OREANDA-NEWS. The bidding center of Hefei, capital of Anhui province, is inviting planners to bid on general aviation (GA) airport projects.

The plan for the projects, which is to be drafted before next February, will be finalized in March 2014 after being opened to public comments and professional advice, sources said.

To be in effect between 2014 and 2040, the plan will focus on the GA industry while taking civil and military aviation into account. The short-term and long-term planning for Hefei-based general aviation airports will top the agenda.

"We are inviting consultancies and designing organizations from around the country to decide how many GA airports to be built, where and when to be constructed," said an official with the center.

The siting of the facilities arouses public interest."The Baishan township of Lujiang county has signed a letter of investment intent." Covering an area of 500 mu, the site is expected to have a capacity of handling 100 aircrafts.

The other candidate is the Luogang Airport, which was replaced by Xinqiao as the city's main airport earlier this year. The proximity and easy access to the urban area are its competitive edge, insiders said.