WUHAN - Construction has begun on a general aviation airport in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province.

Covering an area of over 30 hectares in the city's Caidian District, Caidian General Aviation Airport will provide landing and takeoff services for pilot training, low-altitude sightseeing, aircraft flight testing, emergency rescue and air patrol, said Peng Qiaodi, head of the district.

Construction began Friday and will completed by the end of 2018. The airport is expected to begin operation in 2019.

An industrial park of over 1,000 hectares is also planned around the airport, in hopes of attracting aircraft assembly, maintenance and air logistics companies.

The airport will be the second of its kind in Wuhan, after Hannan General Aviation Airport began operations this year.