AVIC AG-600 flying boat / amphibious aircraft

[Hassan Guy]

Hopefully a turboprop aircraft industry can be established in the future in Pak.

 

[Incog_nito]

Project has come to the stage at Assembling of world's largest amphibious aircraft AG600. The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has begun final assembly of its AG600 amphibious aircraft, local media reported on 18 July.

The first airframe, aircraft number 001, is being assembled at a facility in Zhuhai owned by subsidiary China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company (CAIGA). AVIC hopes the complete final assembly by the end of 2015 before the type's first flight by mid-2016, it said in a statement.

The fuselage of an AG-600, China's self-developed amphibious aircraft, is assembled in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, on Friday. Cao Yanxing / For China DailyThe fuselage of an AG-600, China's self-developed amphibious aircraft, is assembled in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, on Friday. Cao Yanxing / For China Daily

17 domestic orders received for what will be the world's largest amphibious aircraft

China started the assembly on Friday of its first domestically developed seaplane, which is expected to take a big share in the international market.

"Since the first day of its development, the AG-600 has been designed for the global market. We are confident in its market prospects because the aircraft's overall specifications, such as the maximum takeoff weight and flight range, are better than other amphibious planes in the world," said Qu Jingwen, general manager of China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co, the aircraft's developer.

"Some countries with many islands, such as Malaysia and New Zealand, have expressed interest in the AG-600, and we are in contact with them," he said on a Friday in Zhuhai, at a ceremony marking the start of assembly.

The aircraft maker has received 17 orders from domestic companies. One of the buyers will use it to carry tourists to reefs and islands in the South China Sea, he said.

Huang Lingcai, the chief designer, said the AG-600 will play an important role in forest fire control, maritime search and rescue, personnel and supply transport and law enforcement tasks at sea.

He said that the plane can fly a round trip between Sanya in Hainan province and the shoal of Zengmu Ansha, the southernmost point of China's territory, without refueling.

The AG-600 can carry 50 people during a maritime search and rescue mission. To extinguish forest fires, it can take on 12 metric tons of water from a lake or sea within 20 seconds and pour it on the fire.

The project was launched in September 2009. The aircraft's debut flight is planned for the first half of next year, according to a statement by the company, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corp of China.

Powered by four turboprop engines, it will be the world's largest amphibious aircraft, surpassing Japan's ShinMaywa US-2 and Russia's Beriev Be-200, Huang said.

It will have a maximum takeoff weight of 53.5 tons and an operational range of about 4,500 kilometers.

China has decommissioned all of its seaplanes - reportedly as many as five SH-5 maritime patrol amphibious aircraft, he said.

Leng Yixun, director of general aviation products at AVIC, said the company estimates China will need at least 100 seaplanes over the next 15 years.

Pakistan Coast Guards needs these aircrafts.

 

[samsara]

AVIC announced today that the AG600 flying boat is scheduled to make its first flight on land in May this year, and the first flight on water in the second half of this year. (@xinfengcao @OedoSoldier 2017.03.30)

 

[samsara]

World's Largest Amphibious Aircraft AG600 Set for Maiden Flight in China in Mid May

CCTV+ 2017-03-29

The AG600 amphibious aircraft is to make its maiden flight over land in middle May and on water in the second half of 2017, said its developer, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) on Wednesday.

It is China’s first large special civil use airplane and also the world's largest amphibious aircraft, according to the AVIC.

The company has already received 17 orders due to its multiple uses in fighting forest fires and marine rescue, also according to AVIC.

Similar in size to the Boeing 737, the AG600 has a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes, and a body overlength of 36.9 meters as well as a wingspan of 38.8 meters.

The first AG600 was completed in the southern city of Zhuhai in July 23, 2016, and shown to the public at the 2016 China Airshow. Ever since, preparation for its maiden flight has been going on. The aircraft has now passed the test of self-supply of electricity by its own engine, marking it is ready for its maiden flight on the whole.

"Ever since the AG600 aircraft was rolled off the assembly line, we’ve connected it with electricity supply from the ground. We also finished the joint-test of key systems such as the control system, air defense system, hydraulic system. Furthermore, we’ve put the aircraft onto the runway and let its four engines run simultaneously. I should say a steady step has been made toward its ground taxi at low, middle and high speed," said Wang Zhenglong, deputy chief designer of the AG600 amphibious aircraft project.

