The world's largest seaplane - the Chinese amphibian aircraft AG600 - made its first test flight from Zhuhai airport, located in Guangdong, according to the publication Popular Mechanics. Possessing the size of a civil airliner, the AG600 is able to fly in and land on both a solid surface and water. The development of the machine, called "Kunlong", was conducted for seven years. The aircraft is multi-purpose and will be used to combat forest fires, in marine rescue operations, as well as to patrol Chinese artificial islands in the South China Sea.
The first flight AG600 passed without the participation of water. Instead, the car climbed into the sky for about an hour, after which it landed at the same airport from which takeoff took place. The development and assembly of the AG600 was carried out by the Chinese state aviation company Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Her account also includes the development of Chinese J-10 and J-20 fighter jets, a heavy transport plane Y-20 and an assault helicopter Z-10, according to Popular Mechanics.
The wingspan of almost 37 meters and the maximum take-off weight of 53.6 tons makes the AG600 almost as big as the civil airliners Airbus 320 and Boeing 737. The aircraft has a hybrid design that allows it to take off and land on both water and ground . The manufacturer claims that the car is 100 percent Chinese, including its four WJ-6 turboprop engines, designed in the Soviet Union in the 1950s.
Kunlong is capable of bringing up to 50 passengers on board, which makes it very useful for evacuating ships in emergency situations or for transferring people from the mainland that is not equipped with a runway infrastructure. According to Chinese news reports, a seaplane can, in case of need, take 12 tons of water in 20 seconds, which it can then use to extinguish fires in hard-to-reach areas.
Landing AG600 after a test flight
As noted by the publication Popular Mechanics, after a small modification of the AG600 can be used and as a military, to perform a variety of tasks: both patrolling coastal boundaries, and as a sub-submarine. In addition, the aircraft can be used to transfer military personnel and cargo to remote bases. The AG600 is able to stay in the sky for up to 12 hours and has a range of up to 4,500 kilometers.
To date, the manufacturer has received orders for 17 AG600 aircraft. The order was received back in 2016, and since that time its volume has not changed. It is possible that after a successful test flight the manufacturer can also receive foreign orders.
The article is based on materials .
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