CAAC approves plan to develop Xinyang Civil Airport

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) recently approved the plans to develop Xinyang Military Minggang Airport into a civil airport. The Xinyang Development and Reform Commission reported that the reconstruction project of Xinyang Airport was included by the CAAC in its recently approved plan to raise the number of civil airports in the Central South China area. Based on the plans of the CAAC, 14 airports -- including Xinyang Airport in Henan and Yueyang Airport in Hunan -- will be added to the Central South China airports group. The group consists of civil airports within the six Chinese provinces and autonomous regions in South Central China, which includes Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, and Hunan. The newly approved plan of the CAAC aims to build up 39 airports to satisfy the air transport needs of the Central South China area as well as promote the area’s economy and social development. Based on this plan, the Air Force’s former Xinyang Military Minggang Airport will be converted into Xinyang civil airport. Minggang Airport, an Air force base invested in and constructed by the state in November of 1958, was designed as a long-term, class-one military installation. Through years of persistence by the Xinyang City government to reconstruct the military airport base into a civilian airport, the Air Force finally agreed to Xinyang City’s request. The main construction project of Xinyang Airport includes the construction of a terminal building and an approach road, and runway maintenance. The airport was designed to accommodate the landings and takeoffs of B737 aircraft, and will be placed in the category of a civil regional airport once completed. At present, there are no alternative civil airports serving the area in between Zhengzhou Airport in Henan and Wuhan Airport in Hubei. The establishment of Xinyang as a civil airport would finally provide air transport service to the area. Xinyang Airport, which is expected to be ready for construction next year, will require a total investment of RMB 300 million. Once completed, it will increase the number of civil airports in China’s central province of Henan to four.