New proposals could open up cities' skies
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"China will need at least 3,000 to 5,000 helicopter pilots within three years as the general aviation infrastructure quickly develops," said Lü.
And that push needs to start now. A helicopter pilot needs to have 105 hours of flight experience within one and a half years of training before getting a commercial helicopter pilot certificate, the Chengdu-based West China Daily reported.
Red tape
Another factor hampering the development of the general aviation sector is overly complicated bureaucratic procedures, an industry insider said.
"Inefficient civil aviation government agencies have impeded the development of general aviation for a long time, and I hope the situation will get better after more detailed laws come out following the suggestion," said the insider.
In 2007, Lü's company invested 180 million yuan ($9 million) in building the country's first public helicopter airport in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, and injected 120 million yuan ($18 million) into the construction of another in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, in 2009. The company will also invest in building helicopter airports in Shanghai, Huangshan and Shaoxing in the next 2 years.
He hopes that the approval procedures for such projects will be streamlined.
While industry insiders say the measures will boost the general aviation sector, concerns have also been raised over air safety.
The circular addressed the issue by calling for the management of the aviation sector to be strengthened by 2020, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The reform also suggested that pilot examinations be tightened and air safety super-vision improved.
Questions have also been raised as to whether authorities can provide sufficient supervision to prevent accidents in populous areas and protect privacy as more low-altitude flights are operated in the future.
"Military objects, densely populated areas and other low-altitude airspace areas that are not suitable for flights will be ruled out as pilot zones by further regulations, which are now being discussed by military authorities and scholars," Zou added.
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