Int'l general aviation industry expo kicks off in central China

CHANGSHA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The Hunan International General Aviation Industry Expo opened Friday in central China's Hunan Province, with a focus on showcasing the booming drone industry.

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has accelerated since 2018, injecting vitalities to the development of general aviation, said Yin Shijun, chief engineer with the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The total flight duration of drones in China over the past three years exceeded 4 million hours, with an average increase of 40 percent annually, according to Yin.

Renowned air show teams will put on professional performances of fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, model airplanes, powered parachutes and ultralight aircraft during the expo.

The three-day event has attracted key enterprises from home and abroad, including Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Aero Engine Corporation of China, Textron Aviation, Bell Helicopter and Pratt &Whitney, among others.

More than 300 domestic and foreign experts, scholars and business leaders, as well as diplomatic envoys and representatives of business associations from 17 countries will be attending the expo.