A high-ranking Chinese aviation official toured businesses at Melbourne International Airport on Friday, exploring possible business agreements as that nation prepares to make a big push into general aviation.
The visit by Jin Qian Sheng, the secretary general of the China Aviation Industrial Base (CAIB), capped a four-day tour of Central Florida aviation facilities. A holding company called Federal Aerospace Holdings Group arranged the visit, which involved meetings with representatives of Space Florida, Enterprise Florida, the state’s economic development agency and the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast.
On Friday, Jin signed a “memorandum of understanding” with Lynda Weatherman, the president and chief executive of the Economic Development Commission. The formality is a first step for future business agreements between Brevard companies and CAIB.
Jin’s visit is important as China makes a push into general aviation. Jin said he wants to develop partnerships with local aviation companies that would spur job creation and investment at Melbourne International and across Central Florida.
He chose to visit Brevard because of its growing aviation and aerospace reputation and also because of workers involved with the space program.
“You have such a great pool of knowledgeable people — professionals and engineers — so you cannot export from anywhere that is any better than this,” Jin said through an interpreter during an interview with FLORIDA TODAY at Melbourne International on Friday afternoon.
China, which will build aircraft and vastly boost its pool of pilots in the months ahead, will need aviation equipment suppliers and training aircraft. China's civil aviation authorities have estimated that by 2020, the country will need more than 9,000 aircraft for general aviation. Related industries, led by the booming general aviation industry, will add a market valued about 60 billion yuan, or $9.4 billion.
General aviation describes private and commercial flights other than military, scheduled airline and regular cargo flights.
Federal Aerospace had Jin visit Central Florida because of the reservoir of businesses involved in general aviation services, particularly parts and manufacturing. Melbourne International is emerging as one of the state’s important business aviation hubs. On Monday, for example, Brazilian jet manufacturer Embraer opened its global headquarters of its Executive Jets division.
“In Central Florida, there are certain areas that are wonderful hubs for aviation development,” said Chad Lewis, managing director of North America for Federal Aerospace. “You have such a strong concentration of companies focusing directly on the general aviation market plus you have an experienced economic development team that is supported by both state and local governments who are committed to the success and growth of Florida companies.”
Jin’s visit to Melbourne International included tours of airport-based businesses, Avidyne Corp., a provider of integrated avionics and safety systems for general aviation aircraft, and Liberty Aerospace, a manufacturer of small, two-seat airplanes that many pilots say are ideal for flight training. While at Liberty he took a quick flight on the company’s XL2 aircraft.
Specifically, Jin said he is looking for manufacturers to make products for his country’s aviation market, with final assembly taking place in China.
“I’d like to have research and development located here with final assembly, service, repair and maintenance done in China,” Jin said. “Not everything made in China is cheaper than it is in the United States.”
Weatherman called the memorandum, “an important first step.”
In China, Jin is credited with creating more than 600,000 jobs in his previous position as head of Xian’s High-Tech Commission. As the secretary general of CAIB, his efforts are said to so far have resulted in 400 companies with more than 5,000 employees expanding into Xian. That figure is expected to grow to 20,000 employees by the end of 2012.
“Mr. Jin’s visit,” Lewis said, “is laying the groundwork for ongoing mutually beneficial economic development opportunities between China and the United States to expand U.S. businesses into China as well as bringing Chinese based firms here, thereby creating jobs both in the U.S. and China.”
Jin also promised that at upcoming aviation trade shows in China, interested Brevard companies could have their own designated area, which would get them an edge over European competitors.
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