This National Day holiday, while countless vehicles formed long queues on highways, Hefei flight instructor Wang Lei took his daughter home in just 80 minutes, covering 300 kilometers by air, drawing widespread attention. Meanwhile, Wang Lei's wife flew alongside in another aircraft. Industry sources recently revealed that the threshold for purchasing private aircraft and obtaining flight licenses has significantly lowered, enabling more ordinary people to realize their flying dreams.

**Regular Holiday Flying Home**

On September 30, a small fixed-wing aircraft took off from Hefei Binhu Wing Aviation Flight Camp, heading northwest toward Bozhou. In the cockpit, Wang Lei calmly controlled the stick while his daughter slept peacefully in the adjacent seat. The 300-kilometer journey took only 1 hour and 20 minutes by air, with fuel costs exceeding 200 yuan.

Every holiday, Wang Lei chooses to fly back to his hometown in Bozhou. "Driving from Hefei to Bozhou normally takes 3.5 hours, and even longer during traffic jams," Wang Lei explained. "Flying not only saves time but also isn't too costly." The two-seat aircraft he pilots costs over one million yuan. During this National Day return trip, his wife flew alongside in another plane.

Wang Lei noted that his daughter has grown accustomed to flying home with him. What strikes him most is his hometown people's attitude toward this travel method. "I don't feel superior when highways are congested - the villagers are no longer surprised by it," Wang Lei said. This travel method works best for provincial travel. "The northern Anhui region has flat terrain and favorable climate conditions, making it very suitable for low-altitude flying."

**Growing Numbers Seeking Flight Licenses**

In Anhui, more people like Wang Lei are choosing low-altitude travel. Currently, Anhui has completed general aviation airports including Ningguo Qinglongwan, Feidong Bailong, and Lu'an Jin'an, with others under construction in Jieshou, Changfeng, and Dangshan, providing infrastructure support for low-altitude flying.

At Feidong Bailong General Aviation Airport, we met Mr. Li, who was participating in training. "I do business in Hefei and often need to return to Fuyang. Learning to fly isn't just about fulfilling dreams - it's about improving travel efficiency." Currently, ordinary citizens most commonly pursue fixed-wing sport licenses and helicopter private licenses. Obtaining a sport flight license in Anhui costs 70,000-100,000 yuan, with training periods lasting over a month. Bailong Airport and Lu'an Jin'an Airport both provide training services.

Wang Lei shared that his flight training institution graduates 50-60 people annually, with enrollment growing yearly. What conditions must ordinary people meet to obtain private flight licenses? Wang Lei explained that applicants must be at least 17 years old, have junior high school education or above, and maintain a clean criminal record for five years. "For sport licenses only, having a driver's license exempts medical examination requirements. For private licenses, applicants must pass civil aviation Class II medical examinations."

**Aircraft Purchases Require "Three Certificates"**

Industry professionals calculated costs: flying from Hefei to Bozhou takes approximately 80 minutes with fuel costs exceeding 200 yuan. In comparison, driving incurs about 120 yuan in tolls but takes over two additional hours. "Air travel better suits time-sensitive populations," stated an Anhui general aviation company executive. "As infrastructure improves, future low-altitude travel costs will decrease further."

How expensive is purchasing an aircraft? Wang Lei explained that ordinary people can buy from aircraft manufacturers or purchase used planes privately. As the low-altitude economy advances, more aircraft manufacturers emerge, with small aircraft prices ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of yuan.

"The purchase process is relatively simple - both individuals and companies can buy aircraft. After purchase, three certificates are required: nationality registration certificate, airworthiness certificate, and radio station license," Wang Lei said. After obtaining these certificates, aircraft insurance must be purchased - typically around 20,000 yuan annually for small aircraft - followed by airspace or route applications. "With flight licenses, you can apply for flights. Commercial operations like flight training services require operating permits."

**Simplified Airspace Application Process**

For ordinary Anhui residents, realizing "flying dreams" still requires overcoming several barriers. First is landing facilities. While the province has multiple general aviation airports, coverage density remains insufficient. Second is airspace application, requiring advance flight plan reporting.

"Application processes have simplified considerably," flight instructor Zhang explained. "Anhui's airspace management grows increasingly standardized - typically requiring one-day advance reporting." Additionally, aircraft parking presents practical challenges. Small aircraft can be stored at general aviation airports or flight camps, but helicopter landing site construction remains limited and ongoing.

Currently, Anhui's low-altitude economy development remains in early stages, with application scenarios increasingly approaching ordinary citizens' lives. "Judging from flight license enrollment over the past three years, we see growth trends," Wang Lei observed. He recommends that whether buying aircraft or pursuing flight licenses, people should act according to their capabilities without blind following. Flying is a systematic activity requiring extensive aviation knowledge and legal compliance for safe operations.