Dreams take flight with homemade helicopter

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China News, amateur-built aircraft have been popular in recent years with tens of thousands of people creating their own.

In 2008, Chen Zhaorong, a farmer in Wenguang village, Guangdong province, was under the spotlight for his homemade helicopter. During a test flight in May that year, his engine stopped mid-flight. Luckily, he survived the crash, but police asked him to sign a document promising that he would not fly again.

Since China established general aviation as a strategic industry in 2016, a series of supporting policies have been issued to regulate the amateur-built aircraft market.

In May 2018, the administration added the special airworthiness certificate in experimental category to the Rules of Airworthiness Approval of Civil Aviation Products and Components.

An amateur-built aircraft is defined as one with the major portion fabricated and assembled by individuals who undertook the construction project on their own.

Late that year, Shen Benzhong in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, got the country's first airworthiness certificate in experimental category for his F27 helicopter.

Mao Yiqing, secretary-general of the Shanghai General Aviation Alliance and general manager of Shanghai Oxai Aircraft Co, told the Civil Aviation Administration of China News that a country's aviation industry's development is closely related to the widespread participation of young people and aviation enthusiasts.

"With the supporting policy for civil aviation in experimental category, these flying amateurs will be able to play an important role in the country's aviation sector," Mao added.