Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has unveiled the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, known as the AG600, in a production line in the southern city of Zhuhai.
With a maximum take-off weight of 53.5t, the aircraft will be used to fight forest fires and execute marine rescue missions.
The AG600 has a maximum flight range of 4,500km, a maximum cruising speed of 500km/h, and a maximum endurance of 12h.
Similar to the size of a Boeing 737, the new aircraft is 37m in length and has a wingspan of 38.8m.
Apart from the similar take-off and land capabilities of a normal plane, the AG600 can also take-off and land from stretches of water, which are around 1,500m in length, 200m in width and 2.5m in depth.
AG600 chief designer Huang Lingcai was quoted by Xinhua as saying: "The AG600 is like a ship that can fly, with advanced gas-water dynamic engineering and underwater corrosion-resistance technology.”
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By GlobalDataA total of 17 orders have so far been placed for the AG600, which will mainly aim the domestic market.
The new aircraft is designed to collect 12t of water in 20s and can transport up to 370t of water on a single tank of fuel.
The AG600 can also rescue up to 50 people far offshore.
Approved by the Chinese Government in 2009, the development of the AG600 has required the involvement of a group of 70 aircraft component manufacturers and research teams with more than 150 institutes in the country.
Last November, China introduced the C919, its first indigenously built narrow-body aircraft.
Last month, another Chinese-built aircraft, the ARJ21, made its first commercial flight, reported The Guardian.