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| China's AG600 Large Amphibious Aircraft Advances Toward Certification with Successful Flight Tests Image credit: CGTN |
China's AG600 large amphibious aircraft has moved into the certification flight test phase, as announced by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) on Tuesday. The Airworthiness Certification Center of the Aviation Administration of China issued the Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) to the first model of the AG600 aircraft family, indicating that the aircraft's configuration, airworthiness, and safety performance meet TIA requirements. This milestone sets the stage for the AG600 to complete its airworthiness certification.
Prior to obtaining the TIA, four AG600 aircraft were deployed for airworthiness compliance flight tests. Developed as advanced aeronautical equipment, the AG600 series aims to bolster China's emergency-rescue capabilities. The unique design of the AG600 includes an integrated aircraft-shaped upper body and a ship-bottom-shaped lower body, making it the first large-sized special-purpose civil aircraft independently developed in China. The aircraft is designed to address forest firefighting, maritime rescue, and other emergency missions.
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| AG600 during flight test Image credit: Xinhuanet |
The AG600's development emphasizes amphibious capability, versatility across multiple models, and serialized development. It can be equipped with various facilities to cater to needs such as marine environment monitoring, resource detection, and passenger and cargo transportation. The AG600 tech-demonstrator achieved significant milestones, including its maiden flight in 2017, the first take-off from a reservoir in 2018, and the maiden flight over the sea in 2020.
The AG600 aircraft family is seen as a crucial advancement for China's homegrown civil aeronautical products, enhancing the nation's emergency-rescue aeronautical equipment system and promoting leapfrog development in this sector.
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