AVIC AG-600 flying boat / amphibious aircraft

[ahojunk]

'World's largest' seaplane to make maiden flight in early-2017

• By Hidayah Salamat
• Posted 15 Feb 2017 10:51
• Updated 16 Feb 2017 01:10

SINGAPORE: The AG600 - said to be the world's largest seaplane - will be making its maiden flight in the first half of 2017, Chinese state media said on Wednesday (Feb 15).

The amphibious aircraft's four engines successfully passed a series of rigorous tests between Feb 11 and 14, after rolling off a production line in the southern city of Zhuhai last July.

Its maker, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), had told Xinhua that the AG600 is 37 metres long with a wingspan of 38.8 metres.

It is by far the world's largest amphibious aircraft, about the size of a Boeing 737, AVIC's deputy general manager Geng Ruguang said.

It was designed for fighting forest fires and performing marine rescue missions, said Xinhua, with excellent maneuverability and a relatively wide range of search scope.

The aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes, can collect 12 tonnes of water in 20 seconds and is capable of rescuing up to 50 people far offshore.

In the July report, Xinhua also cited chief designer Huang Lingcai as saying that the AG600 is "like a ship that can fly, with advanced gas-water dynamic engineering and underwater corrosion resistance technology".

Huang added that the aircraft is "the latest breakthrough in China's aviation industry, which demonstrates an overall improvement of China's national strength and research capacity".

- CNA/hs


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This article has three more pictures of the AG600.

.

 

[Michael Corleone]

RIP spruce goose? :,(

 

[rott]

No need, it is a Dwarf besides the Hughes H-4 Hercules.
Length 66 meters, wingspan 94 meters.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_H-4_Hercules

It is about the size of seaplanes used developed during WW2 .
The Martin Mars take-off weight was almost 75 tons, and while slightly shorter,
had a wingspan of 60+ meters.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_JRM_Mars#

Ah... Someone isn't too happy. So he starts to post pics from 1940s.

Good job, you found someone who has a longer dick.

 

[R Wing]

...
instead of repeating 70 year old achievements.

It is the largest amphibious plane currently being made --- regardless of previous prototypes or how old the concept is.

 

[lcloo]

RIP spruce goose? :,(

Spruce goose is a flying boat, not an amphibian, i.e. not able to take off or land on land.

AG600 is an amphibian, thus they may be similar but not in the same category of aircraft.

 

[Michael Corleone]

Spruce goose is a flying boat, not an amphibian, i.e. not able to take off or land on land.

AG600 is an amphibian, thus they may be similar but not in the same category of aircraft.

oh... my bad... forgot that part

 

[terranMarine]

Ah... Someone isn't too happy. So he starts to post pics from 1940s.

Good job, you found someone who has a longer dick.

Jealousy can have that kind of impact

 

[Keel]

Successful test of the engines:

 

[ahojunk]

World's largest amphibian aircraft passes engine tests
New China TV
Published on Feb 15, 2017
AG600, the world's largest amphibian aircraft, has passed engine tests and is expected to make its maiden flight in the first half of 2017.

 

[yusheng]

 

[TaiShang]

Engines okay on huge rescue plane
updated : 2017-02-16

All four engines of the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, the AG600, worked successfully during initial trials in Zhuhai on Feb 13, clearing way for a maiden flight this spring.

AG600 [Photo by Zhong Fei / Zhuhai Daily]

The rescue aircraft came off the assembly line in Zhuhai on July 23, 2016 as another milestone for China’s large-aircraft industry, joining transport aircraft Xi’an Y-20 and passenger jet C919. The amphibian made its debut on Oct 30 in the static display area of Airshow China 2016, which opened in Zhuhai for six days on Nov 1.

The AG600 project team completed integrated adjustments and tests on avionics, hydraulic manipulation, and other systems within several months. Ground testing for the AG600-equipped WJ6 turboprop engine and JL4A-1 propeller system on fire proofing, engine control and display, and fuel systems was also carried out. Expert review and ground drills had been conducted before the testing.

The flying behemoth has a white coating with blue curves. According to the Jinwan-based manufacturer, China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA), the blue curve design was inspired by waves and depicts both the gentleness and vibrant power of water, which is in line with its amphibious characteristics.

The AG600 measures 37 m in length, 38.8 m in wingspan, and 12.1 m in height. It can draw onboard 12 tons of water within 20 seconds, with a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tons. A full tank of water could cover a fire spread of up to 4,000 sq m.

With a maximum speed of 500 km per hour, the aircraft can travel 10 hours over more than 4,000 km operating at upper limits. Apart from low-altitude searches of the water surface, the AG600 can also carry out rescue operations in adverse weather conditions, even with waves as high as 2 m. It can accommodate up to 50 people in distress with a cruising speed 10 times that of a rescue ship, and offer rescue even in the open seas.

Besides forest firefighting and water rescue operations, it can be refitted for marine environmental monitoring and safe travel for navigations along the Maritime Silk Road.

The AG600 has been independently developed and manufactured by the entire aviation industry in China under the coordination of CAIGA in Zhuhai. It is not only large, but also marks a huge advance in the country’s emergency forest firefighting and water rescue capabilities.

CAIGA staff report that maiden flight advanced works were in steady progress, such as ground sliding preparations, trial flight plans, and onboard experiments such as compliance check tag-out of aircraft manufacturing before resonance and full-aircraft resonance.

 

[MultaniGuy]

China completes world's largest amphibious aircraft

China has completed production of the world's largest amphibious aircraft after seven years of work, which it plans to use to perform marine rescue missions and fight forest fires, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The AG600, which is about the size of a Boeing 737 and was developed by state aircraft maker Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), rolled off a production line in the southern city of Zhuhai on Saturday, Xinhua said quoting the firm.

AVIC deputy general manager, Geng Rugang, said the plane was "the latest breakthrough in China's aviation industry." A plan for the development and production of the AG600 received government approval in 2009.

The aircraft has a maximum flight range of 4,500 km and can collect 12 tonnes of water in 20 seconds. It has a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes, Xinhua said.

China has been ramping up research into advanced new military equipment, including submarines, aircraft carriers and anti-satellite missiles, which has rattled nerves regionally and in Washington as China takes a more muscular approach to territorial disputes in places like the South China Sea.

In June, it put into service a new domestically-developed large transport aircraft.

good achievement

 

[yusheng]

 

[TaiShang]

AG600 will achieve land and sea double first flight this year.

 

[Beast]