Civil aviation expo tracks China's fast but safe flight trajectory
The third Civil Aviation Science, Technology and Education Innovation Exhibition, held in Beijing this week, spotlighted China's latest advancements in civil aviation, featuring cutting-edge technologies and innovations from over 100 exhibitors.
The 3-day expo, which concluded on Wednesday, covered seven themed zones focusing on education, technology, and talent development within China's civil aviation sector. Key participants include industry giants such as COMAC, Air China and China Eastern, alongside service providers like KDlink and regulatory bodies such as the Airworthiness Certification Center under the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
Free and open to the public, the exhibition offers a window into China's accelerating progress in aviation innovation and industrial capability.
A major highlight is the presence of organizations responsible for aviation safety and certification. At the booth of the CAAC Airworthiness Certification Center, visitors got a rare look into the behind-the-scenes work that ensures aircraft safety.
"Airworthiness certification is the first line of defense for aviation safety," said Hou Xiaoyu, deputy director of the center's system certification department.
He also explained how the center was involved in the complex certification process for the C919 — China's indigenously developed large passenger jet.
"The airworthiness certification process for the C919 involved comprehensive system-level assessments, including avionics, flight control, structural integrity, and more," he said. "Every detail had to meet rigorous international safety standards."
According to Hou, certifying a jet like the C919 is not just about technical evaluation but also about risk identification and validation methods that adapt to innovation and evolving technologies.
"With the rapid development of low-altitude aircraft like drones and eVTOLs, our certification processes must evolve to address new safety challenges and technological innovations," he added.
The low-altitude economy — covering activities below 1,000 meters including drone logistics, sightseeing flights, and light aircraft manufacturing — was another focus. A dedicated zone featuring eVTOL and drone manufacturers such as EHang, Autoflight, Vertaxi and Aerofugia attracted significant public attention.
"China's national policies provide strong support, and with capital investment increasing and airspace regulations gradually being relaxed, the low-altitude economy is poised for significant growth." said Yue Tingting, vice president of Vertaxi, one of China's leading players developing electric air taxi for urban mobility based in Shanghai. "We believe China has the potential to become one of the largest and most dynamic markets in this sector globally.
"Industry players like us are optimistic, but large-scale adoption will ultimately hinge on a range of factors, including airspace management, infrastructure development, laws and regulations, scheduling systems, OEMs, and the broader industry supply chain."
"China has built a solid industrial supply chain and technological foundation to support the development of the low-altitude sector," said Lu Rucheng, chief engineer of EHang, another key player of the eVTOL industry.
"Many people have dreamed of flying cars and have watched countless sci-fi movies — these visions reflect human aspirations and have helped drive innovation," he added.
The expo also highlighted efforts to enhance the passenger experience. Currently, only around 200 commercial aircraft operated by Chinese airlines offer in-flight internet access, with China Eastern accounting for the majority, according to Lu Wei of KDlink Technology, a provider of in-flight connectivity services.
Lu said KDlink currently supports connectivity on more than 110 aircraft and aims to expand that number to 1,000 by 2029.
In addition to the exhibitions, the event also included forums on topics such as AI in aviation, industry-education integration and smart airports.