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SCMP Reporter

The Chinese use a colourful phrase, 'Not even a fly is allowed inside' to describe an area of tight security. With the Communist Party's 17th National Congress  opening on Monday,  the government is trying to literally remove airborne pests with a flight ban announced on Wednesday.
All entertainment and hobby aircraft in Beijing including planes, helicopters, gliders, remote-controlled aircraft and hot-air balloons have been grounded  from tomorrow until two days after the congress ends, according to a notice from the Beijing tourism bureau.
The end date of the congress has yet to be announced.
'It's a pity that we can't fly in the next couple of days. The weather is always fit for flying at this time of year and we've already made plans,' said Yan Qingming ,  a coach at the Beijing Flying-Man  paragliding club.
'It's a government order and we can do nothing but follow. We've got used to it.'
Police officers went to the club's suburban training base on Wednesday to seal off the hangar, where more than 20 club-owned and a dozen private gliders are stored, and  took away the keys.
Although it is expected that the club will lose thousands of yuan due to the suspension of business, no compensation will be offered by the government.
Flight bans have often been used during important meetings such as the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
The bans first started in 2000 after an incident on April 28, 1999 when paragliding coach Gao Xingzhi  landed on Tiananmen Square after a two-hour flight from the mountainous Mangshan National Forest Park,  in Beijing's  Changping district.
Mr Gao was immediately arrested and detained for several days. Despite saying he had  no political motivation, his flying licence was revoked.
Industry insiders said it was difficult for radar  to detect aircraft without engines, such as paragliders   so the simplest and safest way to handle the situation was a blanket ban.



Beijing leisure flights grounded for congress