Visitors see the H-19 helicopter by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China at the expo. [Photo/People.com.cn]

Visitors see a helicopter at the Third China Tianjin International Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin on September 9. [Photo by Zhang Chenlin/Xinhua]

Visitors gather at the exhibition of Aviation Industry Corporation of China on September 9. [Photo by Zhang Chenlin/Xinhua]

Visitors take photos of performing helicopters during the flight show on September 9. [Photo by Zhang Chenlin/Xinhua]

Helicopters perform a flight show on September 9. [Photo by Zhang Chenlin/Xinhua]

The Third China Tianjin International Helicopter Exposition was launched in the morning of September 9. A total of 366 enterprises from 20 countries and areas around the world brought 56 helicopters to the expo.

The expo is held by the Tianjin Municipal Government and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). As the only national level professional exposition for international helicopters in the country, the expo is held every other year. This year’s expo was launched in the China Helicopter Industrial Base in the Tianjin Airport Economic Area and will last until September 13.

The exhibition area covers 160,000 square meters, including a 30,000-square-meter pavilion. The decorated area covers more than 80 percent of the total exhibition area. According to Yang Lin, deputy director of the Tianjin Airport Economic Area, the increase indicates that more corporations are eager to present their products through the expo.

Visitors will not only see still aircraft, but also enjoy the flight show. The expo also includes indoor exhibition of a complete set of aircraft facilities, business negotiation conferences, and a new aircraft launching ceremony. The exhibits cover both domestic and international helicopters, engines, avionic systems, and aeronautical material.

The number of exhibited helicopters increased nearly 50 percent from last year. Among the 56 helicopters, 36 are still exhibits and 20 will participate in the flight shows.

The PLA General Staff Department’s Aviation Office takes most the responsibility for the aerobatic flight show. Li Kuiyuan, leader of the Flight Performance team, has participated in flight shows in two military parades. He said that the team members put high emphasis in the show and trained for four months.

Chen Jianhua, a deputy director of the Aviation Office, said that the most advanced helicopters in the country will participate in the flight show to present the abilities of domestic helicopters and their pilots.

As a leader in domestic helicopter manufacturing, AVIC sent six domestic AC series civilian used helicopters to participate in seven flight shows in five days.

The corporation’s H-19 armed helicopter is shown at the still exhibition. In addition, AVIC Harbin Aviation Company signed an agreement with Poly Technology Company for a purchase of five H-9 helicopters.

Lin Zuoming, president of AVIC said that the company hopes to publicize the helicopters and expand the service industry chain through the expo. He also hopes that the overall standard and competency of the helicopter industry will be improved by the expo.