Deer Jet parent company HNA Group’s newly established HNA General Aviation division has launched an online network to “promote all services across the industry.” Dubbed “Air Community,” the network has an e-commerce platform that allows customers to book private jets and helicopters, find flight training, view real-time information for flight planning and air traffic monitoring and hold discussions with “industry experts” via online forums.

“To date, China is home to 364 general aviation companies with an average asset-profit ratio of about 30 percent,” it said. “The main reasons for this erratic profitability ratio are high operating costs and China's air traffic restrictions. For HNA General Aviation Group, it was evident that China urgently needed to develop a nationwide platform for the industry to integrate resources and satisfy both supply and demand.”

According to HNA, its “Air Community” has the largest network of business jet and helicopter charters, industrial parks and flight training centers, among other services. The website is already offering services from its network of operators, including Deer Jet, Capital Helicopters, Xilin Fengteng General Aviation, Guanchen General Aviation and Hainan Aviation Academy.

Since its recent launch, the network has facilitated bookings of newly added helicopter taxi service between Haikou and Xuwen that is being operated by Capital Helicopters. This new service shortened travel time between the two cities to 10 minutes, HNA said.