Published : 2024-10-28

On October 28, 2007, a passenger plane from Air China flew over Mount Gongga (貢嘎山) in Sichuan Province.

Not only was this the first time that humans have flown over Mount Gongga, but it also put an end to the history of the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture having no civil aviation.

At 9:05 am that day, the Airbus A319 from Air China flew over Mount Gongga, which is 7556 metres above sea level, and then smoothly landed at Kangding Airport, the second-highest airport in the world.

This test flight was the final step in preparations for the official opening of the Kangding flight path in May 2008. At that time, the journey from Chengdu to Kangding, will be shortened to just 35 minutes.

Kangding Airport is located on the Zheduo Mountain in the northwest of Kangding County, the capital of Ganzi, at an elevation of 4,280 metres, second only to Xizang Changdu Bangda Airport at 4,334 metres.

The planning and construction of Kangding Airport took nearly 14 years. Kangding Airport commenced construction in September 2006, with a total investment of 960 million CNY.

The 4000-metre runway is constructed on a platform of natural permafrost and meets the take-off and landing requirements of aircraft models equivalent to the Boeing 737-700 and Airbus A319.

To ensure the success of the test flight, Air China sent their main aircraft Airbus A319, which flies the Lhasa and Bangda routes, and selected veteran pilots to form an elite test flight team.

They flew the passenger plane at Kangding Airport for multiple test flight subjects, such as approach landing, taxiing take-off, and single-engine emergency return.

The famous natural landscapes and Kamba cultural customs make Ganzi Prefecture a place with abundant tourist resources.

The successful test flight breaks the single mode of land transportation in Ganzi Prefecture, which greatly facilitates tourist arrivals.