By XU Nuo | AOPA-China | 2025-4-26

Beijing, China – 26 April, 2025 — AOPA-China has launched the Smart and Sustainable General Aviation Airport Design Advocacy Program to promote efficient, inclusive, and future-ready airport infrastructure as part of China’s expanding low-altitude economy.

The program supports a new approach to general aviation airport planning by advocating for three scalable design models—basic, standard, and high-grade—tailored to meet diverse regional needs. These templates help avoid overbuilding and reduce unnecessary costs, ensuring that airport infrastructure remains functional, adaptable, and sustainable.

Basic airports focus on essential operations at low cost and short construction timelines, ideal for remote and underserved areas.

Standard airports balance investment with broader operational capability.

High-grade airports meet high-frequency, high-demand use cases with advanced facilities.

By aligning airport development with actual local needs, the initiative enables more equitable access to aviation services while enhancing the efficiency of low-altitude operations such as tourism, emergency response, agriculture, and logistics.

AOPA-China’s advocacy program provides technical guidance and promotes best practices to stakeholders across the general aviation sector. This effort is expected to accelerate regional development, reduce infrastructure waste, and contribute to a smarter, greener aviation future.