Holy mountains to be protected by helicopter

To establish an air defense of the forests of the Wudang Mountains spreading 400 km in Central China’s Hubei province, local authorities have set up an aviation station that will be put into operation this winter, wudangshan.gov.cn reported on Monday.

In the first phase, an M-171 helicopter, a general transport helicopter with single rotor, will patrol at regular intervals, said Zhou Jingxue, who is in charge of the aviation station. The helicopter is 18.4 meters long, 4.7 meters high, and can carry 13 tons and fly at 250 km per hour.

Normally, 26 people and 4 tons of fire materials can be brought on the helicopter. In the future, KA-32A, M26 and fixed-wing aircraft are expected to be used for the Wudang forests’ fire protection.

According to Zhou, the airport, flight routes, equipment, staff and logistics were prepared this winter to ensure the operation of the helicopter. The large area includes forests in northwest and southwest Hubei, as well as some high-risk fire and flood areas.

Located in Shiyan city, northwest Hubei province, the Wudang Mountains are the birthplace of tai chi and considered holy Taoist mountains. The ancient complex situated within was listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1994.

Shiyan city in Central China’s Hubei province [Photo/wudangshan.gov.cn]

By Le Qin and edited by Noelle Mateer