Zhejiang province to have first 5S aircraft dealer

Zhejiang is to have the province's first 5S dealer for aircraft in Ningbo by 2015 to provide more than 20 categories of helicopters from European countries and the United States, as well as pilot training courses.

Jiang Wenquan, president of General Dynamic Aero Tech Co, a general aviation company based in Shanghai, said that the company is to establish a 5S shop for helicopters in Meishan Bonded Zone of Ningbo. The construction will be finished by the beginning of next year.

A dealer is known as 5S for its combination of sales, survey, spare parts, service and supplements.

The shop, once completed, will be capable of providing more than 20 kinds of imported helicopters, with prices ranging from 3 million yuan ($482,000) to 100 million yuan.

Apart from helicopter sales and after-sale services, the dealer shop will also provide pilot lessons, Jiang said. To get a pilot license for general aviation in China, one needs at least 60 hours of theory lessons and 40 hours of practice lessons. The cost exceeds 250,000 yuan.

Jiang said the whole Yangtze River Delta currently has no more than 100 private aircraft. The number is expected to grow to 300 to 500 in the next three to five years.

"The market potential is great," he said.