China has opened up its low-altitude airspace to private aircraft by allowing a fleet of four helicopters to operate trial flights in the southern province of Hainan.
Last year, Chinese authorities decided to open up parts of the country's low-altitude airspace to private aircraft to promote the growth of business and general aviation.
Trial flights began in Hainan on 28 January, says the provincial government. A fleet of four helicopters, owned by Shanghai-based Kingwing Aviation, is operating the flights.
The fleet comprises a Sikorsy S76, Eurocopter EC135 and two Sikorsky S300Cs, say local reports. They will operate trial fights in Hainan for two months.
Kingwing's parent, Zhenyang Investment Group, plans to build heliports in Hainan province and start offering helicopter flights for tourists by the end of the year, says the provincial government.
Reports say that the Chinese authorities plan to formalise regulations for the use of low-altitude airspace in Hainan by 2015, by when a network of general aviation infrastructure and services will be ready. This will put the province five years ahead of similar plans in other parts of the country, say reports.
Source: Flight International
