Helicopter tour of Shanghai gives a  new view

Some 30 tourists visiting the mega city of Shanghai got an unusual look at it on March 29, as part of an aerial program that is the result of looser Chinese government restraints on low-level aviation services.

This particular helicopter tour was an opportunity for people to view Shanghai from up above but not too high and to see its iconic landmarks such as Century Park, the Bund, and the Free Trade Zone in the Pudong district, in a 30-minute flight along a 40-kilometer route that started at Gaodong airport in Pudong and covered the Huangpu River, according to Li Wenjun, an assistant to the general manager of Shanghai KaiJet General Aviation.

Shanghai KaiJet uses Airbus's EC135 helicopters for the tourist program, which can handle around 100 tourists a day. So, anyone interested in getting a real bird's eye view of Shanghai's most dynamic cityscape might start arranging a schedule now. Reservations can be made online and an aircraft will be available by appointment time. Walk-in customers are also welcome.

Jin Haibo, chairman of KaiJet, said that the success with their route could lead to similar tourist products in other East China cities.

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