2021 China General Aviation Report

EDITOR'S NOTE
The rampant spread
of the COVID-19
pandemic at the
beginning of 2020 hit the
civil and general aviation
industry hard. Following
the unremitting efforts to
combat the pandemic, the
general aviation industry
has rapidly recovered since
April 2020. Flight hours saw
a “V” shaped recovery, with
GA flight hours in the second
half of the year surpassing
that of last year’s corresponding period. Although overall flight
hours slightly dipped compared to 2019, the growth momentum
has continued in 2021. The data in the first half of 2021 reached
a record high.
2020 was the last year of the 13th Five-Year Plan (the Central
Government blueprint for China’s social and economic policies
from 2016 to 2020). The whole industry has a long way to go to
achieve the goal of that Plan - “establishing 5,000 GA aircraft,
500 GA airports and accumulating more than two million
flight hours”. We think that consumers and market demands
play an important role in the development of general aviation.
Some progress was achieved during the past five years, but the
supply of GA consumer products still has limitations in airspace,
infrastructure, etc. 2021 is the initial year of the 14th Five-Year
Plan. These policies will guide China’s endeavors in the right
direction to motivate the effective and high-level development
of the industry by strengthening its impetus.
In addition to paying attention to the annual trend of flight
hours, the amount of GA aircraft and businesses, as well as
other macro-economic data, this year’s China GA report also
delves into more details on the latest policies and guidelines
from the Central and local governments, as well as other related
regulatory bodies. We have detailed breakdowns of GA aircraft,
including helicopters, turboprops, pistons, and business jets, as
well as fleet analysis regarding various aspects. The data we
present, alongside our findings, will help readers gain a better
understanding of China’s GA market.
The manufacturing of general aircraft and construction of
infrastructure facilities are the cornerstone of general aviation
development, and that is why we have introduced them in separate
sections. We believe pilot training is one of the key missions of
general aviation, therefore we have also looked into closer detail
at the structure and development trends of training schools
and pilots.
This year’s China GA report also includes several special features:
Astro Air came into the spotlight in recent years with its
comprehensive one-stop solutions. Its multi-business sphere and
innovative manner won it many new customers. Asian Sky Media
interviewed JJ Chen, Founder, President, and CEO of Astro Air
who shared his exclusive views and latest industry developments.
Production Safety is a priority in the aviation industry. Safety
Management Systems are always evloving, so with this in mind,
we have included a special feature on it. We took Sino Jet, the
first and only business jet operator in mainland China to not only
become accredited to IS-BAO Stage 3, but also to renew it, as an
example to study.
Relying on its high speed and mobility, aviation emergency has
an edge in emergency aid. A well-structured aviation aid system
is fundamentally important for people’s wellbeing and the
development of the national economy. Asian Sky Group prioritized
key development of Chinese aviation aid and interviewed the first
national aviation aid team – Chinese Aviation Emergency Rescue.
Possessing high flexibility, low cost, and anti-interference,
UAVs can execute risky missions. As such, they have slowly
started to emerge in the aviation industry. It is fair to say that
drones represent the future development of general aviation.
Asian Sky Group presents a special feature on the application
of industrial drones and further introduced drone applications
in areas like security, environmental monitoring, emergency,
agriculture, powerline and oil inspection, as well as cargo and
geographical mapping.
Bell Helicopter introduces their light single-engine multi-mission
helicopter – the Bell 505, as well as its operational situation
globally. Dassault Aviation proudly presents the extraordinary
design, technology and innovation of their long-range section –
the premier Falcon 6X.
Sincerely,
Casper Zhuang
Commercial Operations Manager, Asian Sky Group
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CHINA GA REPORT 2021