Adapted by:
Alejandro Alcolea
WriterWriter at Xataka. I studied education and music, but since 2014 I've been writing about my passion: video games and technology. I specialize in product analysis, photography, and video. My body is 70% coffee.
Karen Alfaro
WriterCommunications professional with a decade of experience as a copywriter, proofreader, and editor. As a travel and science journalist, I've collaborated with several print and digital outlets around the world. I'm passionate about culture, music, food, history, and innovative technologies.
China is a land of mega-construction projects. Although Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have tried to steal the limelight in recent years with towering skyscrapers and the controversial city of The Line, China remains home to genuinely massive projects. From indescribable tunnels to colossal bridges, the Asian giant occasionally surprises with groundbreaking feats of engineering.
Vehicles also fall into this category, and China can now boast the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, the AG600.
AG600 is the official name of an aircraft called Kunlong, or “Water Dragon,” throughout its 16-year development. The Aircraft Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a Chinese consortium dedicated to aircraft manufacturing, developed this hybrid aircraft, which is truly massive:
- It can carry 50 passengers.
- It can take off with a total weight of more than 53 tons.
- It has a range of 2,800 miles, and its four turboprop engines can reach a speed of 354 mph.
- It measures 121 feet long and has a wingspan of 127 feet—similar to a Boeing 737.
Multifunctional capabilities. The AG600’s design phase began in the late 2000s under AVIC. When the design was ready in 2014, production of the first unit began. The original plan was for a test flight in 2015, but delays pushed it back to December 2017, when this aircraft finally made its maiden flight.
Click here to view the photo on Facebook.
During its years of testing, the AG600 performed maneuvers in various weather conditions, accumulating 3,560 flight hours to earn certification. This rigorous training corresponds to its role in strategic and rescue missions under adverse conditions.
The aircraft is designed for maritime search and rescue missions and maritime patrols. It’s also capable of assisting in forest firefighting. It can take on up to 12 tons of water in just 20 seconds and release it in 12- to 20-second intervals. In one test, it dropped water at approximately 143 mph from altitudes of 100 to 164 feet.
Click here to view the photo on Facebook.
Strategic importance. The AG600 has now received certification and is ready for delivery after a challenging development process. The nose alone took three months to construct, and in 2020, reports indicated deliveries were scheduled for 2022—highlighting how delayed the project became.
This aircraft could also be a key piece in China’s commercial ambitions, particularly its new Silk Road initiative. With the capacity to fly 2,800 miles without refueling, the AG600 is a strategic asset for China's next sea routes. It also represents a step toward reducing the country’s dependence on Western aircraft and technology—a goal China is pursuing not only in commercial aviation but also in its military aircraft and vehicles.
A unique aircraft. When the final model enters serial production, the AG600 will be the world’s largest amphibious aircraft. While its size is imposing, some historical aircraft have surpassed it by far. The Spruce Goose, for example, had a 320-foot wingspan and made a single 1-mile flight at an altitude of only 70 feet.
Similarly, the Martin JRM Mars, a World War II transport aircraft later converted into a seaplane, had a wingspan of 200 feet before it was retired years ago.
Image | Leonard Lin | AVIC
View 0 comments