With four China-made turboprop engines, the AG600 has a "ship's body" with high mounted single-cantilever wing.(Xinhua)

It can collect 12 tonnes of water in 20 seconds, and transport up to 370 tonnes of water on a single tank of fuel. (From Xinhua)

According to plan, a full-aircraft resonance test, the last large test designed for the AG 600 before its maiden flight, is required to further prove the aircraft’s credibility. After it, the maiden flight over land in the middle of this May will be ensured with flight crew already preliminarily selected.

"We are scheduled to start the resonance experiment in the end of this month for about 20 days. The date of the flight will be decided by the aircraft condition then and how the pilots are trained. It will be mainly concerned about the performance evaluation, conditions and safety of the aircraft," said Wang Shuzhe, chief engineer of the aircraft project.

Wang Shuzhe added the maiden flight crew will have three members in the end, but eight are now training. There are two requirements for pilots: their experiences of operating large aircraft and a certain amount of flight hours. In addition, they are also required to practice on water flight and earn pilot licenses.

With excellent maneuverability and a relatively wide range of search scope, the AG600 is very useful in marine resource exploitation, marine environmental monitoring, resource detection and transportation, according to experts.

http://www.cctvplus.com/news/20170329/8046600.shtml

 

[grey boy 2]

Inside the AG600 中国造世界最大水上飞机下月首飞！内部全曝光

 

[Deino]

First taxi test this morning ...

https://twitter.com/x/status/858190185149865984

 

[C130]

looks cool

 

[grey boy 2]

AG600 successfully conducted its 1st ground taxi test
@航空工业通飞：

2017年4月29日，由中国航空工业集团公司（简称“航空工业”）自主研制的大型灭火/水上救援水陆两栖飞机(AG600)在珠海进行了首次地面滑行试验，取得圆满成功，为接下来的首飞工作奠定了坚实基础。这一成绩是在国家工信部、财政部、发改委和民航局等部委的大力支持和指导下取得的。

4月29日， AG600首飞机组按滑行任务单进行了滑行，并实现了180°转弯，此次滑行试验验证了飞机保持直线滑行能力、纠偏能力、刹车系统功能、前轮转弯系统功能，机组反馈飞机动力强劲、转弯灵活、刹车灵敏、滑行状态良好，各系统工作正常，标志着AG600首次滑行取得圆满成功，为接下来的滑行试验及首飞工作奠定了坚实基础。目前，AG600飞机首飞前的各项工作稳步开展，在完成各项滑行试验后择机首飞。
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/KyIMPq8NN0xVurizhSO42Q

 

[grey boy 2]

The cockpit of AG600

 

[samsara]

Watch AG600 first taxiing test in Zhuhai today.

https://twitter.com/x/status/858328905735823360

 

[Fledgingwings]

Good Luck to china with that.

 

[Incog_nito]

I am sure PN is getting this soon.

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

It will be even better if this AG600 has the rear ramp door for cargo drop and much easy rescue operation

 

[samsara]

See the unbelief showed by a poster, so much that he felt compelled to throw out some unfounded accusation in open air AWESOME! SOUND FAMILIAR??? Mind you, Jealousy is Killing...

"This programme is moving scary quick. I know it's fashionable to crap on PRC projects but surely they HAVE to be cutting corners somewhere?"​

https://twitter.com/x/status/858364039772028928

 

[Hindustani78]

This picture taken on July 23, 2016 shows a crowd at a ceremony to unveil the AG600 amphibious plane in Zhuhai, in south China’s Guangdong Province. China successfully conducted the maiden glide test of AG-600, stated to be the largest amphibious aircraft in the world, in Zhuhai on Saturday. | Photo Credit: AFP

http://www.thehindu.com/news/intern...inishes-maiden-glide-test/article18328457.ece

Said to be the largest in the world, the 37-meter AG600 has a wingspan of 38.8 meters and a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes.


China successfully conducted maiden glide test of its first amphibious aircraft, stated to be the largest in the world, in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai.

The glide test was conducted on Saturday.

Other tests and check-ups are under way, according to the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co Ltd.

Wingspan of 38.8 meters
Designed to be the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, the 37-meter AG600 with a wingspan of 38.8 meters, has a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes. It can collect 12 tonnes of water in 20 seconds, and transport up to 370 tonnes of water on a single tank of fuel, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

With excellent manoeuvrability and a relatively wide search scope range, the AG600 will be mainly used for maritime rescue, forest fire fighting, marine environment monitoring and protection.

Aviation Industry Corp of China said in March that AG600 would embark on its maiden flight over land in late May and on water in the second-half of 2017.

The aircraft developer has received orders for 17 AG600s.