China's big names in the aviation industry. (Photo : Getty Images)
According to a report released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the country is aiming to add 74 more civil transport airports by 2020. The goals outline the government plans for the economic and social development of the aviation industry over a period of five years.
The report shows the details regarding blueprint and goals for the development of China's civil aviation industry. This should be executed during the country's 13th Five-Year Plan period from 2016 - 2020.
These projects would make trips to, medium-sized cities of each province, which is also referred to China's third-tier cities much easier.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China is in charge of putting forward development strategies and long-term plans for the civil aviation industry. It provides specific suggestions, formulates rules and regulations, drafts and implements policies related to the comprehensive system of transport.
China's airline on-time arrival rates were reported to be at 27 percent in 2016. The project aims to increase this to about 80 percent by 2020. Besides this, it is also aiming at a 28 percent increase in air passenger turnover volume by 2020.
With the prediction, it is anticipated that the number of air passengers in the country will grow to approximately 720 million. Combined with the project to add more civil transport airports, it will result in the country's total civil aviation turnover reaching 142 billion tons, 8.5 million of which will comprise of cargo and mail.
It is recorded that the total number of China's general aviation airports reached 310 during the 12th Five-Year Plan, which covered 2011-2015. The CAAC is hoping that this number would reach 500 before 2020.
It is also hoping that the country will have 5,000 general aviation aircraft and 7,000 general aviation pilots by 2020.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization, general aviation is defined as "all civil aviation operations other than scheduled air services and non-scheduled air transport operations for remuneration or hire."
