AG600 Test Flight: China’s largest seaplane makes first waterborne take-off

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02:10

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent congratulations on the latest milestone reached by the country's first domestically designed and produced large seaplane. The AG600 made its maiden water surface test flight on Saturday. Our reporter Ning Hong reports from the test site in Central China's Hubei Province.

The first take-off from water, this is another breakthrough for China's aviation industry. This giant plane, known as Kunlong, or AG600, is the largest amphibious plane to be built by China.

NING HONG JINGMEN, HUBEI PROVINCE "This is the largest seaplane China develops on its own. It will be used in disaster relief and fire control missions in the future."

The AG600's large wingspan of 28 meters allows it to use both land and water surfaces to take off. Its maximum take-off weight is around 53 tons.

CHEN MING, COPILOT AG600 TEST FLIGHT CREW "It is more difficult to take off from water than from land, especially for the shock resistance of the plane. The plane is stable today."

The AG600 can carry 12 tons of water, and deliver it at 30 to 50 meters above ground. This gives it a distinct advantage in fire-fighting operations. And because the plane can land in complex sea environments, it also extends sea rescue distances to 15-hundred kilometers. That's a great boost to China's sea rescue abilities.

LU GUANGSHAN, CHIEF ENGINEER AVIATION INDUSTRY CORPORATION OF CHINA, LTD "The AG600 is a step towards addressing the needs of both the maritime economy and forest firefighting. It could also boost China's middle and long-range emergency sea rescue abilities."

The AG600 could be also used for other purposes, such as marine environmental monitoring and transportation. It is estimated that the market need, both domestically and overseas for China's AG600 model could reach 280 planes. Ning Hong, CGTN, Hubei Province.