BEIJING, Feb. 9 -- China's fast-growing aviation industry is playing its part in facilitating the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
China's civil aviation authorities are active in directing and coordinating the country's airliners and aviation enterprises to join efforts in fighting against the virus, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
Chinese aviation companies are bringing advantages in fast and high-quality transportation, as well as the expanding fleet and networks.
They are active in carrying medical personnel, bringing back stranded Chinese back home from overseas and deliver emergency supplies to the virus-hit regions.
As of Feb. 8, a total of 13 Chinese airliners had sent 72 flights in emergency missions of carrying more than 9,500 medical personnel and 370 tonnes of supplies to support Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in central China's Hubei Province.
The country's major civil aviation players are injecting larger airplanes and adding new routes to ensure the in-time transport of medical team and emergency supplies.
On Feb. 7, Air China, the country's flagship carrier, sent 668 medical personnel and 28 tonnes of emergency medical supplies with two charter flights to Wuhan.
SF Airlines, China's largest air cargo carrier, added multiple domestic and international routes and put into service all models of its all-cargo freighters in response to diversified emergency air transport demands.
The country's burgeoning general aviation sector is also playing unique roles in fighting against the epidemic, thanks to the diversified functions of general aviation vehicles including helicopters, unmanned vehicles and small-and-medium general airplanes.
Various general aviation vehicles demonstrated their skills in delivering emergency supplies, conducting aerial patrol, spraying disinfectant, and carrying out public education, among others.
The general aviation branch of China Air Transport Association asked its member enterprises to make the most of advantages of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in remote-control and flexible flight.
In Hangzhou of east China's Zhejiang Province, UAVs are patrolling over densely-populated communities, reminding citizens to keep physical protection and conducting the automatic body temperature detection.
In Lanzhou of northwest China's Gansu Province, the UAVs are conducting disinfection in hospitals, office buildings, communities and public places, greatly saving the labor and contributing to the epidemic prevention.