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Trial production of the TA600 amphibious aircraft, intended to be the world’s largest, has started in China and is expected to undertake its maiden flight next year, a company executive said today.
The aircraft, with a maximum takeoff weight of 53.5 tonnes and a maximum range of more than 5,000 km, is larger than a Boeing 737 and could be used for fire-fighting and air-sea rescue, Fu Junxu, general manager of China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. Ltd’s Zhuhai branch, said.
China began developing the aircraft five years ago, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted a company executive today.
The trial production started following completion of the design process. Its maiden flight is expected to happen in late 2015, Fu said.
“After a period of trial flights, the aircraft will be put onto the market,” he said.
Upon completion, it will replace Japan’s Shin Maywa US-2 aircraft as the largest amphibious aircraft in the world.
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