On Sunday, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft AG600, codenamed “Kunlong,” completed its first flight in China’s Guangdong province. This made-in-China aircraft took off…
On Sunday, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft AG600, codenamed “Kunlong,” completed its first flight in China’s Guangdong province. This made-in-China aircraft took off from the Jinwan Airport in Zhuhai city and spent nearly one hour in the air before landing again at the airport’s runway.
Hundreds of people were present at the airport on Sunday to greet the aircraft.
According to Xinhua News, AG600 was designed to be used for maritime rescue operations, monitoring of the Chinese coastline, and fighting wildfires in the country. Its codename “Kunlong” is derived from two Chinese words—”kun” and “long” meaning a huge legendary fish and a dragon, respectively.
“The maiden flight makes China among the few countries capable of developing a large amphibious aircraft,” said Huang Lingcai, chief designer of AG600.
AG600 is the latest member of China’s “big aircraft family,” which already includes the large passenger plane C919 and freighter Y-20. Y-20 made its first flight in 2013, and C919 became operational in 2017.
AG600 was made by the Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC), which took nearly eight years to design and develop this plane.
