For Chinese celebrities and billionaires, buying one private jet would serve as a symbol of success, but for Sun Yingui, the decision to purchase 35 aircraft is purely a matter of business.

Sun, chairman and founder of Beijing Bailong Green Science and Technology Enterprise Co, signed an agreement with Progressive Aerodyne Inc, an amphibious airplane maker in the United States, to buy 20 Searey seaplanes at the 10th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition held in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, earlier this month.

He also agreed to buy 11 US-made Cirrus planes and four European-made Airbus helicopters during China's largest air show. The deals made him the biggest private buyer at the air show.

The 59-year-old entrepreneur said the seaplanes will be used to transport tourists to his ski resort in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, and will be on standby for contingencies at the resort.

"Until the construction of roads at the Newski resort is finished, we will ferry skiers and tourists by helicopter," Sun said. "And after the resort becomes fully operational, the Searey and Cirrus aircraft will present visitors with some fabulous air tours."

He added that the aircraft will make Newski the only ski resort in China that has an air platform for emergency response.

"The aircraft will definitely become an attraction for our resort," he said.

The Newski resort is expected to start receiving visitors by the end of this year, and Sun is confident that it will be chosen as a venue if Beijing becomes the host city of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

"Newski will have a main course with a vertical drop of up to 800 meters, which is required by the International Ski Federation for men's alpine skiing," he said.

"The resort will be suitable if Beijing were to host the Winter Olympic Games, and these aircraft will help us better serve the athletes and other guests."

Before his big purchase, Sun bought an EC155 helicopter made by Airbus. The aircraft has been delivered and has joined a Beijing air medical service union run by the city government.

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(China Daily 11/28/2014 page5)