City mulls plan to open airspace to private aircraft

SHANGHAI is considering opening up its low altitude airspace for general aviation to enable a growing number of private jets to fly freely over the city. The East China Bureau of the Civil Aviation Administration of China said its airspace management plan will be formulated within five years. "Opening more airspace can boost related industry and bring both social and economic benefits," it said in response to a proposal made by the city's top advisory body. Civil aviation officials said they have reached a consensus with the military on gradually opening up the airspace on a trial basis. China decided to open its low-altitude airspace to civil aviation last November in a circular that said trial operation will start in some areas this year. Although Shanghai is not on the first list of trial areas, local aviation experts agreed that the city should begin airspace management reform in view of a potential demand for helicopters and light planes which normally fly at low altitudes. Wei Jian, an aviation professor with Shanghai University of Engineering Science, said the move "will bring new growth point to Shanghai's economy." Wei said the strict control of low-altitude airspace has long been regarded as a bottleneck in aviation development and available resources are not well used. Private aircraft owners have to apply for permission days in advance for every flight. Low-altitude airspace, normally below 1,000 meters, is mostly used for police patrol, firefighting, medical first aid, news reporting and other businesses. Regional aviation authority did not disclose the number of private aircraft in Shanghai. People only saw police helicopters mostly during the World Expo last year. However low-attitude flights may not make everyone happy. Residents living near the Hongqiao International Airport protested over the weekend after aviation authority lowered the minimum flight altitude on Wednesday. They said noise pollution will only get worse with more planes in the sky.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Xuelong completed study at South Pole

CHINESE scientists have completed a geographic survey on Dome A, the highest elevation in the South Pole, after China's only icebreaker returned to its Shanghai base today. officials from the Polar Research Institute of China said today Xuelong (Snow Dragon), China's only icebreaker, carried out a series of research on Antarctic marine system, the South Pole climate and astronomy. Choosing a location for the observatory was one of their crew's top tasks, the institute officials said. "Dome A is the best choice for an observatory concerning its location and environment," said Zeng Honghui from the institute. "Research found Dome A has the best sky view on earth. Good visibility is the deciding factor for setting up an astronomical telescope." He said the telescope installed in the Dome A observatory can function like a space telescope. Officials said the construction plan has been approved by the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research and has passed
Keep reading

Niubanlun pays New Balance for unfair competition

Image
A Chinese sportswear company was ordered to pay 480,000 yuan (US$76,200) in damages to the US-based footwear manufacturer New Balance for unfair competition. The Huangpu District People's Court also ordered Niubanlun Sportswear Company in Quanzhou, Fujian Province to stop producing sports shoes with a logo similar to New Balance's "N" design. New Balance filed the lawsuit last November against Niubanlun for using a logo similar to its unique "N" design and had a Chinese brand name that sounds similar to "New Balance." The US firm said it registered its trademark in China in 1983 and accused Niubanlun of making and selling counterfeit shoes since 2007. Niubanlun argued that this was not an infringement case because its "N" trademark was legally registered. But New Balance said Niubanlun's trademark should not be used on sports shoes. The court ruled the Chinese company to pay for unfair competition, saying New Balance is a famous
Keep reading

City to wage 10-day war on mosquitoes

MOSQUITOES may pose a big threat this summer if no immediate action is taken to control the pest that proliferates fast in standing water left by the rainy season, local health officials said. Abundant rainfall and a fast rising temperature after the plum rain season that ended on Monday is ideal for mosquito breeding. June, July and August are the peak breeding season for mosquitos in Shanghai. Mosquito density normally doubles in June, compared with May. "We haven't worked out the density this June but it definitely will be much higher than last month's," said Leng Peien, a department director with the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention. "If no effective measures are taken, mosquitoes will explode in number due to the hot and humid weather." A 10-day anti-mosquito campaign will be launched citywide by the Shanghai Patriotic Health Campaign Commission tomorrow, with a focus on construction sites, Metro stations, residential areas, undergroun
Keep reading