Because of a sudden boom in its aviation industry, China will need nearly 5,500 new aircraft to accommodate the demand for the next 20 years.
In a Wednesday statement from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), an estimated 4,491 large planes and some 992 regional aircraft will be needed to ease the pressure on China's current aviation situation.
AVIC revealed that because of the country's growing economy, the continuous urbanization and the increasing need for aviation services, it is for China to acquire more aircraft, employ more pilots and polish air routes.
According to AVIC, about 6,785 civil aircraft would be needed to accommodate the booming industry by the end of 2033.
Meanwhile, China's national civil aviation authority said that the country needs at least half a million more civilian pilots by 2035 to fly private planes, as over 200 new private aviation firms have already submitted their applications to have general aviation operating licenses.
This comes after the national civil aviation authority approved flights below 1,000 meters without military approval.
As of the moment, the aviation authority only has the capability to train 100 students per year, while other aviation training schools could hardly accommodate the sudden influx of aviation enrollees.
"The first batch of students we enrolled in 2010 were mostly business owners interested in getting a private license. But now more and more young people also want to learn flying so that they can get a job at general aviation companies," Civil Aviation Administration of China's (CAAC) Pilot School Deputy Chief Sun Fengwei explained.