Beijing's highest helipad located on the 81st floor of China World Summit Wing was formally put into operation and is expected to provide both emergency rescue and sightseeing services after its successful test flights on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
The Bell 429 can run at almost 300 kilometers per hour at maximum weight. It can seat eight passengers, including the pilot, and can stock up as much as 821 liters of fuel. The model weighs more than a ton, approximately 2,023 kilograms without any passengers or cargo and can hold up to a maximum of 1,361 kilograms in cargo weight.
The helicopter was manufactured by Bell Helicopter, an American rotorcraft company that is based in Fort Worth, Texas.
A trial emergency flight was jointly carried out by China World Trade Center, the host, and the Beijing Emergency Medical Center and Reignwood Star, the provider of the chopper.
Different representatives from the three organizations attended the ceremony to embark the utilization of Beijing's highest helipad.
The flight featured a trip loading four passengers in the fleet-sized Bell 429. The trip toured the East Fourth Ring Road from the CBD area to Wangjing before landing on the helipad, which was 330 meters above the ground.
The helicopter service is expected to carry people in need of emergency services to and from the city through aerial means.
Helicopter trips will soon be possible in metropolitan areas because the Chinese government will gradually open up low-altitude airspace in the coming years since it originally was not open for commercial helicopters for safety reasons.