Sky's the limit as wealthy look to fly chopper
By Wang Weini |
May 19, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THREE wealthy Shanghai residents are learning to fly the helicopter while another has signed up for training with a local chopper operator - each paying a fee of 360,000 yuan (US$55,300).
They will qualify to fly their own helicopters after being trained for half a year to get a private license, Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation Co said yesterday. "Fees for the rich are higher than normal because their course is specially designed to match their schedule," said a Kingwing official surnamed Liu.
Besides the wealthy, anyone aged between 17 and 55 can join the training for a private license, provided they can come up with the 250,000 yuan fee, but all trainees need to pass a physical test by the civil aviation regulator.
"Apart for the four rich people, we have recruited 20 trainees in two batches to take lessons; all of whom eventually want to be professional pilots and plan to work with airlines," Liu said.
A private license allows pilots to fly helicopters only for pleasure or during leisure, so the trainees need to undergo another half-a-year training, with corresponding extra fees, to get a business license, which will allow them to work for airlines after graduation.
The company yesterday got the nod to open East China's first training organization of professional helicopter pilots. A rookie has to pay more than 700,000 yuan to take lessons in the organization to get a business license.
Kingwing, a wholly-owned subsidiary of private investment group Zenisun, predicted that the number of civil helicopters in China will grow 25 percent annually over the next five years and reach 2,100 units by 2020, by which time a total of 6,300 pilots will be required.
Li Qiyong, chairman of Kingwing, said it plans to set up helicopter airports in coastal cities, such as in Fujian and Hainan provinces.
They will qualify to fly their own helicopters after being trained for half a year to get a private license, Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation Co said yesterday. "Fees for the rich are higher than normal because their course is specially designed to match their schedule," said a Kingwing official surnamed Liu.
Besides the wealthy, anyone aged between 17 and 55 can join the training for a private license, provided they can come up with the 250,000 yuan fee, but all trainees need to pass a physical test by the civil aviation regulator.
"Apart for the four rich people, we have recruited 20 trainees in two batches to take lessons; all of whom eventually want to be professional pilots and plan to work with airlines," Liu said.
A private license allows pilots to fly helicopters only for pleasure or during leisure, so the trainees need to undergo another half-a-year training, with corresponding extra fees, to get a business license, which will allow them to work for airlines after graduation.
The company yesterday got the nod to open East China's first training organization of professional helicopter pilots. A rookie has to pay more than 700,000 yuan to take lessons in the organization to get a business license.
Kingwing, a wholly-owned subsidiary of private investment group Zenisun, predicted that the number of civil helicopters in China will grow 25 percent annually over the next five years and reach 2,100 units by 2020, by which time a total of 6,300 pilots will be required.
Li Qiyong, chairman of Kingwing, said it plans to set up helicopter airports in coastal cities, such as in Fujian and Hainan provinces.
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