A midst a chilly spring backdrop in a city graced with both beauty and history, Xi'an, China played host to the highly anticipated 2005 General Aviation Forum. From March 16th-18th, international aviation operators and manufacturers from all over the world sat down face to face with their Chinese counterparts to discuss progressive ideas and promote the smooth and rapid development of China's general aviation sector. Sponsored by Capital Airports Holding Company VIP Department, DeerJet, and hosted by Uniworld, LLC, the 2005 GA Forum saw the participation of nearly 120 international and Chinese attendees from firms such as FedEx, Raytheon, and China Aviation Oil Holding Company, to name a few. The three-day long event in Xi'an featured two days of informative conferences focusing on the general aviation situation in both China and the international arena, one-on-one meeting sessions where international firms sat down with particular Chinese firms for in depth business discussions, followed by a one-day tour of a civil/military aviation facility as well as the Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Dynasty.

The 2005 General Aviation Forum officially kicked off Tuesday evening, March 15th, with a reception ceremony unique to this type of event in China. Drinks and appetizers set the table for preliminary introductions between attendees. The relaxed atmosphere encouraged individuals to discuss their goals at this year's forum and actively seek out participants in complementary fields. As the two and a half hour reception came to a close, the attendees retired to their rooms to rest up for day one of the 2005 General Aviation Forum.

Wednesday March 16th, 2005 – Day 1

Although the first day of the 2005 GA Forum was met with light rains, the spirit among the attendees remained sky high. From the opening remarks of Mrs. Fan Xiao Mei, the Deputy Director of the China Aviation Association and Mr. Barry Valentine, the Senior Vice President of International Affairs of GAMA (General Aviation Manufacturers Association), it was clear that the attendees all shared a common goal of cooperation at this year's forum. That, reinforced with the official forum theme of “Application of GA in China's Society Today”, opened the door for constructive dialogue between attendees.

The first day saw presentations from Capital Airports Holding Company VIP Department, DeerJet, GAMA, China Development Bank, FedEx FAO, Flight Training Australia, Cirrus Design and the China GA Research Center. Wednesday's discussions peaked as Mr. Tim Harris and Mr. Robert McAndrew of FedEx FAO spoke of possibly expanding their Feeder program into more remote areas of China and how that would positively correlate with a stronger GA network. It was apparent through the first day of talks that both sides acknowledged the lack of infrastructure and equipment in China as an issue, but with investors like the China Development Bank beginning to line up, optimism about the future of GA in China remained high.

After a brief intermission for lunch, Mr. Jason Liao, Sales Director of North Asia for Raytheon, launched the afternoon session with an insightful presentation regarding the benefits of general aviation to China's economy as well as different applications of general aviation which can be applied to China's vast and varied topography.

The first day of the 2005 GA Forum concluded with a dumpling banquet and a mesmerizing show featuring music and dance from the Tang Dynasty.