The world's largest amphibious aircraft, the AG600, has successfully completed its first test flight in Guangdong, China.
The world's largest amphibious aircraft, the AG600, developed by Chinese engineers from the Aviation Corporation AVIC, made its first test flight. Takeoff was carried out on Sunday, December 24, in the city of Zhuhai, Guangdong province, writes "Komsomolskaya Pravda".
To climb, the seaplane needed about 600 m of the runway, after which it climbed to 2500-3000 m, where it spent about an hour in total.
As part of the tests, the aircraft performed several maneuvers, including descent and simulated approach to intkbbee landing. This was done to test the safety and functioning of the onboard systems.
Created by the China Aircraft Corporation (AVIC), the seaplane is designed for the needs of civil aviation... It is specially designed to combat forest fires and conducting search and rescue operations. Fire-fighting modification capable of collecting 12 tons of water in 12 seconds.
The maximum takeoff weight of the AG600 is 53.5 tonnes. It can reach speeds of up to 500 km / h with a flight range of up to 4.5 thousand km and continuous stay in the air for up to 12 hours. The length of the aircraft is 37 m, the wingspan is 38.8 m. The seaplane can take off and land both at conventional airfields and on the water surface, TASS notes.
The aircraft will be produced in passenger and cargo versions. The AG600 will become the world's largest aircraft of its kind. According to the chief designer, the developer has already received 17 orders for it - all from Chinese companies. Commercial operation will begin no earlier than 2021 after passing all certification procedures.
The PRC seaplane undergoing ground tests today, which is now called the largest in the world, may turn out to be a reworked Russian project. About it FBA "Economics Today" told the honored military pilot of the Russian Federation, major general Vladimir Popov.
“Indeed, the dimensions of the AG600 amphibious aircraft presented by the Chinese engineers are striking - the largest Russian analogue of the Be-200 is noticeably smaller, but it is intended to perform similar tasks. But few people remember that the A-40 Albatross seaplane was tested in Russia. back in the late 1980s.
That is, 40 years ago, the USSR had a car, which the Chinese today are only preparing for tests on the water. But if the Union had vast experience in the design and construction of amphibious aircraft, then the experience of the PRC in this area is significantly limited, "the specialist notes.
Today, China announced that the world's largest amphibious aircraft AG600, developed by Chinese designers, has successfully passed ground testing. The vehicle passed steering tests on the runway in the city of Zhuhai (Guangdong province). At the same time, the aircraft's braking system, the ability to keep a straight line, and the correction of the trajectory were tested. In addition, the amphibian made a 180-degree turn on the runway. Based on the results of the tests, the engineers announced that the systems are functioning properly.
"These are just demonstrations, tests for the AG600's suitability to perform the assigned tasks will only be shown by tests on the water. This is what is called the process of" chilling "an amphibious aircraft: the engines operate in conditions of constant humidity, salt water gets into them, they must have increased durability to corrosion and meet a number of increased requirements. It is unlikely that it will be possible to bring the Chinese seaplane to an acceptable level of quality earlier than in 5-7 years, "the expert said.
AG600 may turn out to be a "clone" of the Russian "Albatross"
Chinese engineers announced that the first test flight from the ground of the AG600 should take place in May, and the flight from the water surface in the second half of 2017. The aircraft was originally designed to extinguish fires and carry out rescue operations on the water, the crew will consist of three people. Manufacturing company China Aviation Industry General Aircraft has received orders for 17 aircraft. The price was not disclosed.
The amphibian is equipped with four turboprop engines and is capable of picking up 12 tons of water on board in 20 seconds. The maximum take-off weight is 53.5 tons, the hull length is 39.3 meters, the wingspan is 38.8 meters, and the maximum flight range is 4.5 thousand kilometers. In addition, the aircraft is designed for water rescue operations.
"It is already clear why the designers of the PRC preferred turboprop engines, while Soviet scientists preferred jet engines. It has been proved that turboprop machines are more economical both in operation and maintenance. Besides this difference, the Chinese amphibian resembles the Russian" Albatross "- this machine is made for the collapse of the USSR it never went into series, it was banal there was no money, although the need for it from the state is still high.
I would not be surprised if it turns out that the AG600 was created according to the A-40 Albatross project, which had been put on the table - the cooperation between Russia and China in the aviation industry is so close that the Chinese engineers could be handed over the blueprints of a promising amphibian - maybe for a fee. And based on this base, the designers of the PRC could conduct their development. However, it is not yet clear what the PRC will do in the end - all tests will show "in combat conditions."
In Russia, there is still a need for a modern seaplane - not only for extinguishing fires and rescue operations, but also because of the development of the space industry. When the launches start from the Vostochny cosmodrome, patrolling of the nearby waters off Sakhalin and Kuril Islands will have to carry out not only ships, but also. In order to be the first to be at the landing site of the vehicles in case of emergencies and start evacuating people and valuable equipment, "concludes Vladimir Popov.
The amphibious aircraft is a relatively versatile aircraftcapable of using both a land airfield and a water surface for takeoff and landing. This versatility makes it possible to significantly expand the aircraft's application areas.
Flight tests of a seaplane on water allow checking the operation of its engines in high humidity conditions, the hull tightness and all control systems. Tests AG600 on water have been conducted since August this year.
During a new phase of testing, which began on October 20, AG600 drove off the coast into the water, retracted the landing gear, and then successfully accelerated and took off. After landing on the water, the plane lowered the landing gear and then went ashore. Other details of the tests were not disclosed.
