World’s largest amphibious aircraft makes debut in Guangdong
China has completed the production of the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, which made its official debut in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province on Saturday, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday.
The AG600 was developed by State- owned Aviation Industry Corp of China ( AVIC), and it can take off and land on either land or water, the report said.
The plane is designed to withstand the toughest conditions at sea and perform missions including marine rescue and forest fire fighting, the report noted. The plane can also carry out operations like marine environment monitoring, resource exploration and marine rights protection, with on- demand modification.
According to the report, the aircraft is about the size of a Boeing 737, with a maximum take- off weight of 53.5 tons and a maximum flight range of 4,500 kilometers. In case of a forest fire, it can load 12 tons of water within 20 seconds.
The plane can also rescue up to 50 people from water in swells of 2 meters on a single trip, Xinhua said.
Its maximum speed is 500 kilometers per hour, which means it will be much quicker to reach target sites that were previously accessible only by ship, cctv. com said on Saturday.
For example, previously it took about more than 30 hours from Sanya, South China’s Hainan Province, to the southernmost point in the South China Sea using the fastest ship.
However, the time can be just two hours with the AG600, which is great progress for China’s marine rescue ability, cctv. com reported, citing Song Qingguo, general manager of AVIC.
Geng Ruguang, deputy general manager of AVIC, said the unveiling of the AG600 was the “latest breakthrough in China’s aviation industry and filled the gap in China’s capabilities for large amphibious planes,” Xinhua noted.
It is also the result of cooperation among institutions all across the country since the development plan officially launched in September 2009, according to Xinhua.
It is involved work by a group of 70 aircraft component suppliers and tens of thousands of research faculties over 150 State- owned enterprises, public institutions and universities from 20 provinces and cities, the report said.
The amphibious aircraft is expected to make its maiden flight at the end of 2016, the report said. AVIC has received 17 orders for the plane so far.