06The Chinese amphibian aircraft AVIC AG600 made a test slip on the water at low and medium speed. Soon it will pass to high-speed tests as well.
According to the China Aircraft Corporation the tests of the AVIC AG600 took place from September 2 to 13 at the “water aerodrome” of Jingmen city in the central province of Hubei, where it performed eight low- and medium-speed glides with a total duration of 552 minutes.
During the tests, the developers tested the aircraft for aerodynamic and hydrodynamic controllability, stability and water resistance. The results of the tests showed that all aircraft systems function normally and stably.
The world’s largest amphibian aircraft AVIC AG600 is developed by China’s own forces and is designed specifically to combat forest fires and rescue operations at sea. He successfully completed a test flight over land on December 24, 2017.
The AVIC AG600 is a large amphibious aircraft designed by AVIC and assembled by CAIGA. Powered by four WJ-6 turboprops, it is one of the largest flying boats with a 53.5 t (118,000 lb) MTOW. After five years of development, assembly started in August 2014, it was rolled out on 23 July 2016 and it made its first flight from Zhuhai Airport on 24 December 2017; it should be certificated in 2021, with deliveries starting in 2022.