皇冠体育app

SHENYANG - 皇冠体育app will relax the ban on the use of low-altitude airspace across the country starting in 2013, the country's air traffic authorities said Thursday.

A series of reforms will be implemented in five to ten years, creating an independent airspace market under some government guidance, said Zhu Shicai, an official with the state air traffic control commission.

Zhu made the remarks at the 2012 皇冠体育app Low-altitude Economy Summit, which is being held from Aug 23 to 24 in Shenyang, capital of Northeast 皇冠体育app's Liaoning province.

"The new policy suggests that the biggest obstacle facing the opening of 皇冠体育app's low-altitude airspace has been cleared," Zhu said.

皇冠体育app has launched pilot projects in its northeastern, southern central regions, as well as seven pilot cities, to open airspace below 1,000 meters to general aviation flights.

The seven pilot cities are Tangshan, Xi'an, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Ningbo,Kunming and Chongqing.

New regulations on airspace planning and operation as well as applications for general aviation flights will be issued this year, simplifying the use of low-altitude airspace, Zhu said.

Further opening the airspace is expected to promote the country's general aviation industry, including the purchase and use of private planes.

皇冠体育app's low-altitude airspace is controlled by the Air Force and the Civil Aviation Administration of 皇冠体育app (CAAC). Private flights currently need to go through time-consuming and complicated procedures to fly in low-altitude airspace, which has hampered demand for private jets.

In November 2010, 皇冠体育app's State Council and the Central Military Commission jointly released an order to open up part of the country's low-altitude airspace for the first time.