The Chinese corporation AVIC has tested a promising seaplane AG600 water discharge. According [...] to Flightglobal, the flight tests of the aircraft took place on March 4, 20221 in Hubei Province and were considered completely successful. Now the developers have begun to prepare for testing the AG600 by dumping water on a real fire source. These checks are planned to be carried out by the end of this year.
The AG600, the world's largest seaplane, has been under development since the second half of the 2000s. The aircraft has been undergoing flight tests since 2017, and water tests since 2018. It is planned to complete the development of the AG600 and start delivering the first production aircraft in 2022. The developers have already received orders for 17 new seaplanes.
The AG600 is 37 meters long and has a wingspan of 38.8 meters. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 53.5 tons. The seaplane can fly at a distance of up to five thousand kilometers. The AG600 is capable of carrying up to 50 people and flying at speeds of up to 570 kilometers per hour. The seaplane can 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 the planing mode at a speed of 0.6 tons per second. The AG600 is also planned to be used to deliver the military to the islands.
Vasily Sychev
