It is called the AC313 and it is China’s newest aviation product. According to Chinese news sites, the large-scale helicopter made by Aviation Industry Corporation of China (中国航空工业集团公司) fills a gap in the country’s homemade offer. The AC313 took its first flight on the 18. March in Jingdezhen (景德镇), Jiangxi province (江西).

Capable of transporting 27 passengers or 15 injured and lifting up to 13,8 tons, the helicopter is designed for a wide range of civil applications like disaster relief, fire-fighting, sightseeing, etc… It has a maximum autonomy of 900 kilometers.

Its flight capabilities are suited both for assistance work in densely populated urban areas as well as for reaching remote mountainous places. It is thus an important tool for China’s diverse geographical and demographical realities. China Flying Dragon Special Aviation Company (中国飞龙专业航空公司) will be the first to make use of it.

Chinese source: 中国飞龙专业航空公司

“Better city, better life” is the Shanghai 2010 World Exposition motto. In accordance with it, one of the city’s airport becomes bigger, more convenient and more energy efficient.

Shanghai Hongqiao Airport (上海红桥机场)’s new Terminal No. 2 as well as a second runway officially opened on March 16. Hongqiao is the city’s second airport after Pudong International airport (浦东国际机场). It is mainly a big hub for inland flights. The new construction will increase the airport’s flight capacity by 60%. It will also improve the passengers’ comfort and diminish queuing time. Furthermore it is well connected to the city’s public transportation network with a new subway station.

During the reorganisation and expansion of the airport, a lot of effort went into energy saving measures like solar energy, etc.  As a result, the rejuvenated airport will be able to save up to 65% of its energy costs.

The opening comes in time, a month and a half before the beginning of the Shanghai 2010 World Expo. The extension of the airport is part of the city’s equipment enhancement plan for this event.

According to the airport’s homepage, almost all inland flights have been moved to the new terminal.

Chinese sources: 上海虹桥机场2号航站楼16日投入运营; 上海虹桥机场2号航站楼正式启用(组图); 虹桥机场改扩建后节能65%

On the 14. February it will be time to enter a new cycle according to the Chinese lunar calendar. The year of the tiger will replace the year of the ox. Every year around this time a flow of travelers returning home to celebrate the Chinese New Year festivities with their families puts the country’s transportation network under big stress. This massive population movement is called “Spring Transportation” (春运).

The period of the Spring Festival (春节), as the Chinese call their new year, is the country’s most important holiday season. Since the Reform and Opening-up Policy, restrictions on population movements have been loosened and people are encouraged to undertake private business activities. Combined with the country’s uneven rate of economic development, this has led many people to look for work outside of their home province. Many students also choose to study in other provinces. For many, the Spring Festival is the only occasion to return to their place of origin.

Altogether the Spring Transportation lasts for about a month, time for everybody to go home and than back to studies or work.  All means of transport are put under strain. After the roads it is the country’s railway network that has to support the biggest load of travelers, especially for long distance journeys. China is constantly improving its railway infrastructure; but the sheer number of passengers to be handled during this period pushes it to its limits. The station master and secretary of the station of Dongguan (东莞) in Guangdong (广东) province were sacked for helping passengers to climb into full trains through the windows.

One problem recurring every year is speculation with train ticket prizes: third parties buy a lot of tickets for popular destinations and than resell them to people in need of a ticket. To fight this, a name identification system (实名制) is being tested during this year’s Spring Festival holidays. When buying a train ticket and boarding the train, one has to show its identity card. The passenger’s names and ID numbers are printed on the ticket. This system is being tested now by the railway authorities of the cities of Guangzhou (广州) and Chengdu (成都), two of the country’s busiest train hubs. The system was thus applied to the new Wuhan-Guangdong high speed train (武广高铁).

Wang Yongping (王勇平), the head of the Railway Ministry (铁道), has already said that this new system had positive effects; but hasn’t completely eradicated the problem. In some cases it produced additional uneasiness for the passengers, Wang said. Therefore it hasn’t been decided yet, if the system will be generalized or not.

Chinese sources: 铁道部称实名购票制是否推广尚无定论; 铁道部：铁路春运客流进入高峰 来势迅猛

When it comes to transportation, China’s geographic and demographic situation don’t make it easy. Very densely populated areas alternate with scarcely populated areas on a vast territory. This, combined with an increasingly mobile population, demands innovative solutions. Mass scale, cost efficiency, energy efficiency and respect of the environment are all key topics.

Technological China is following how China is dealing with the transportation challenges of the twenty-first century.

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