China’s First Batch of Independently Trained Airship Pilots Obtain Commercial Licenses

On May 6, four airship pilots, the first batch independently trained in China, obtained commercial pilot licenses issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China and officially took up their posts. This milestone marks a zero-to-one breakthrough in the independent training of commercial airship pilots in China, filling an industry gap and laying a solid foundation for the independent and controllable development of the airship industry and the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.

CCTV.com reports that the AS700 “Xiangyun” manned airship, the first in China to hold both type certificate and production license, has become a core equipment supporting the development of the airship industry. The four newly licensed pilots are from customer units and a manned airship R&D and manufacturing unit, having gone through a comprehensive training program approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The training covers a full-chain curriculum including theoretical learning, simulation training and practical operation. The pilots completed more than 400 take-off and landing training sessions on the AS700 “Xiangyun” manned airship and successfully passed the assessment conducted by the relevant working group of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, demonstrating excellent professional capabilities and operational skills.

People’s Network notes that the emergence of the first batch of airship pilots has addressed the current dilemma of the airship operation industry in China, which has sufficient equipment but a shortage of professional talents. At present, the AS700 manned airship has secured 44 orders. Calculated on the basis of 2 to 3 pilots per airship, nearly 100 pilots are needed just to meet the demand of existing orders, showing a significant talent gap.

With the accelerated rise of the low-altitude economy, the demand for airship pilots is expected to surge further in the future. China’s low-altitude economy has entered a period of rapid development in recent years, with airships playing an important role in fields such as aerial observation, emergency rescue, tourism and logistics, creating a sustained demand for professional pilots.

To obtain a commercial airship license, applicants must first hold a commercial aircraft pilot license, pass theoretical examinations, oral tests and flight practice assessments, and master core knowledge including airship principles and aviation regulations. These requirements comply with the Civil Aviation Administration of China’s CCAR-61 regulations, ensuring the safety of airship operations.

Currently, the training system for airship pilots in China is being further improved, with relevant institutions continuously optimizing training courses and expanding training scale to meet the growing talent demand. The first batch of licensed pilots has set a benchmark for large-scale talent training in the future, which will effectively promote the healthy and orderly development of China’s airship industry and inject strong momentum into the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.