Photos: China’s Huge New AG600 Flying Boat Makes Maiden Flight

A massive new amphibious aircraft has taken to the skies for the first time in China. The prop-driven plane is expected to fill vital roles in firefighting, maritime rescue, and increasing accessibility in hard-to reach locales.

The AG600 made its maiden flight on Tuesday morning, testing out many of its basic capabilities, including maintaining constant speed while climbing, reducing speed in level flight, and a simulated go-around, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), which built the aircraft.

Photos published by Xinhua News Agency showed the massive aircraft taking off and landing from a terrestrial airstrip at Zhuhai Jinwan Airport in southern Guangdong Province, an airport that abuts the South China Sea just southwest of the mouth of the Pearl River.

A full-state new-configuration model of China's AG600 large amphibious aircraft lands at the airport after conducting the maiden flight in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on May 31, 2022. This new-configuration AG600 amphibious aircraft conducted a successful maiden flight on Tuesday, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)

© Xinhua

A full-state new-configuration model of China's AG600 large amphibious aircraft conducts the maiden flight in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on May 31, 2022. This new-configuration AG600 amphibious aircraft conducted a successful maiden flight on Tuesday, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)

© Xinhua

AVIC tested out the AG600’s new and improved engines for the first time in February, but the aircraft didn’t try to take off at that time.

With a length of 121 feet and a wingspan of 127 feet, the AG600 is about the size of a Boeing 737 airliner, and bigger than the largest seaplane presently in service: Japan’s ShinMaywa US-2. The plane is designed to fly from either land airstrips or from water, sporting a boat-like fuselage and wing pontoons to help it keep stable in the sea.

A full-state new-configuration model of China's AG600 large amphibious aircraft prepares to conduct the maiden flight in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on May 31, 2022. This new-configuration AG600 amphibious aircraft conducted a successful maiden flight on Tuesday, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)

© Xinhua

China has long needed a new amphibious aircraft to replace its Harbin SH-5 flying boats, which are old and few in number. In addition to filling firefighting and search and rescue roles, the aircraft can ease access to hard-to-reach places along China’s many lakes and rivers, as well as remote islands in the South China Sea and along China’s roughly 9,100 miles of shoreline.

The AG600 that flew on Tuesday isn’t the first attempt at filling that role, however. The first version of the AG600 flew for the first time in 2018, but designers went back to the drawing board and extensively overhauled their design, redesigning its hull, the cockpit location, and other features.