Mainland China’s Civil Aviation Museum Now Opened

In November, the opening ceremony of mainland China’s civil aviation museum and the special themed exhibition entitled “Civil Aviation Strengthens China” was held in Beijing. Li Jiaxiang, minister of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC for short) was present and made a speech at the ceremony. He said that the Civil Aviation Museum will be a window to show mainland China’s civil aviation development achievements, to spread civil aviation culture and to popularize civil aviation knowledge to the country. At the ceremony, Li Jiaxiang unveiled the Civil Aviation Museum and undraped the themed exhibition, ”Civil Aviation Strengthens China”. Li Jun, a deputy minister of the CAAC and Yan Zhize, the director-general of the Civil Aviation Science Popularization Foundation both attended the ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by Xia Xinghua, a deputy minister of the CAAC. Main leaders of cultural and museum organizations, such as the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the National Museum of China, the Chinese Aviation Museum and Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage, as well as persons in charge of the bureaus and departments of the CAAC and some other civil aviation enterprises, also took part in the ceremony. Li Jiaxiang said that the reason why they built the Civil Aviation Museum is to show mainland China’s civil aviation history, which was developed from the ground up, to carry forward with the spirit of accomplishing achievements through strenuous efforts and commitment and to popularize scientific and technological civil aviation knowledge. The establishment of the civil aviation museum has gained wide support and assistance from both within the civil aviation industry and out. The departments in the civil aviation industry that have provided support in respects of manpower, material and financial resources have been especially supportive. The CAAC is in charge of the civil aviation museum. It is located in the civil aviation 200# region by the supplementary road to Beijing Capital International Airport, taking an area of 284 mus. The exterior appearance of the main exhibition hall is designed according to the shape of an aircraft engine. The establishment and the collection task received broad participation and support from the community. Until now, 130 million Yuan has been raised and a number of transportation aircraft and collections which reflect mainland China’s difficult periods of development of civil aviation have been collected. The portion of real aircraft contains the the IL-14, which had been taken by Mao Zedong, the C-46 which had flown the Hump Route, and the Li-2, the BAE-146, the Trident aircraft, the Y-7 aircraft, the Airbus A321-200 and a few others. In addition, many valuable historical documents and materials regarding the Hump Route flight, Beginning Navigation on August 1, Trial Flight to Tibet and so on were collected. In the museum, there are some flight simulators and multifunctional cinemas, that visitors can enhance their museum experience as well as to educate themselves regarding the science of flight. . As the museum is opened, the six-month long special exhibition entitled “Civil Aviation Strengthens Makes China” has started. This exhibition is hosted by the CAAC, organized by the Air Traffic Management Bureau of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the China Academy of Civil Aviation Science and Technology, the Civil Aviation Museum and the Civil Aviation Science Popularization Foundation. 31 members of the civil aviation industry and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China have attended this exhibition. The exhibition “looks back at the great achievements of civil aviation after the Reform and opening up, and the ambitious goal of establishing China as a country with a strong and outstanding civil aviation industry”. The theme is divided into four sections, “Beginning of navigation”, “Main roads are connected”, “God helps those who help themselves” and “Go ahead on all roads”. This theme exhibition gives visitors a panoramic view of the People’s Republic of China’s civil aviation achievements, especially the construction and developmental achievements of the last 30 years, after the reform and opening up strategy had been implemented.