Minhang part of new milestone in air transport

A heliport in Minhang District is opening to general aviation services, facilitating the development of the low-altitude economy, a new emerging industry in China, according to the district authority.

The district said the Shanghai Xinhong Heliport, less than 100 meters from Hongqiao International Airport, has been registered as an "A1 surface-level heliport." It ensures its accessibility to the public who can use it to obtain flight services, and carry out their own flying or even commercial operations under the supervision of the aviation authorities.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, A1 surface-level heliports are for aircraft with at least 10 passenger seats, suitable for various commercial passenger flight activities, including emergency rescue, medical services, business trips, and tourism.

Meanwhile, two heliports in Suzhou's Wujiang District, in neighboring Jiangsu Province, one in the Hengshan Subdistrict and one in Songling, have also been registered for general aviation.

Given the location of the heliports, people in Wujiang will be able to take a helicopter to Shanghai to take a flight from Hongqiao to their final destination around the country or the world.

The three heliports together can be seen as a milestone in the development of a new air transport model in East China, facilitating the growth of low-altitude commercial aviation services in the Yangtze River Delta region and surrounding areas.

The low-altitude economy has become a highly-anticipated sector in China. According to the "China Low-Altitude Economy Development Research Report" by CCID Consulting, the sector's value soared to over 500 billion yuan (US$68 billion) in 2023, with a 33.8-percent growth rate. The Civil Aviation Administration of China projects this figure will touch 2 trillion yuan by 2030.

Analysts said the high level of economic development and large population density put the Yangtze River Delta region in an advantageous position in developing low-altitude economy.

In 2023, the region reported a combined GDP over 30.5 trillion yuan, accounting for 24.2 percent of the national total. By the end of last year, the regional population reached 238 million, 17 percent of China's population.

In August, Shanghai unveiled "Shanghai Low-Altitude Economy Industry High-Quality Development Action Plan (2024-2027)," which aims for a core industry value exceeding 50 billion yuan by 2027 and envisions creating inter-provincial low-altitude aviation hubs in the Yangtze River Delta. Suzhou released a similar plan in February, showing its resolution to develop urban air traffic and better connect the city with airports in nearby cities.

In such a favorable atmosphere, several projects have been launched in the two cities, including a line connecting Kunshan in Suzhou to the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, and several sightseeing routes covering landmarks in Shanghai.

Shanghai will develop at least 400 air traffic lines by 2027, according to a plan released last month by Shanghai's transport authorities.