More Chinese to Own Private PlanesA training program for individual pilots has attracted more than 200 applicants, including 25 women, since the program started January in Shanghai.Zhang Feng, manager of Shanghai Eastern Aviation Training Co., Ltd., said his company has just started to enroll trainees, adding that he has full confidence in the future of private aviation in the country as more and more Chinese can now afford to own a private aircraft. Zhang said that two U.S-made Cessna-172 light planes, valued at 150,000 U.S. dollars each, will be used for the training. The demanding training course consists of 80 hours of theoretical lessons and 35 hours of flying. It will takes two months at most to complete the entire training process and final test, at a cost of about 80,000 yuan, according to Zhang. Qualified trainees will receive pilot's licenses from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China. Zhang said the applicants include private entrepreneurs, employees of foreign enterprises, and even a 17-year-old student. There are now about 40 people in China with private pilot licenses. The country began to approve such applications in August 1996. |
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