Zhao Junfeng, an engineer at the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China’s (COMAC) Shanghai Aircraft Design and Research Institute who is in charge of the static tests of the C919, takes a photo with the aircraft. C919 is a large commercial jet that China developed in accordance with international aviation regulations. (Photo by People’s Daily)

China has seen continuous 85 months of aviation success with more than 54 million safe flying hours, from Aug. 24, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2017, a performance that matches China’s best safety record.

The figure was announced on Tuesday by Tang Weibin, of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), at a regular press conference, who added that it is also the best air traffic safety record in Chinese history.

Over the last 5 years, Chinese airlines managed to keep the major accident rate per one million hours at zero, outperforming the global average 0.0872. In addition, the fatality rate per 100 million passenger-kilometer was 0, while the global average data was 0.0074.

Major domestic players, including China Southern Airlines, Air China and China Eastern Airlines have maintained 10 million hours of safe flight, statistics that prove China has already been in a leading position in civil aviation globally in terms of safety record, said Tang.

China’s aviation market has grown rapidly over the past 5 years, along with air traffic and its airports handled an average of 12,790 flights a day, or one every 7 seconds. The country has 218 licensed airports, 59 commercial airlines, and 2,950 aircrafts.

Statistics show that China's aviation transportation volume by the end of 2016 ranked second in the world after the U.S., for the 12th straight year.

Beijing Capital International Airport, with a total passenger output of 94.4 million in 2016, was the second busiest airport in the world for 7 years in a row. In addition, Shanghai Pudong International Airport handled 3.34 million tons of cargo, ranking third in the world for 9 consecutive years.