Shanghai people are allowed to buy light helicopters and the pilots must have professional driving licenses with the approval of the aviation watchdog, the Wenhui Daily reported today.

The Shanghai Little Eagle Science & Technology Company Limited (SLEC) and the US-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation has decided to set up China's first helicopter joint-venture company in the coming one or two months.

The joint venture, Shanghai Sikorsky Helicopter Company, expected to get business license in the third quarter of the year, is predicted to manufacture six light helicopters for sale in the market by the end of the year, said Zhou An, general manager with the joint venture.

Both the corporations and individuals are allowed to buy light helicopters but the buyers must entrust certain institutes with helicopter maintenance certificates with maintaining the helicopters, said Xu Jiaqing, vice president with the joint venture.

China has only 100-plus civil-use helicopters so far.

China is the largest helicopter market around the world and the Chinese government encouraged to manufacture helicopters lighter than one ton, Zhou said.