China Postage Stamp Features Flight Design CTLS
Leinfelden-Echterdingen GERMANY

The economies of the USA and western European countries are dragging (to put it mildly). At the same time, China and India are growing rapidly. While many people think of these populous nations as being very poor, that ignores a growing wealthier class. Case in point: China sold more automobiles than the U.S. in the last year. Now we have another proof… in aviation.

Aviation in China and India is overwhelmingly military or commercial. But a new postage stamp series promoting the China International General Aviation Convention (CIGAC) puts the light on personal aviation. The series features images of aircraft from Cirrus, Diamond, and Cessna. They also include Flight Design and a postcard further highlights the top-of-the-line CTLS model from Flight Design.

“We are very honored to be included with these famous brands as China opens its doors to general aviation,” said Matthias Betsch, CEO of Flight Design. “We have invested time and travel to bring our new CTLS to China. These postage stamps and postcards represent mounting evidence that we are succeeding!”

Betsch also noted the progressive work by Yuneec and their all-electric Light-Sport Aircraft. Still others have observed that China is spending money to create runways intended for sport aircraft. Cessna is building its SkyCatcher in China. Yet until very recently, personal and recreational aviation in China simply did not exist.

“When Chinese citizens can buy Mercedes automobiles in large numbers,” observed Betsch, “they demonstrate they can also afford light aircraft.” The CTLS boasts high-technologies like majority carbon fiber construction, all-glass instrument panels, and a whole airframe parachute system as standard equipment for less than $145,000 (€98.500). The general aviation airplanes from Cirrus, Diamond, and Cessna are considerably more costly yet the Chinese are anticipating their arrival. “An advantage the CTLS has over its competitors is that it is a true utility airplane and not solely to fly for the famed ‘$100 hamburger’,” said Betsch.

Another factory aiding Flight Design’s entry to China involves the opportunity to use automobile fuel (mogas) for the Rotax 912 engine in the CT. The engine can use avgas or mogas, even mixed in any ratio.

Flight Design is a 23-year-old air sport products producer based in Germany. Nearly 1,500 of its aircraft are flying in 25 countries. One of the first aircraft certified under the American ASTM standards in 2005, the CT (“composite technology”) remains the top-selling LSA in America through five consecutive years. CT in several models has been popular in Germany and Europe for more than 14 years.

Stamps

Postcard