The first China (Tianjin) International Helicopter Expo was lately held in Tianjin, China, attracting seven world-known helicopter manufacturers.
The expo has been the first professional helicopter exhibition in Asia. It is expected to boost the helicopter industry in China, which is still in its salad days.
The seven manufacturers are Eurocopter, Russian Helicopter Holding Co., US Sikorsky Aircraft, Canada Bell Helicopter, US Boeing Company, Italy AgustaWestland, and the helicopter company of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
They are bullish on the promising market, said industry experts. The domestic helicopter industry will definitely enjoy bigger space for development, for the Chinese government has decided to open the lower aerospace.
By the end of 2010, the number of registered helicopters in China stood at only 206, accounting for less than 1 percent of the total around the globe and equal to that in the Brazilian city Sao Paulo alone.
These helicopters have been mainly used in such fields as offshore oil service, forest protection and fire prevention, public service, personal amusement, and pilot training. In particular, about 63 percent of them have been used for the provision of offshore oil service and the protection of forests.
The development of the helicopter sector, featuring a small amount of helicopters and an unreasonable plane model structure, can hardly meet the need with the fast economic and social growth in China, said Wang Bin, general manager of the helicopter company of AVIC.
The general manager predicted that in the 12th Five-year Plan period (from 2011 to 2015), about 200 helicopters would be needed in the air emergency aiding field.
In the following 10 years, China is forecast to need more than 1,500 helicopters. In the next two decades, the industry will witness a rapid growth trend, with its annual output value estimated at over CNY 15 billion.
The helicopter company of AVIC, a leading Chinese aviation group, is expected to annually produce more than 300 helicopters by 2015, jumping onto the list of the major suppliers worldwide.
The AVIC Tianjin helicopter base broke earth in May 2009. The AC311, a 2-ton light multi-purpose helicopter, rolled off the assembly line in the northern Chinese port city in November 2010 and successfully made its maiden flight.
The Tianjin base, designed as a civil helicopter general assembly line, is not directly engaged in research, development and production of helicopter parts and components.
Notably, the Guiyang municipal government and the Public Security Bureau of the Tianjin Binhai New Area have clinched contracts upon the purchase of two helicopters from the helicopter company.
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