Chinese Aviation Industry

Construction of a new airport in south China's Guangdong Province officially kicked off on Wednesday, adding a new aviation hub to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The Pearl River Delta Hub (Guangzhou New) Airport is located in Gaoming District of Foshan City, at the geographical center of Foshan, Zhaoqing, Jiangmen and Yunfu cities. It is expected to directly serve a population of over 20 million.It is designed to handle an annual passenger throughput of 30 million, a cargo and mail throughput of 500,000 tonnes, and 260,000 aircraft takeoffs and landings. (All photos by Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)





Aerial drone photos taken on March 24, 2026 shows the construction site of a new airport in south China's Guangdong Province.



This photo taken on March 25, 2026 shows the construction site of a new airport in south China's Guangdong Province.



Machines, large back hoe's, are deployed at the construction site of a new airport in south China's Guangdong Province, March 25, 2026.

Ex-AVIC chairman handed suspended death sentence

Tan Ruisong, former chairman of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, was handed a suspended death sentence on Wednesday for embezzlement, bribery, insider trading and leaking insider information involving more than 700 million yuan ($101.5 million), the Dalian Intermediate People's Court in Liaoning province announced.

The court sentenced Tan to 15 years in prison and a 5 million yuan fine for embezzlement; death with a two-year reprieve; lifelong deprivation of political rights and the confiscation of all personal property for bribery; and six years in prison and a fine for insider trading and insider information leaks.

The court also ordered that assets and gains obtained through Tan's embezzlement be returned to the victim unit, while proceeds and interest derived from his bribery be recovered and turned over to the State treasury. Illegal gains from insider trading will continue to be recovered, it said.

The court found that Tan, 64, embezzled public assets worth 89.93 million yuan between July 2003 and 2010 by exploiting his positions as deputy general manager of China Aviation Industry Corporation II and later deputy general manager of AVIC.

China elevated aviation and space technology to "pillar industry" status, as they did to renewables and EV in the previous 5-year plan.

MA60 firefighting variant has entered service

2=GT said:

MA60 firefighting variant has entered service
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Is these Xian planes using Chinese engines?

........... said:

Is these Xian planes using Chinese engines?

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No, they use PW engines

another unmanned transport took first flight. This is 7-ton class 长鹰-8

tphuang said:

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another unmanned transport took first flight. This is 7-ton class 长鹰-8

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It was a success. The virgin flight took about 30 minutes.


3月31日，长鹰-8（NORINCO LUCA）大型运投无人机在郑州上街机场首飞成功，成为全球迄今首飞的最大货运无人机。

长鹰-8无人机沿跑道滑行平稳加速，仅用280米便离地爬升，顺利完成智能飞控、航电、机电、动力燃油、飞行品质等各系统关键科目验证。经过30分钟左右的飞行，无人机精准平稳着陆，圆满完成首飞任务。此次飞行全程采用智能系统主导，人工监控，飞行过程飞行姿态稳定，各系统工作良好，标志着我国在7吨级智能无人运输平台领域实现重要突破。

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Ground staff members and crew members for the inaugural flight of China Eastern Airlines from Shanghai to Tashkent pose for a group photo in front of the plane in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, March 30, 2026. A new direct passenger air route connecting the eastern Chinese city of Shanghai and the Uzbek capital of Tashkent was launched Monday.

Operated by China Eastern Airlines, the service offers four round-trip flights a week, with a one-way flight time of around eight hours. (All Photos by Zafar Khalilov/Xinhua)



Passengers disembark from the inaugural flight of China Eastern Airlines from Shanghai to Tashkent in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, March 30, 2026.



A passenger aircraft of China Eastern Airlines carrying out the inaugural flight from Shanghai to Tashkent lands in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, March 30, 2026.