On standby through the Zhuhai airshow, this Super Puma was delivered in 2011 via Corfu among other stops.

Another PC-6 of Asian Express General Aviation Wuxi Co Ltd on static display in a different livery.

Asian Express Aviation (not to be confused with the Tajik company with a similar name), was established as a general aviation operator in Wuxi in 2015 with PC-6s and PC-12s. Charter, skydiving, training, crop dusting and aerial photography are among services provided.

Developed from the Shenyang J-6, itself a Chinese-built version of the MiG-19, the Q-5 series was extensively operated in the ground attack role by the PLAAF & Navy till the final examples were withdrawn in 2017. The export version, known as the A-5, was supplied to Bangladesh, Myanmar, North Korea, Pakistan and Sudan. This one is now preserved as a show exhibit.

This nice parachuting platform of the 15th Airborne Army in standard PLAAF camouflage was part of the static display. In 2016 Y12Ds started replacing the venerable Y5 with this unit, based at Xiaogan. They were certainly taking no chances with the tie-downs!

One of several helicopters displayed inside the giant main exhibition hall.

The result of a joint French-Chinese venture, this would appear to be the first China-built example of the so-called 'super-medium' Airbus H-175 helicopter. Whether the jokey-looking registration was intentional is unknown!

One that I'd loved to have photographed in sun, China's Y-9 based AEW platform was an impressive sight. Having hoped to capture it taking off in much better light the Monday after the show, unfortunately it didn't go till dusk. From the 26th Special Missions Aircraft Division/76th Regiment at Wuxi/Shuofang.

Looking rather plain compared to the aerobatic team J-10s appearing at the show, this standard grey aircraft is from the PLAAF's 5th Air Brigade based at Guilin/Li Chia Tsun - Nanning.

Another example of the strange all-alpha registration presentation. Many of the other general aviation aircraft on show had part alpha/part numeric registrations.

With a strange alpha-only registration, this is the latest development of the Y-12 series with wider fuselage, swept tail, new wings, retractable landing gear and more powerful engines. This demonstrator version has been named 'Aircar'. The type gained FAA certification in early 2016.

The Ansat is light, multipurpose helicopter manufactured by Kazan Helicopters, intended as a replacement for once widespread Mi-2, of which only a few remain in use. 50 are already operated by the Russian Air Force and an order for 20 for the China Association of Emergency Medicine was announced at this Zhuhai show.

Inside the main exhibition hall was this P-750XSTOL utility demonstrator. Previous exports from New Zealand to China have caused some controversy, with one reaching North Korea in breach of sanctions, leading to PAC being prosecuted.

Unfortunately no identity is carried or so far known for this demonstrator Y-5BG, a TPE-331 turboprop conversion of the Chinese-built version of the venerable An-2. Other improvements include adjustable slotted wings and a modified upper wing leading edge to reduce airflow stall and further enhance low-speed performance. The cockpit has also undergone a major update, including an IFR-standard Garmin Integrated Avionics System.

Unfortunately the sun refused to play on the day that I was inside the show, but there's no getting away from what a formidable sight China's huge new flying boat actually presents. Although it appeared at the last China Airshow in 2016, it hadn't yet flown at that time, having been built here at Zhuhai. The first flight did not take place till 24th December 2017 with the initial water-borne take-off and landing trials beginning as recently as 20th October 2018. Large sales are not expected although 17 are on order for the Chinese government. Export hopes rest mainly on firefighting capabilities.

The Xian H-6 bomber is obviously based on the ancient Tu-16 Badger but this latest H-6K is a heavily redesigned version capable of carrying air-launched cruise missiles. From the PLAAF's 8th Bomber Division/24th Air Regiment at Leiyang.