The total number of China's civil helicopters is expected to reach 1,449 by 2027 and hit 2,000 by 2032, according to a report released by the country's leading aircraft maker on Thursday.

Cao He, director of the civil aircraft engineering research center under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), said 3,186 general aviation aircraft were in operation in China by the end of 2022, including 1,037 civil helicopters. Cao made the remarks at the 6th China Helicopter Exposition held in north China's Tianjin Municipality.

In 2022, various general aviation aircraft in China accumulated 1.22 million flight hours, with civil helicopters contributing 200,000 hours.

The report also anticipates that China's cumulative flight hours of civil helicopters will continue to increase in the next ten years.