New Regulations Open China To Private Pilots

It's still mighty tough to get a private pilot's rating in China. But not as tough as it used to be.

Just ask 39-year old Luo Xiaoping. It took him 200 hours to get rated in his Robinson R-44. But he did it.

"I thought the angel had given her wings to myself when I sat in the helicopter," Luo told China Express, "But I could fly much better and more freely than any bird in the sky."

Ain't that the truth?

Until recently, China harshly restricted the issuance of private pilots' certificates. But many of the roadblocks were cleared by the Regulation on Flight Control of General Aviation, which took effect May 1, 2003.

Now that China's skies are a bit more open to the average citizen, Luo thinks there will be a boom in the country's civil aviation sector. "Like the automobile industry, such opening will also bring about the development of related industries like air traffic control, airports, oil warehouses, maintenance and services," he said.

"If you have money, you can buy yourself a plane," said Wang Tao, after watching Luo's solo helicopter flight in Xianyang. "You can't believe it just years ago."

FMI: www.chinaonline.com/refer/ministry_profiles/c01022767.asp