On February 4, Cheng Yingbin, Deputy Director General of Hubei Safety Supervision and Management Bureau of CAAC (hereinafter referred to as Hubei SSMB), took part in a Press Conference held by Hubei Provincial Headquarters on Epidemic Prevention and Control (hereinafter referred to as the Headquarters) and briefed on the efforts to prevent and control COVID-19 by civil aviation departments in Hubei province.

With regard to supporting the transportation of emergency materials, Cheng Yingbin told the reporter that civil aviation departments in Hubei province have followed the leadership and instructions of CAAC and CAAC Central-South Regional Administration to enhance communication with the Headquarters, the Department of Emergency Management, and the Health Commission of Hubei Province, and to establish a rapid response system. Hubei SSMB, Hubei Airports Group, ATC department and fuel suppliers have closely cooperated with airlines to make sure that all airports in Hubei province are operating 24 hours a day. Hubei SSMB also made ways for cargo transportation, international charter flights and general aviation in a fast manner, and the approval of flight plans--mostly for charter flights that transport personnel, materials and cargo as well as aircraft ferrying--submitted by relevant ministries, provinces and airlines have sped up. As of February 3, Wuhan Airport has performed 321 flights in total, which nearly transported 15,000 persons.

In terms of the province using helicopter to transport protective equipment, Cheng Yingbin responded that it is important to fully mobilize the capacity of general aviation since Hubei is a province with general aviation strength. Recently, 14 general aviation enterprises in Hubei have engaged in the emergency rescue. Based on factors such as specialty, fleet size and aircraft type of various entities, Hubei SSMB has set up a general aviation transportation team to transfer protective gear in Hubei province. Some of the general aviation enterprises have taken part in the emergency tasks of 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, which made them experienced for supporting emergency tasks. In order to ensure smooth cooperation in the transportation, Hubei SSMB issued directives to relevant ATC departments, six commercial airports and four general aviation airports in Hubei, requiring relevant entities and departments to fully cooperate with general aviation, such as giving expeditious clearance, carrying out cooperation in advance, and ensuring smooth operation to get through the "last mile" of the emergency transport mission. At present, three air channels (Wuhan to Xiangyang, Wuhan to Yichang and Xiantao to Wuhan) for emergency materials transportation have been opened. As of 13:00 of February 4, there were 24 general aviation movements of emergency materials transportation in Hubei, and the cumulative flying hours were 36, with 20,000 kilograms delivered materials.

It is known that up to now, civil aviation departments in Hubei have maintained an effective internal coordinating mechanism and carried out smooth cooperation with emergency departments. Various airlines have adequate capacity and all airports in Hubei are ready for operation, thus ensuring smooth air transportation by which materials and persons could be transferred immediately.