The PRC seaplane currently undergoing ground tests, which is now called the largest in the world, may turn out to be a redesigned Russian project. About it FBA "Economy Today" said the honored military pilot of the Russian Federation, major general Vladimir Popov.
“Indeed, the dimensions of the AG600 amphibious aircraft presented by Chinese engineers are amazing - the largest Russian analogue of the Be-200 is noticeably smaller, but it is designed to perform similar tasks. But few people remember that Russia tested the A-40 Albatros seaplane, which was tested back in the late 1980s.
That is, 40 years ago, the USSR had a car that the Chinese are now only preparing for testing on the water. But if the Union had vast experience in the design and construction of amphibious aircraft, then China's experience in this area is significantly limited," the expert notes.
China announced today that the world's largest amphibious aircraft AG600, developed by Chinese designers, has successfully passed ground testing. The car overcame steering tests on the runway in Zhuhai (Guangdong Province). At the same time, the braking system of the aircraft, the ability to keep a straight line, and the correction of the trajectory of movement were checked. In addition, the amphibian made a 180-degree turn on the runway. As a result of the tests, the engineers announced: the systems are functioning properly.
"These are just demonstration performances, only tests on the water will show the suitability of the AG600 to perform the assigned tasks. This is what is called the process of" freezing "the amphibious aircraft: the engines operate in conditions of constant humidity, salt water gets into them, they must have increased resistance to corrosion and meet a number of increased requirements. It will hardly be possible to bring the Chinese seaplane to an acceptable level of quality earlier than in 5-7 years," the expert believes.
AG600 may 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. China Aviation Industry General Aircraft has received orders for 17 aircraft. The price is not reported.
The amphibian is equipped with four turboprop engines and is capable of taking on board 12 tons of water in 20 seconds. The maximum takeoff weight is 53.5 tons, the body 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 to conduct rescue operations on the water.
“It is already clear why the designers of the PRC preferred turboprop engines, while Soviet scientists preferred jet engines. It has been proven that turboprop machines are more economical both in operation and maintenance. for the collapse of the USSR, it never went into series, there was simply no money, although the state still has a high need for it.
I won’t be surprised if it turns out that the AG600 was created according to the Albatross A-40 project shelved “on the table” - cooperation between Russia and China in the aviation industry is so close that Chinese engineers could be given drawings of a promising amphibian - maybe for a fee. And starting from this base, the designers of the PRC could conduct their development. However, it is not yet clear what China will end up with - everything will be shown by tests "in combat conditions."
In Russia, there is still a need for a modern seaplane - not only for firefighting and rescue work, but also because of the development space industry. When launches from the Vostochny cosmodrome begin, patrolling of nearby water areas near Sakhalin and Kuril Islands will have to carry out not only ships, but also. In order to be the first to land at the landing site in case of emergencies and begin the evacuation of people and valuable equipment," Vladimir Popov concludes.
The amphibious aircraft is a relatively versatile aircraft, capable of using both a land airfield and a water surface for takeoff and landing. This versatility allows you to significantly expand the area of application of the aircraft.
Flight tests of a seaplane on the water allow you to check the operation of its engines in conditions of high humidity, the tightness of the hull and all control systems. The AG600 has been tested on water since August this year.
During the new test phase, which began on October 20, the AG600 drove off the coast into the water, retracted the landing gear, after which it successfully accelerated and took off. After landing on the water, the aircraft released the landing gear, and then drove ashore. Other details of the tests that took place were not disclosed.
Video: New China TV
As UNIAN reported earlier, its Chinese-designed AG600 amphibious aircraft flew in the South Chinese province Guangdong in December 2017.
This is the world's largest amphibious aircraft that is being prepared for mass production. Its length is 37 meters, and its wingspan is 38.8 meters. The maximum takeoff weight of the aircraft is 53.5 tons. A seaplane can fly over a distance of up to five thousand kilometers. The AG600 is capable of carrying up to 50 people and flying at speeds up to 570 kilometers per hour.
AG600 is able to stay in the air for up to 12 hours. In the version designed for firefighting, the new Chinese seaplane will be able to draw water from reservoirs in gliding mode at a speed of 0.6 tons per second. To date, the developers have already received orders for the supply of 17 seaplanes.
Published on 24.12.17 10:43In the Chinese province of Guangdong, the world's largest amphibious aircraft AG600 successfully completed its first test flight.
