ChinaDaily
TIANJIN -
Demand for civilian helicopters in China
is expected to climb from the 170 currently in service to more than 1,500 over
the next decade, making China
a huge potential market, Wang Bin, president of AVIC Helicopter Co, said
recently.
The number of
owners of civilian helicopter in China is getting close to
international levels, particularly in the affluent eastern parts of the
country, Wang said.
Interest in
helicopters has been growing since the devastating Wenchuan earthquake in 2008.
With the central government's support, plans are in the pipeline to set up an
emergency air rescue service with helicopters as its core equipment, Wang said.
As for the
product portfolio, China's
civilian helicopter manufacturers are making great progress in narrowing the
gap between them and their international counterparts. Wang mentioned four
models of helicopter that went on the market and said, "Two more types of
helicopter will get certificates to go on the market this year," Wang
said.
General aviation
is making substantial progress as well. With the rapid development of the
national economy, some industries - such as offshore drilling and high-rise
construction - have started using helicopters to increase their production
efficiency.
The Beijing Municipal
Public Security Bureau used two helicopters to patrol for fires during the
Spring Festival for the first time this year.
In addition, a
host of entrepreneurs are becoming interested in purchasing helicopters.
"For the
moment, there are over 100 professional general aviation companies, up from
about 40 five years ago," Wang said. "The relaxation of the
low-altitude airspace restriction, is contributing enormously to an orderly and
healthy development of China's
general-aviation industry, promoting extensive use of helicopters in all
fields."
AVIC Helicopter's
Tianjin base,
in the Tianjin Airport Economic Area, has delivered two helicopters to clients
this year. AVIC's annual production capacity at the Tianjin base is expected to rise to around
300 helicopters annually by 2017.
For the upcoming
"China Helicopter Exposition" in September, Tianjin Binhai New Area
(TBNA) will have more than 200 helicopter manufacturers and supporting parts
suppliers coming from all over the world. The exposition is scheduled to
exhibit a wide range of helicopters and aerobatic displays. Nearly 1,000
companies will take part in the forums, business negotiations and technological
exchanges.
Zhou Li,
vice-director of the Tianjin Airport Economic Area administrative committee,
said annual helicopter expositions will be set up alternating between Zhuhai in
South China and Tianjin in North
China.
Wang Sheng,
deputy governor of Tianjin Binhai New Area, pointed out that the output value
of Tianjin's
aviation industry totaled 17 billion yuan ($2.68 billion) last year, which will
hopefully increase to 40 billion yuan this year, and further increase to 100
billion yuan by 2015.
Following the
Airbus A320 program, a batch of new-generation projects, such as a
carrier-rocket industrialization base, a research-and-development and assembly
base for AVIC Helicopter Co, headquarters, have all settled in Tianjin. Forty-five key parts suppliers,
support businesses, domestic aviation companies and research institutions and
aviation logistics enterprises are already operating in the municipality, or
are planning to do so soon.
