Current location:politics >>
Firefighting variant of AG600 seaplane ready for type certification
politics1925People have gathered around
IntroductionAn AG600M firefighting aircraft drops water during a gathering and dropping water test in Jingmen, c ...
An AG600M firefighting aircraft drops water during a gathering and dropping water test in Jingmen, central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 27, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]
The AG600M, the fire-extinguishing variant of China's AG600 seaplane, is scheduled to gain its type certification this year, according to Aviation Industry Corp of China, the nation's leading aircraft maker.
The State-owned conglomerate said that passing the type certification is the major task for the AG600M project team, and engineers have been working to meet the schedule.
Type certification refers to a set of procedures overseen by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, and is one of the crucial stages any civilian aircraft needs to go through to make sure its design and performance meet related requirements.
After receiving type certification, civilian aircraft also need to gain production certification and airworthiness certification.
So far, four AG600M prototypes have been used in test flights and have carried out fire-extinguishing trial operations in typical blaze scenarios.
In January, two prototypes conducted test flights in an extremely cold environment.
The tests took place at Hulunbuir Hailar Airport in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and verified the AG600M's capability and performance in freezing temperatures ranging from -20 C to -40 C. The test crew also checked procedures for operations in cold weather, AVIC said.
The company said that in the coming months, the AG600M project team will carry out a series of test flights across the country to meet its schedule of qualifying the aircraft for the type certification before the end of this year.
After the airworthiness certification work, initial deliveries are expected to start before 2025, according to AVIC.
The AG600M model performed its first land-based test flight in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, in May 2022. It carried out its first water-based test flight in Jingmen, Hubei province, in August that year.
It has a maximum takeoff weight of 60 metric tons. In a typical firefighting operation, it will collect 12 tons of water from a lake or sea, which should take less than 20 seconds, and use it to douse fires over an area of about 4,000 square meters, designers said, adding that the plane has a flight range of up to 4,500 kilometers.
The AG600 is China's second amphibious aircraft model after the SH-5, which was developed in the 1970s for military purposes and has long been retired from service.
It is one of three large-size aircraft to emerge from the nation's ambitious effort to become a top-tier player in the global aviation industry, joining the Y-20 strategic transport plane and the C919 narrow-body jetliner. Both the Y-20 and C919 have been in active service.
Tens of thousands of researchers and engineers from nearly 200 domestic institutes, universities and enterprises took part in the design and production work of the plane.
With a length of 37 meters and a wingspan of 38.8 meters, the AG600 is roughly the size of a Boeing 737. It is the world's biggest amphibious aircraft, surpassing Japan's ShinMaywa US-2 and Russia's Beriev Be-200.
The aircraft is designed for both ground and water-based takeoffs and landings. It is capable of rescuing 50 people during a maritime rescue mission, designers said.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Culture Craft news portal”。http://japan.havadist.com/content-83d999016.html
Related articles
BMW to further invest $2.8 bln in NE China production base
politicsGerman carmaker BMW announced on Friday an additional investment of 20 billion yuan (about $2.81 bil ...
【politics】
Read moreInside Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont's 9
politicsJon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont have announced they are divorcing after nine years of marriage. The ...
【politics】
Read moreUS smears, blames China, and shirks its own responsibility on fentanyl issue: Chinese FM
politics(Global Times) 14:23, July 15, 2023Overlooking real trouble. Illustration: Liu Rui/GTAnswering a que ...
【politics】
Read more
Popular articles
- Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector
- Cargo ships in Zaozhuang navigated along the Beijing
- Friendship Standing Test of Fire and Blood
- U.S. leads world in economic coercion
- Dick Van Dyke, 98, jokes he'll vote for Abraham Lincoln over Biden and Trump as the young
- Interview: Uncertainty to push business away from Europe, says expert
Latest articles
Dortmund hopes resting on Fullkrug's shoulders
Xi Says China to Cooperate with Micronesia on Infrastructure, Climate Change
Nanjing Railway Station experienced a small peak of passenger flow in weekend
This summer embarks on a youthful feast: Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games
Hannah Green wins LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship for 2nd straight year
American city is selling hundreds of vacant homes for just $1 to revive struggling neighborhoods
LINKS
- Gary Sánchez pinch hits for 2
- Legendary British musician teases appearance at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour during singer's London leg
- Amy Childs puts on a busty display in a plunging black dress as she joins glamorous TOWIE co
- LIZ JONES: How the past few days have shown us the depth of Kate and Charles's special relationship
- First cargo ship passes through newly opened channel in Baltimore
- Martine McCutcheon admits she's 'feeling c***py' as she shares her health diagnosis with fans
- Camila Cabello flashes her taut tummy and hot pink underwear while out in LA
- Gary Sánchez pinch hits for 2
- Royals put early revelation Alec Marsh on IL after taking a liner off his pitching elbow
- Luna County corporal is charged for his role in deadly 2023 crash while responding to a call