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World's largest amphibious aircraft completes maiden flight in Guangdong

AG-600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft, prepares for its maiden flight in Zhuhai, Guangdong province on Dec 24, 2017. [Photo by Zhao Lei/chinadaily.com.cn]

The world's largest amphibious aircraft, AG-600, carried out its maiden flight Sunday morning in Zhuhai, a coastal city in Guangdong province.

An AG-600 piloted by four crew members took off from Jinwan Airport at 9:39 am and remained airborne for about one hour before landing at the same airport.

A congratulatory letter sent by the Communist Party of China's Central Committee and State Council was announced at the maiden flight ceremony, which was attended by Vice-Premier Ma Kai, Guangdong's Party chief Li Xi and hundreds of officials as well as another 3,000 spectators.

Development of the AG-600 was approved by the government in June 2009 and then started at the Aviation Industry Corp of China, the country's leading aircraft maker. Construction for its first prototype began in March 2014 and was completed in July 2016.


People take photos of AG-600 at the Jinwan Airport. [Photo by Zhao Lei/chinadaily.com.cn]

In April, the first ground taxiing test was successful. In early December, the seaplane received the government's approval for the first flight.

The AG-600 is one of three large aircraft grown out of the nation's ambitious efforts to become a top-tier player in the global aviation sector, joining the Y-20 strategic transport plane, which has been delivered to the Chinese Air Force since July 2016, and the C919 narrow-body jetliner that is under flight testing.

The aircraft will mainly be tasked with performing aerial firefighting and maritime search and rescue. It can also be refitted to conduct marine environmental inspections, marine resource surveys as well as personnel and supply transportation, according to AVIC.

Powered by four domestically designed WJ-6 turboprop engines, AG-600 has a size roughly comparable to that of a Boeing 737 and a maximum takeoff weight of 53.5 metric tons. These specifications have made it the world's largest amphibious aircraft, surpassing Japan's ShinMaywa US-2 and Russia's Beriev Be-200.


AG-600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft, takes its maiden flight in Zhuhai, Guangdong province on Dec 24, 2017. [Photo by Zhao Lei/chinadaily.com.cn]

The aircraft can take off and land on both ground and water. It has an operational range of more than 4,000 kilometers and is capable of carrying 50 people during a maritime search-and-rescue mission. To extinguish forest fires, it can collect 12 tons of water from a nearby lake or sea within 20 seconds and then use the water to put out fires in an area of around 4,000 square meters, information from the company shows.

AVIC said the aircraft will be of great importance to the country's emergency rescue system and the building of strong sea power, noting tens of thousands of researchers and engineers from nearly 200 domestic institutes, universities and enterprises took part in the project.

The State-owned aviation giant also said that 98 percent of AG-600's over 50,000 components are supplied by Chinese companies, explaining the project has extensively boosted the nation's civil aviation manufacturing industry.

Next, the aircraft will continue to make flight tests and will start certification process, according to AVIC.


AG-600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft, takes its maiden flight in Zhuhai, Guangdong province on Dec 24, 2017. [Photo by Zhao Lei/chinadaily.com.cn]


AG-600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft, takes its maiden flight in Zhuhai, Guangdong province on Dec 24, 2017. [Photo by Zhao Lei/chinadaily.com.cn]

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