China has just taken a giant leap into the future of aviation! 🚀 On May 18, 2024, China delivered its first domestically developed new energy light sport aircraft, the RX1E-A, to a general aviation airport in east China's Anhui Province.
The RX1E-A isn't just any aircraft—it’s the world's first two-seat electric light sport aircraft with both a design certificate and a mass production license. ⚡🛩️ Powered by lithium batteries and crafted from carbon fiber composite material, this sleek plane represents a new era in eco-friendly aviation.
The Civil Aviation Association of China (CAAC) recognized the innovation of the RX1E-A by issuing its Type Certificate in 2018 and Production Certificate in 2019. Impressively, it's also the first in the world to gain an airworthiness certificate under the American Society for Testing and Materials standards. 🌟
\"Electric light sport aircraft have a wide range of applications,\" said Zhang Feng, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) of China, in an interview with CGTN. \"They can be used for pilot training, aerial sightseeing, short-distance commuting, and aerobatic performances.\"
Produced by Rhyxeon General Aircraft, the RX1E-A boasts a maximum takeoff weight of 630 kilograms. It can soar through the skies for up to 2.5 hours, covering a range of 240 kilometers on a single charge. That's some serious mileage! 🛫🌎
And it's not just about innovation—it's about demand. As of March 2024, Rhyxeon has secured 22 orders and over 400 letters of intent. The future of aviation is electric, and China is leading the charge! 🔋✈️
Revving Up China's Low-Altitude Economy 🚁
The Chinese government is giving wings to the low-altitude economy, listing it in its 2024 work report. This sector is expected to become a new powerhouse for economic growth, tapping into the potential of general aviation, including small fixed-wing planes, helicopters, and drones.
According to the CAAC, China's low-altitude economy was estimated at more than 500 billion yuan ($70 billion) by the end of last year and is projected to reach a whopping 2 trillion yuan by 2030. Talk about sky-high ambitions! 💰🌠
\"Driven by national policies and technological advancement, China's low-altitude economy is developing rapidly,\" Zhang Feng highlighted. \"From ground to space, it is expanding economic opportunities to three dimensions, opening up infinite imagination.\"
Zhang is optimistic about the transformative power of this sector: \"I believe that in the coming years, the low-altitude economy will bring about unimaginable changes to the entire society, just as we could not have imagined the convenience of mobile payments over a decade ago.\"
With innovations like the RX1E-A, the sky isn't the limit—it's just the beginning! 🌌✨
Reference(s):
China delivers 1st self-developed new energy light sport aircraft
cgtn.com
