Flying toward a spectacular future

Lei Yanghua, a pilot at Zhanzhuo General Aviation, checks out his instruments before passengers arrive for another short trip.[Photo/China Daily]

"We are extremely lucky to be based in Guilin, which is a popular tourism destination, and suitable for aerial tours," Yang Haolei, general manager of Zhanzhuo General Aviation, said.

"We use Robinson R44 helicopters for aerial tours and they are very good aircraft for our business. They are extremely reliable and safe."

Zhanzhuo General Aviation runs five tour routes from Guilin, with a starting price of 600 yuan per person for six minutes in the air.

For a 10-minute flight, the cost is 900 yuan per person, while a 15-minute sight-seeing trip is 1,000 yuan per person.

Passengers have been impressed by the experience as they glide over the incredible landscape.

One businessman, who would only give his surname as Lyu, took his family on a 30-minute flight, which cost 10,000 yuan, earlier this month.

"It was very exciting and felt like watching a 3-D movie, when we darted through the clouds over the hills," he said.

Business is taking off at Zhanzhuo General Aviation, according to Li Ning, marketing director, despite a low-key promotional campaign.

"The helicopters really sell themselves," he said. "They are a vivid advertisement to potential customers. Once people see them in the air, they end up coming here to book a tour."

In the past two months, the peak season for tourism in Guilin, the aviation operator has attracted 90 passengers a day at the weekend and more than 50 passengers a day during the rest of the week.

Li declined to reveal financial figures, such as the cost of setting up the business, and revenue and profit since January, because he said the company "has only been going for seven months".

But Zhanzhuo General Aviation has big plans for the future and hopes to increase its helicopter fleet to 20 from three in the next five years.

"The experience from foreign operators show that the helicopter tour market can be very profitable," general manager Yang said. "It is the blue ocean for China's helicopter industry－even the whole tourism sector."

The government is actively encouraging the industry.