Central China's leading economic and technological development zone to host global aviation event
On the theme of "The vast sky we fly together", the 2017 World Fly-in Expo will take place in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province Nov 4-7, offering a world-class aviation sports event and gathering global industry participants.
Organized by Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (Hannan), the international aircraft expo will draw more than 1,000 participants, including pilots, athletes, coaches and judges, from 37 countries and regions, as well as 300,000 attendees.
"Wuhan possesses a sound geographic environment with rivers and mountains. Launching these aviation sports activities and in particular displaying the general aviation industry's products, is crucial for the development zone to gather resources in the industry," said Feng Aiming, member of the Administrative Committee of Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (Hannan), the publicity director of Hannan district and the executive secretary general of the upcoming expo.
Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (Hannan) will take advantage of the opportunities brought about by the expo to push forward the construction of the general aviation and associated industries, Feng said.
The expo will showcase over 1,000 aircraft from home and abroad. Six types of activities will take place during the event: aircraft flying shows, aviation sports competitions, recording activities, community and interactive activities, static exhibitions and forums.
The flying shows and competitions include aerobatic flights, hot air balloons, powered parachutes, air models, drones and innovative aircraft.
The expo plans to create two new Guinness World Records, one by releasing 100 wedding balloons, and the other by flying powered parachutes simultaneously.
The organizers will host community activities for the audience, students and children, using technologies such as virtual reality, simulation rides and wind tunnels.
The expo has also set up two exhibition areas for relevant forums, including high-level summits, international conferences, business forums and scientific aviation knowledge promotional activities.
An indoor exhibition covering 20,000 square meters will exhibit products from more than 100 aviation equipment producers. Some 60,000 sq m have been earmarked to showcase 200 aircraft, providing a platform both for businesses and attendees to communicate.
"We are striving to integrate cities with industries, and the expo provides an opportunity to upgrade traditional industries and attract crowds," said Jiang Chucai, deputy director of the general aviation and satellite industrial park management office at the development zone.
According to Jiang, there will be 40 billion yuan ($6.03 billion) in agreements signed during the expo, related to projects involving the manufacturing, operation and maintenance of aircraft, as well as aviation training and a themed hotel.
The expo is co-hosted by Federation Aeronautique Internationale, Aero Sports Federation of China, Wuhan city government, Hubei Administration of Sport, the Administrative Committee of the Wuhan Economic and Development Zone (Hannan) and Wuhan Sports Bureau.
The expo will be held at the Hannan general international airport every two years.
The airport will host its maiden flight at the expo's opening show and will be used as a civil airport after the expo, an official of the development zone said.
Highlights
The expo's static exhibition will showcase more than 200 general aircraft, accounting for 10 percent of the total national general aircraft, the highest number to be shown at a Chinese airshow.
The Aero Sports Federation of China will bring multiple parachutes and aircraft, including the HarbinY-12 Cessna 208 CARAVA, Quest Kodiak 100, 50 and PC-6.
The aircraft to be demonstrated include high-end corporate aircraft, helicopters, imported sports aircraft and homemade airplanes.
The indoor exhibition will provide specialized exhibitions from Aviation Industry Corp of China, PLA Air Force Aviation University and Aero Sports Association, also offering VR experiences.
The expo has invited Olympic champions, freestyle skiers Li Nina and Han Xiaopeng, as well as figure skaters Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo to hold an activity with autistic children.
The professional drone competition is the core competition during the expo, introducing drones into the sports competition for the first time.
Officials from Federation Aeronautique Internationale will discuss topics related to the combination of aviation sports and the city's development.
The 2017 World Fly-in Expo will take place in Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (Hannan), Central China's Hubei province Nov 4-7. Photos Provided to China Daily
