Robert Yip, the chairman of China Rich Holdings, with business interests in Chinese medicine, internet portal, construction and property development, established CR Airways in Hong Kong on 28 March 2001.[3][4] The airline received its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) from the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (CAD) with a 285 kilometres per hour (177 mph) 12 passenger Sikorsky S-76C+ helicopter in early 2002. It was Hong Kong's third commercial helicopter operator and the first helicopter operator to receive an AOC since Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of People's Republic of China.[5]