AG600 seaplane receives type certification

The AG600 made its maiden flight in December 2017 in Zhuhai in South China's Guangdong province, taking off and landing at an airport. Ten months later, it carried out the first water-based takeoff and landing on the Zhanghe Reservoir in Jingmen, Central China's Hubei province. In July 2020, the seaplane conducted its first sea-based test flight over the Yellow Sea.

Over the past several years, four prototypes have been built to undertake various kinds of tests across the country to verify the flying boat's capabilities and compliance with airworthiness standards.

Boosting a length of 37 meters and wingspan of 38.8 meters, the AG600 is roughly the size of a Boeing 737. It is the world's biggest operating amphibious aircraft, surpassing Japan's ShinMaywa US-2 and Russia's Beriev Be-200.

The aircraft, which is designed for both ground- and water-based takeoffs and landings, is capable of rescuing 50 people during a maritime search and rescue mission. In a typical firefighting operation, it can collect 12 tons of water from a lake or sea within 20 seconds to douse fires over an area of about 4,000 square meters, designers said.