Airplane manufacturers around the world have been exhibiting their aircraft for private use at the ongoing Airshow China in south China’s Zhuhai, with companies looking to capture a piece of the growing Chinese market.
Aircraft for private ownership from Airbus, Bombardier, Gulfstream and other companies have shown up in Zhuhai.
Reportedly, the same model owned by actor Jackie Chan can also be seen here.
Over the past years, China has seen an increasing demand for private jets.
Since entering the Chinese market five years ago, German gyroplane manufacturer AutoGyro has sold 50 gyroplanes in China, with 30 sold this year.
“We just have a certain number of hours a day. If I can get there quicker, and if I could get there ahead of my competition, I would be more competitive. So the private jet is a tool to let you do that,” Bill Schults told CCTV News. Shults is the Senior Vice President of Textron Aviation, one of world’s leading manufacturers of private business planes.
However, along with a rising demand for planes, China now faces a shortage of pilots.
Schults said in an interview with CCTV that China annually needs 5,000 pilots and that there is a significant shortage. As more pilot training schools are being established, many challenges still remain.
Many people do not know how to apply for flying permits after buying a private jet.
China has not fully opened its low attitude flying zone, which also limits the usage of private jets.
China has sho...