G-Global Aviation in Ansan

Gyeonggi Province and Ansan City working hard on the global event to show over 100 airplanes and other exciting sideline events

G-Global Aviation in Ansan is the name of the airplane exhibition scheduled for April 30-May 5 this year by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government following its successful initial event last year. The officials in charge of the event led by Director Kim Chun-sik of Tourism Promotion Division of the provincial government promises that the international event will be bigger and more extravagant this year as there will be increased number of aviation companies around the world participating with all kinds of aircraft they made as more time will be allocated for the preparation of the event this year than last year.
Following are excerpts of an interview with Director Kim Chun-sik with NewsWorld:
Question: What are some of the major events for the provincial government for 2010?
Answer: We held the Yacht Port Event in 2009, with a great success on the sea event, and since the province did not have any event for aviation industry, it held the global aviation event for the first time last year. This year we will hold the event for the second time. The event will be divided into five parts including the display of airplanes and the events with the main theme of “Dreams and Hopes Painted in the Sky.” On exhibition will be 110 aircraft including un-manned aircraft and remote controlled planes. Four teams will perform air shows flying in various formations. The industrial section will have some 50 firms participating including airplane parts makers and they will be conduct sales talks at the zone. The viewers will also be able to physically experience airplanes flying in them and also watching model planes in flight. There will be a special zone for the Korean War and the special cultural zone.
It will be held at a site in Sangrok ward in Ansan City in Gyeonggi Province. We expect some 330,000 viewers to the event this year, up from 301,500 last year, paying 5000 won each for admission fee.
Q: You must have a greater expectation for the event this year as it is the second one?
A: The first one held last year was prepared in a short period of time from early in 2008 until the time the event took place from May 2-5, 2009. This year about 70 companies will bring their aircraft to put on show from 40 last year. We will have seven teams including the Black Eagles participating in the show from 2 teams last year.
This year, the event will be expanded to include various space aircraft parts, un-manned air planes, in fact, from leisure aircraft to space aircraft. In the air show, the Black Eagles of the air force, general small aircraft and remote controlled airplanes will join the show.
With the cooperation with related organizations, some 50 firms will be participating in the event under a cooperative system and 20 more in the area of programs for physical experiences for the viewers

Q: Where did you get the ideas for the event at the beginning?
A: We got the concept for the show on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Korean War (1950-1953) various military equipment, photos on the war and security system and education programs. We wanted to turn the aviation theme into an event in a bid to make Korea a tourism hub in Northeast Asia. We expect some 100 aircraft in 40 different kinds will be on show, along with some 20 programs for physical experiences for the viewers.
Q: What has been the ultimate purpose for holding the event?
A: We would like to make the space and aviation industry a future growth engine for Korea by making public aware of the potentials of the industry and broaden its base. The current value of the world market for the space and aviation industry amounts to $330 billion, four times the semiconductor memory chip market, compared to $800 billion of world car market, $330 billion for world aircraft market and $100 billion for world shipbuilding market, among others.
Q: Can you give us a detailed schedule of the event?
A: The show will start at 10 a.m. in the morning of April 30 with a tape-cutting ceremony by a host of dignitaries led by Gov. Kim Moon-soo of Gyeonggi Province.
The Air Show will be performed by four international air show teams two times daily during the event. The airplanes that will fly during the show will include all kinds of airplanes including super large passenger aircraft, the Black Eagles, and various helicopters by functions such as military, fire brigades and forest use.
In the section for the exhibition for air craft and space equipment parts, some 100 planes over 40 kinds will be on display to show the development of history of the aircraft and space industry divided into military, fire brigade, forestry, and general use aircraft. Included among them will be general aircraft and un-manned air planes developed in Korea for the first time. They will be put on display at an outdoor facility.
There will also be the industrial section to display aviation and space parts at an exhibition hall in 3,000 square meters in size. The section will also have space for the history of space and aviation and booths for commercial companies, organizations and group public relations booths with rooms for sales talks and education.
There will also be the zone for physical experiences and remote controlled flights in addition to programs designed to arouse public interest in aviation and space, especially, youths together with their families by riding on such equipment as aircraft, fire trucks and flying remote controlled airplanes.
The Korean War section will show the military hardware during the Korean War and latest ones, along with military arms used by North Korean military during the war. A number of Korean war veterans will be on hand at the event.
A number of sideline events will also be held including performances to generate interests in air planes operated by a commissioned professional firm. Remote controlled airplanes will be flown to interest youths during the entire length of the event.
There will also be a show of a number of intangible assets performances to boost the image of Gyeonggi Province.
Each residential centers in Ansan City will compete in a show and one performance team will be selected as the winner at the end of the six-day event.
In the meantime, Gyeonggi Tourism Organization(GTO) signed on Dec. 15, 2009 an MOU with JABIRU of Australia, the largest leisure aircraft maker in Australia, to participate in the Ansan G-Global Air Expo, along with Micro Air.
In July, 2009, officials of Gyeonggi Province and Ansan City made up of other professionals went to the Air Venture Oshkoshi, the world’s three largest air shows, to discuss cooperative matters with aviation firms in the United States and international organizations.
The delegation also air show related organizations in Germany and the Czech Republic in such areas as sports leisure aviation, and para hang gliding to see if they can participate in the show in Korea.
GTO plans to attract six air show related firms and organizations in the United States and three firms in Australia and three firms in Europe with various interesting public relations programs to explain the air expo in Ansan City.
GTO has been in contact with a number of general and leisure aircraft makers in the U.S., ICAS, EAA, among others and Jabiru, the largest leisure aircraft maker in Australia, Micro Air, and CAMit and para gliding firms and a leisure aircraft firm, Flying Car, in such countries as France, Germany and the Czech Republic.
Gyeonggi Province in cooperation with GTO wanted contribute to the success of G-Global Aviation in Ansan 2010 and create Air Tourism next year through the Gyeonggi Para Gliding Open, the leisure aircraft section and tourism technologies. nw

G-Global Aviation in Ansan is scheduled for April 30-May 5 by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government following its successful initial event last year. This photo shows an air show, a scene of the 2009 G-Global Aviation in Ansan.

(clockwise) An ultralight plane flight experience, part of the 2009 G-Global Aviation in Ansan; a cyber-in-space (virtual flight) experience,; and an aerial view.