China’s AG600 Amphibious Aircraft Prepares for Take-off From Water

The world's largest amphibious aircraft, China-made AG600 will conduct its first water take-off in the winter of 2018.

The take off- from water is scheduled for winter this year at the Zhanghe Reservoir in Jingmen, Central China's Hubei Province, local news agency jingmen.cjyun.org reported, citing Zhang Jinhua, senior designer of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

The new aircraft will exhibit in November at the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, the Global Times reporter learned.

With a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tons and a top cruising speed of 500 kilometers per hour, the AG600 can stay aloft 12 hours.

Of the 50,000 parts used in the AG600, 98 percent were provided by domestic Chinese suppliers, Zhang said.

The AG600 is the third member of China's large aircraft family following the freighter Y-20 and passenger aircraft C919, which made maiden flights in 2013 and 2017. The Y-20 entered service with China's air force in July 2016.