Village plans to have aircraft fleet
Source: Xinhua |
November 18, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A VILLAGE in east China's Jiangsu Province has announced plans to buy 20 aircrafts for pilot training and tourism, after the government said it would open low-altitude airspace to private planes.
Huaxi, the richest village in China, said it would have its own fleet of aircraft in the next five years, with the aim of establishing a pilot training base.
"We've waited so long for the low-altitude airspace to be opened. The two helicopters in the village will begin tourist flights in mid December," said Zhou Li, manager of the Huaxi Village tourism company.
According to a circular jointly issued by the State Council, or China's Cabinet, and the Central Military Commission, the country's top national defense organization, China will open part of its low-altitude airspace to promote the country's general aviation sector.
Huaxi's two helicopters - one manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and one by Eurocopter - cost almost 90 million yuan (US$13.56 million). Two pilots are doing trial tourist flights.
"It will help upgrade the village's tourist industry and attract more wealthy visitors," said Zhou full of confidence.
Visitors would be able to have a bird's eye view of the village for about 300 to 500 yuan.
According to the provisional plan, the -village will spend about 1 billion yuan on buying aircraft.
With steel, textiles and tourism as pillar industries, Huaxi was the first Chinese village to generate 10 billion yuan of gross domestic product in 2003. It receives more than 2 million visitors from home and abroad annually.
"The difficult task ahead will be training pilots," Zhou said. "It also suggests a huge, but untapped, market for pilot training." He said that a pilot training program, with the help of local professional colleges, was also under consideration.
"We plan to train at least 100 people as pilots and we will 'rent' them to other parts of the country," said Zhou.
"It is my life dream to make our village as the best in China. We are the first village with aircraft in the country," said Wu Renbao, 83, who served as chief of Huaxi Village Committee of the Communist Party of China for about 50 years.
Huaxi, the richest village in China, said it would have its own fleet of aircraft in the next five years, with the aim of establishing a pilot training base.
"We've waited so long for the low-altitude airspace to be opened. The two helicopters in the village will begin tourist flights in mid December," said Zhou Li, manager of the Huaxi Village tourism company.
According to a circular jointly issued by the State Council, or China's Cabinet, and the Central Military Commission, the country's top national defense organization, China will open part of its low-altitude airspace to promote the country's general aviation sector.
Huaxi's two helicopters - one manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and one by Eurocopter - cost almost 90 million yuan (US$13.56 million). Two pilots are doing trial tourist flights.
"It will help upgrade the village's tourist industry and attract more wealthy visitors," said Zhou full of confidence.
Visitors would be able to have a bird's eye view of the village for about 300 to 500 yuan.
According to the provisional plan, the -village will spend about 1 billion yuan on buying aircraft.
With steel, textiles and tourism as pillar industries, Huaxi was the first Chinese village to generate 10 billion yuan of gross domestic product in 2003. It receives more than 2 million visitors from home and abroad annually.
"The difficult task ahead will be training pilots," Zhou said. "It also suggests a huge, but untapped, market for pilot training." He said that a pilot training program, with the help of local professional colleges, was also under consideration.
"We plan to train at least 100 people as pilots and we will 'rent' them to other parts of the country," said Zhou.
"It is my life dream to make our village as the best in China. We are the first village with aircraft in the country," said Wu Renbao, 83, who served as chief of Huaxi Village Committee of the Communist Party of China for about 50 years.
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