BEIJING (AFP) – China’s home-grown AG600, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft in production, took to the skies yesterday for its maiden flight.
The plane codenamed “Kunlong” according to state news agency Xinhua took off from the southern city of Zhuhai and landed after roughly an hour long flight.
With a wingspan of 38.8 meters (127 feet) and powered by four turbo-prop engines, the aircraft is capable of carrying 50 people and can stay airborne for 12 hours.
‘’Its successful maiden flight makes China among the world’s few countries capable of developing a large amphibious aircraft,’’ chief designer Huang Lingcai told Xinhua.
