4-seat fixed-wing aircraft adds choice for winter sports fans

As Zhangjiakou, a renowned winter tourism destination in Hebei province, welcomes visitors from around the world during the peak season for winter sports, the increasing popularity of low-altitude flights is expected to inject new momentum into the local tourism industry.

A four-seat fixed-wing aircraft from Zhuhai, Guangdong province landed at Zhangjiakou Ningyuan Airport at 5:25 pm on Jan 5, marking the inaugural flight of the nation's first cross-provincial low-altitude route, customized for ice and snow tourism.

Upon arrival in Zhangjiakou, passengers were shuttled to ski resorts in Chongli district, which hosted most of the snow events during the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. They were scheduled to enjoy a three- to five-day skiing and tourism experience in Zhangjiakou.

During the flight, there were stopover airports that provided essential services such as refueling, safety monitoring, maintenance, meals and accommodation, while a low-altitude flight service station in Zhangjiakou offered comprehensive services including flight plan approvals and aviation meteorological information.

"The route will leverage the cultural and tourism resources of both Zhangjiakou and Zhuhai, exploring a new format of integrated development through low-altitude travel," Zhang Minghai, an official with the Zhangjiakou municipal transportation bureau, was quoted by local media Zhangjiakou Daily as saying.

The city boasts abundant ice and snow tourism resources and favorable airspace conditions with three navigable airports, making it an ideal destination for such initiatives, Zhang said.

Furthermore, the Zhangjiakou low-altitude flight service station has been designated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China's North China regional administration as a pilot project for distinctive low-altitude flight services in the region, offering users "one-stop "services such as flight approvals, aviation meteorological information, alerts and assistance for rescue operations.

The launch of this customized route is expected to attract more skiing enthusiasts from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to Zhangjiakou, enriching their winter sports experiences.

"We aim to leverage Zhangjiakou's winter sports advantages to promote low-altitude applications and explore the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) operational model for low-altitude scenarios," said Zhou Ge, chairman of Yuxiang Shengtai General Aviation Co, one of the main organizers of the flight.

According to Zhou, the FBO model provides integrated services such as flight plan applications, route and meteorological information support, coordination at general airports, refueling, maintenance and ensuring safe aircraft operations, serving as aviation service stewards for low-altitude aircraft.

"While the FBO operational model is well-established for domestic business aviation, its application in general aviation, especially for low-altitude flights, is still developing," Zhou said.

He added that the complexities and challenges of low-altitude flight procedures exist, particularly for long-distance flights, underscoring the need for a support system to ensure smooth and worry-free flights for aviation enthusiasts.

Except for tourism, low-altitude aircraft have been widely used in various scenarios in China, including for performance, agriculture, logistics, medical and for emergency search and rescue.