More plane showrooms to be opened in China

Helicopters for sale are seen at a helicopter store in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, April 8, 2015. [Xinhua]

The successful debut of China's first airplane showroom in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, is propelling Shanghai-based General Dynamic Aero Tech Co to open more bricks-and-mortar stores to satisfy the industry's growing demand.

In April last year, the shop, GD Aero E Store, was launched in Ningbo's Meishan bonded area. It sells general and private aircraft, and offers demonstrations, maintenance, operational support, supplies and insurance.

In less than a year, the store sold 95 airplanes, more than double the number the company sold in 2014, which encouraged it to open a new branch in February in Central China's Hubei province.

"General Dynamic Aero Tech started to provide sales and maintenance services several years ago, but we always thought it was necessary to have a bricks-and-mortar store, just like an automobile showroom, where customers could see and test the real products," said Sun Liguo, vice-president of General Dynamic Aero Tech and general manager of the Ningbo store.

The store's 2,000-square-meter airplane hangar can showcase 10 jets, while the newly opened Wuhan center in Hubei has a 1,000-sq-m hangar.

The 95 planes sold in Ningbo were priced between 4 million yuan ($614,000) and 120 million, Sun said.

"The majority of the aircraft sold are not for private use, which accounts for only 10 to 15 percent. Most of them are used in industry, agriculture, forest, building, medical aid, meteorological detection and flight training," Sun said.