Video: New China TV
As UNIAN reported earlier, the AG600 amphibious aircraft, developed by China, flew to the southern Chinese province of Guangdong in December 2017.
It is the world's largest amphibious aircraft to be mass-produced. Its length is 37 meters and its wingspan is 38.8 meters. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 53.5 tons. The seaplane can fly up to five thousand kilometers. The AG600 can carry up to 50 people and fly at speeds up to 570 kilometers per hour.
AG600 is able to stay aloft for up to 12 hours. In the version designed for firefighting, the new Chinese seaplane will be able to draw water from reservoirs in planing mode at a speed of 0.6 tons per second. To date, the developers have already received orders for the supply of 17 seaplanes.
- made its first test flight from Zhuhai Airport, located in Guangdong province, Popular Mechanics reports. At the size of a civilian airliner, the AG600 is capable of taking in and landing on both hard surfaces and water. The development of the machine, called "Kunlong", took seven years. The aircraft is multipurpose and will be used for fighting forest fires, in marine rescue operations, as well as for patrolling Chinese artificial islands in the South China Sea.
The first flight of the AG600 took place without water. Instead, the car took off for about an hour, and then landed at the same airport from which it took off. The development and assembly of the AG600 was carried out by the Chinese state aviation company Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). It also includes the development of Chinese military fighters J-10 and J-20, heavy transport aircraft Y-20 and the Z-10 attack helicopter, Popular Mechanics notes.
A wingspan of almost 37 meters and a maximum take-off weight of 53.6 tonnes makes the AG600 almost as large as civilians. airbus airliners 320 and 737. The aircraft has a hybrid design that allows it to take off and land both on water and on land. The manufacturing company says the machine is 100 percent Chinese-made, including four of its WJ-6 turboprop engines, designed back in the 1950s in the Soviet Union.
The Kunlong is capable of carrying up to 50 passengers, which makes it very useful for evacuating ships in emergencies or for transporting people from the mainland without a takeoff and landing infrastructure. According to Chinese news outlets, the seaplane can, if necessary, draw 12 tons of water in 20 seconds, which it can then use to extinguish fires in hard-to-reach areas.
Landing AG600 after test flight
As noted by Popular Mechanics, after a small modification, the AG600 can be used as a military aircraft to perform a variety of tasks: both patrolling coastal borders and as an anti-submarine aircraft. In addition, the aircraft can be used to transfer military personnel and cargo to remote bases. The AG600 is capable of staying in the sky for up to 12 hours and has a range of up to 4500 kilometers.
To date, the manufacturing company has received orders for 17 AG600 aircraft. The order was received back in 2016, and since then its volume has not changed. It is possible that after a successful test flight, the manufacturer may receive foreign orders.
04:56 - REGNUM The world's largest amphibious aircraft AG-600 made its maiden flight in Guangdong province in southern China, Xinhua news agency reported on December 24.
The AG-600 amphibious aircraft, codenamed "Kunlong", left the Jinwan Airport of Zhuhai at 9:39 am. His flight lasted about an hour.
"The first flight of this aircraft has put China in a row among the few countries capable of creating large amphibious aircraft," said Huang Lingcai, chief designer of AG-600.
The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council of the People's Republic of China congratulated all those involved in the creation of the aircraft, including representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Informatization of the People's Republic of China, as well as the Civil Aviation Administration of the People's Republic of China and the China State Aviation Company (AVIC).
The congratulatory telegram on the occasion of the successful maiden flight speaks of a huge breakthrough in the development of special-purpose aircraft, carried out following the first flight of the Chinese jet passenger liner C919 successfully held in May 2017.
The name "Kunlong" was given to the plane for its high expectations, where "kun" means a huge mythical fish, and "moon" means a dragon.
“The aircraft took eight years to develop. It is the result of the work of several generations of Chinese aviators, ”Huang said.
The aircraft's length is 36.9 meters. It is powered by four turbo-propeller engines developed entirely in China, said development company AVIC. Engine development has long been key problemstanding in front of the project.
The maximum carrying capacity is 53.5 tons, and the cruising speed can reach 500 km / h. On one tank, the aircraft can stay aloft for up to 12 hours.
The aircraft was originally designed as the world's largest amphibious aircraft. Key areas of application will be water rescue, forest fire fighting and marine monitoring.
The aircraft can carry up to 50 passengers on board during search and rescue operations, scoop up to 12 tons of water in 20 seconds and transport up to 370 tons of water on one tank.
“The operating radius of the vehicle is over 4 thousand km. In addition, it can land and take off from the water, which together makes the islands in the South China Sea highly reachable. " - Juan noted.
As a reminder, back in 2006, the Chinese authorities issued a roadmap for the creation of three major aviation projects.
In 2013, the Y-20 transport aircraft made its first flight, and in July 2016 it entered service with the Chinese Air Force.
In 2017, China tested its first passenger jet, the C919, in the air, which will soon allow the aircraft to enter the air travel market, which is currently monopolized by such giants as Airbus and Boeing. The AG600 is thus the third project.
“A successful first flight will allow China to integrate into the global aviation industry chain,” - stated Chen Mingsheng - one of the engineers at AG600.
Recall that earlier AG-600 was planned for flight tests in May 2017. However, for reasons not announced, its first flight was postponed to the end of the year and took place just the other day.
