New toy for China's millionaires: a private jet
- Source: Global Times
- [16:16 August 03 2010]
- Comments
The super-rich in China are no longer satisfied with owning a sports car or playing golf – they are increasingly looking at owning a private airplane.
This is illustrated by the confirmation that the "UFO" which members of the public said they saw at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on July 7 was actually a private jet.
But the fact that the low air zone in China has not yet been opened to private jets means that it is not easy to legally fly a private plane in China.
Xu Weijie, a businessman from Wenzhou of eastern Zhejiang Province, owns 11 private jets, and he has flown them several times illegally in the Chinese mainland.
"There is no special regulation on private jets in China. I bought the planes, and I have the right to fly them," Xu said.
He regarded Hong Kong as a sort of flying paradise as it's very convenient to fly a private plane in the SAR.
"The only thing you need to do is to log in the website of the Hong Kong aviation service centre 15 minutes before your flight and apply for the flight. The service is free of charge."
In the Chinese mainland, there are three requirements for flying a private jet - an airworthiness license for the plane issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, a valid pilot license and a flight plan approved by the military and civil aviation administration.
The director of Xi'an Yanliang National Aviation Hi-tech Industrial Base Jin Qiansheng said that there are nearly 200 private jets in China, which is far fewer than in developed countries.
Referring to Xu Weijie, he said it is very dangerous to fly illegally.
"It affects not only the safety of people onboard, but also of people on the ground, " said Jin.
One of Xu's illegal flights in April caused serious delays at both Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao International Airports.
Jin also said that in two or three years China would open its low air zone to private jets. "The private jet industry will then develop dramatically."
