In 2020, the company developed a plane, which is expected to receive orders of 50 planes this year, an increase of seven times year-on-year. At present, 23 aircraft of more than 2 tons have been developed, which not only fill the gaps in the country, but also become the darling of domestic short- and medium-distance logistics transportation and emergency rescue market. It is hoped that through the key technology research, it can drive the upstream and downstream enterprises of the aviation industry chain to work together to promote the high-quality development of the industry.

 

In the production workshop of Hunan Xianglong Aircraft Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Xianglong Aircraft) in Yanshan Project Area, Guiyang Industrial Park, workers are busy with assembling operations.

 

On the other hand, in the Xianglong Aerospace Science Popularization Center, the history of the development of China’s aerospace was recorded by pictures, figures and text in detail, which attracts many visitors with space travel VR experience and drone crossing competition.

 

 

Xianglong Aircraft was established in March 2017, which is mainly engaged in the research and development, and manufacturing of general aviation aircraft and large-scale industrial drones. It relies on the global supply chain system and collaborates with upstream and downstream partners in the industry chain to achieve high-quality development through independent innovation. At present, the production line of Guiyang base has reached stable production, with an annual production capacity of 100 aircraft.

 

Over the past 5 years, Xianglong Aircraft has become a national high-tech enterprise, a national aviation science popularization education base, a reserve enterprise for listing and a specialized enterprise with refined, characteristic and innovative development.

 

In 2016, Zhou Shizhong, president of the Chenzhou Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, who was born in Guiyang, decided to return home to start his own business. “The main reason for coming to Guiyang for development is to find the gap in the general aviation market in Guiyang. The superior geographical location of Guiyang, with good business environment, can radiate to many cities such as Changsha, Guangzhou and Chengdu,” said Zhou Shizhong, chairman of Hunan Xianglong Aircraft Co., Ltd.

 

 

Hunan, as the first province to expand its reform on low-altitude airspace management, has created a number of firsts in China. It has further released the dividends of the reform on low-altitude airspace management, seized the first mover advantage of general aviation industry to accelerate the cultivation of trillion-yuan-scale general aviation industry clusters. At present, Hunan has become the largest small and medium-sized aviation engine production base in China, with more than 6,000 industrial technicians, and the light general aviation aircraft account for more than 70% of the national market.

 

The reform dividend has boosted aviation manufacturing and become the engine that drives the development of the general aviation industry chain. With the promotion of the low-altitude pilot reform in the whole area, many enterprises and individuals have earned profits.

 

At the same time, Chenzhou City and Guiyang County have provided “powerful” and “heart-warming” services, which not only have resolved the problems of land and factory buildings, and implemented the tax exemption and reduction policy for foreign enterprises, but also provided infrastructure such as airports and roads for aviation industry.

 

Talent is the first productive force. The “Three-Year Action Plan for Talent Upgrading” proposed by Xianglong Aircraft has also received strong support from Chenzhou City and Guiyang County, with special funds granted to solve the problem of talent introduction in the aviation industry. At present, the research and development department of the company has gathered a group of top talents from universities specializing in aircraft manufacturing.

 

At the same time, Xianglong Aircraft has also established “Industry-University-Research” school-enterprise cooperation with Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Northwestern Polytechnical University to further strengthen research and development.

 

Since 2017, under the leadership of Zhou Shizhong, the research and development team has been keeping improving from drawing design, writing specifications, compiling manufacturing outlines, establishing a complete digital model system, prototype manufacturing, static test of whole aircraft ground and flight test.

 

In November 2020, it completed the first delivery of XL100, the first light sports aircraft with all-metal fixed-wing independently developed by Xianglong Aircraft, which was recognized by the market and widely popular among users in the past two years.

 

Zhou Shizhong said that a number of models have been booked in advance by customers, which is mainly attributed to low-altitude airspace management reform and the gradual improvement of the aviation infrastructure in Hunan.