The world's largest amphibious aircraft AG600, developed by Chinese engineers from the AVIC aircraft corporation, made its first test flight. The take-off was carried out on Sunday, December 24, in the city of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, Komsomolskaya Pravda writes.
The seaplane took about 600 m to climb runway, after which he climbed to 2500-3000 m, where he spent a total of about an hour.
As part of the tests, the aircraft performed several maneuvers, including descending and simulating an approach to intkbbee landing. This was done in order 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 designed specifically for fighting forest fires and conducting search and rescue operations. Fire-fighting modification capable of gaining 12 tons of water in 12 seconds.
The maximum takeoff weight of the AG600 is 53.5 tons. 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 on conventional airfields and on the water surface, TASS notes.
The aircraft will be produced in passenger and cargo modifications. The AG600 will be the world's largest aircraft of this class. 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.
- made its first test flight from Zhuhai Airport, located in Guangdong province, according to Popular Mechanics. With the size of a civilian airliner, the AG600 is capable of taking off and landing on both hard surfaces and water. The development of the machine, called "Kunlong", was carried out for seven years. The aircraft is multi-purpose and will be used to fight forest fires, in maritime rescue operations, as well as to patrol Chinese artificial islands in the South China Sea.
The first flight of the AG600 took place without the participation of water. Instead, the car took to the skies for about an hour, after which it landed at the same airport from which it took off. The AG600 was developed and assembled by the Chinese state aviation company Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). It also has developments of the Chinese J-10 and J-20 military fighters, the Y-20 heavy transport aircraft and the Z-10 attack helicopter, Popular Mechanics notes.
With a wingspan of almost 37 meters and a maximum takeoff weight of 53.6 tons, the AG600 is almost as large as the Airbus 320 and 737 civil airliners. The aircraft has a hybrid design that allows it to take off and land both on the water and on the ground. The manufacturing company says the car is 100 percent Chinese, including four of its WJ-6 turboprop engines, designed back in the Soviet Union in the 1950s.
The Kunlong is capable of carrying up to 50 passengers, making it very useful for evacuations. sea vessels within the framework of emergencies or for the transfer of people from the mainland, not equipped with an airstrip infrastructure. According to Chinese news outlets, the seaplane, if necessary, can draw 12 tons of water in 20 seconds, which it can then use to extinguish fires in difficult terrain.
Landing AG600 after test flight
According to Popular Mechanics, after a slight modification, the AG600 can also 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 4,500 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 AG-600 amphibious aircraft has made its maiden flight in southern China's Guangdong province, Xinhua News Agency reported Dec. 24.
The AG-600 amphibious aircraft codenamed "Kunlong" left at 9:39 a.m. Jinwan Airport in Zhuhai. His flight lasted about an hour.
“The first flight of this aircraft put China among the few countries capable of building large amphibious aircraft,” said AG-600 chief designer Huang Lincai.
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China 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 first flight speaks of a huge breakthrough in the development of aircraft special purpose, carried out after the first flight of the Chinese jet passenger liner C919, held successfully in May 2017.
The name "Kunlong" is given to the aircraft for high expectations, where "kun" means a huge mythical fish, and "lun" means a dragon.
“The development of the aircraft took eight years. It was the result of the work of several generations of Chinese aviators,” said Huang.
The length of the aircraft is 36.9 meters. It is equipped with four turboprop engines developed entirely in China, said the development company AVIC. The creation of engines for a long time was key issue in front of the project.
The maximum load capacity is 53.5 tons, and the cruising speed can reach 500 km/h. On one tank, the aircraft can stay in the air for up to 12 hours.
The aircraft was originally designed as the world's largest amphibious aircraft. Its key areas of application will be water rescue, forest fire fighting and marine monitoring.
The aircraft can carry up to 50 passengers during search and rescue operations, scoop up to 12 tons of water within 20 seconds and carry up to 370 tons of water on one tank.
“The operating radius of the vehicle is over 4,000 km. In addition, it can land and take off from the water, which together makes the islands in the South China Sea well within reach.” , Juan noted.
Recall that 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 air-tested its first passenger jet, the C919, which will soon allow the aircraft to enter the air travel market currently monopolized by giants such as Airbus and Boeing. AG600 is thus the third project.
“A successful first flight will allow China to integrate into the global aviation industrial chain,” - said Chen Mingsheng is one of the AG600 engineers.
Recall that earlier the AG-600 was planned for flight tests in May 2017. However, for undisclosed reasons, its first flight was postponed to the end of the year and took place just the other day.
