.2 billion yuan (US$1.8 billion) of investment for each park.
"General aviation is the only industry which has failed to develop over the past 30-plus years since the launch of reform and opening up," remarked Sha Changan, vice president of general aviation aircraft maker China Aviation Industry General Aircraft, at a recent forum.
General aviation refers to civil aviation except commercial aviation, boasting wide range of air activities, including industry, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and architecture, as well as medicine and hygiene, rescue and disaster relief, weather detection, oceanic detection, scientific experiment, education and training, and culture and sports.
General aviation now accounts for only a minuscule share in China's aviation industry, a far cry of 95% share in the US, which has 20,000 airports available for general aviation compared with 400 in China. The CAAC has targeted raising the number to 3,000 so that every county can have an airport for use by general aviation.
Meanwhile, many municipalities have planned to introduce or acquire foreign general aviation aircraft manufacturing firms and establish flight schools.