Diversified homegrown aircraft flourish in China's low-altitude economy

Diversified homegrown aircraft are flying in China's skies, tapping new market opportunities and injecting vitality into the country's booming low-altitude economy.

China's new homegrown aircraft are making major strides with intensive progress ranging from new low-altitude aircraft models to innovative application scenarios in low-altitude skies.

A modified AG50, China's new-generation light-sport aircraft, completed a successful maiden flight on Monday at an airport in Jingmen, central China's Hubei Province, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the country's leading aircraft manufacturer.

This marked both the completion of the AG50's modification and the modified aircraft's entry into its airworthiness validation flight test phase.

"We are endeavoring to develop a type of aircraft affordable for more customers in terms of both purchase price and operating costs. This aircraft uses regular car gasoline as fuel, making it more affordable to the public," said Liu Chong, the aircraft's chief designer at the Special Vehicle Research Institute under the AVIC.

According to Liu, the light-sport aircraft can fly at a speed of nearly 200 kilometers per hour. Its fuel consumption is about 16 liters per 100 kilometers -- similar to that of an ordinary car.

This aircraft features low manufacturing and operating costs and good value-for-money performance, thanks to its combination of low-cost composite material body, homegrown integrated avionics system and use of car gasoline.

"As a new member of China's homegrown general aircraft sector, the modified AG50 aircraft will be used for aerial sports, agricultural and forestry operations, flight training, private flights and more application scenarios in the low-altitude economy," Liu added.

In addition, the Chinese independently-developed AG100 civil primary trainer aircraft has officially entered commercial operation, bridging a gap for China in the sector.

The AG100 single-engine piston aircraft is developed by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co., Ltd. under AVIC, and is aimed at serving a wide range of customers -- such as pilot training schools and private pilots.

Going forward, constant efforts will be made to improve and optimize the AG100 aircraft and sustain its commercial success, thereby accelerating development of the country's burgeoning low-altitude economy and the general aviation industry, according to the developer.

The Chinese leadership has reiterated its determination to improve institutions and mechanisms for modernizing infrastructure, a policy made evident by a resolution adopted at the third plenum of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee.

The resolution noted that China will develop both general aviation and its low-altitude economy.

It is estimated that the market value of the low-altitude economy sector will surge from around 500 billion yuan (69.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023 to 2 trillion yuan by 2030.

The AVIC disclosed its current progress and blueprint regarding low-altitude aircraft development at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition held in mid-November in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province.

The AVIC is committed to focusing on developing unmanned, electrified and intelligent low-altitude aircraft. The company will also expand application scenarios and promote sound progress in terms of the low-altitude industrial ecosystem.

Progress in the low-altitude economy is also encouraging for ambitious start-ups in this sector. At the airshow in Zhuhai, innovative aircraft featuring new configurations and new energy sources were highlighted.

Aerofugia, a subsidiary of China's electric vehicle giant Geely Auto, launched the batch production version of its AE200 manned tilt rotor eVTOL aircraft at the airshow.

The launch confirmed that this type of Chinese-developed low-altitude aircraft has moved from scientific research to the mass production stage. It is scheduled to start manned verification flights in 2025.

"We should cherish this era of innovative low-altitude aircraft blooming freely," Guo Liang, Aerofugia CEO and chief scientist, told Xinhua during an exclusive interview at the airshow.

"It will not be long before citizens get to experience flying cars," Guo said.