Young pilots take to the air amid shortage (2)

Email|Print|Comments       twitter     facebook     Sina Microblog     reddit    

"It's thrilling and exciting to fly an aircraft, especially when the instructor shows us some aerobatics," he said. "In addition to takeoff and landing, which the instructor helps us with as it's dangerous, we have to do all aerial work by ourselves.

"It's not easy getting up at 5 am every day and climbing into the aircraft, but it's fulfilling and colorful."

Along with the physical and academic performance required, the tuition fees have also deterred many potential pilots from taking to the air.

Wang Hongyan, Deng's mother, said: "To fly costs up to 150,000 yuan ($24,500), which is not easy for working families like us.

"We have been hesitating about the cost, but it's worthwhile as Deng is finally fulfilling his dream and once he's completed all the tests it's easier for him to get enrolled at his ideal college as well."

In addition to the academic knowledge and experience, Wang said the project has made her son become more patient and moderately behaved and also helped him build responsibility through his studies, a basic character requirement for pilots.

"He gradually learns to solve a problem through communicating and discussion," she said.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration, China is facing a serious shortage of pilots in the next five to 10 years. It will be short of 18,000 pilots by the end of 2015, while the number of fliers now barely meets demand, it said.

Gao Yuanyang, director of Beihang University's General Aviation Industry Research Center, said earlier that despite China's general aviation fleet increasing to 1,154 aircraft in 2011, about a third of these planes can't be flown because of the pilot shortage.

According to the association, flying private aircraft has become increasingly popular among the public, with more people earning private-pilot certificates, many of them bosses of private companies and aircraft enthusiasts.

To earn a private pilot's license, at least 35 flying hours must have been clocked, in addition to completing the physical examination, aviation theory study and theory test organized by the Civil Aviation Administration.

Yan Ran contributed to this story.

We Recommend

• Helicopters, tanks seen during China-Russia joint drill
• Conjoined twins separated in groundbreaking surgery
• Cristiano Ronaldo and his beautiful fans
• Morsi supporters demonstrate near Egyptian embassy in Yemen
• Beijing Int'l Gifts, Premium & Houseware Exhibition opens
• Weekly Sports Photos: A 'Bolt' of lightning flashes across the sky