"A 600-square-kilometer zone located approximately 300 kilometers southwest of Beijing has been granted approval as the largest drone-testing airspace in north China. The zone, spanning an area of 25 by 23 kilometers, allows flights up to 4,000 meters, surpassing the standard 3,000-meter limit for low-altitude airspace. This airspace in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, is designed for trial flights of all manned and unmanned aircraft, including large industrial drones. It is expected to meet the demands of aviation emergency response, air transport, weather modification, low-altitude tourism and pilot training."
Chinese Aviation Industry
- Thread starter FriedRiceNSpice
- Start date
"China's homegrown C919 jetliner completed its inaugural commercial flight on Dec 3 from Shanghai in the east to Chongqing in the southwest."
by78
General
The first example of Hangjing FWT-2000 passenger tilt-rotor has rolled off the assembly line. It can carry five passengers or 500kg of payload, cruise at 300km/h, has a max range of more 700km, and is hybrid-powered.
More images of the first FWT-2000 airframe.
More images of the first FWT-2000 airframe.
So this thing actually flies?
by78
General
I believe so. It's the first actual prototype.
This photo shows an AG100 civil primary trainer aircraft at a pilot training base of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) Flight Academy in Wuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nov. 27, 2024. (AVIC/Handout via Xinhua)
BEIJING, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's independently developed AG100 civil primary trainer aircraft has officially entered commercial operation, according to Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
The single-engine piston aircraft recently began commercial service at a pilot training base of the AVIC Flight Academy, AVIC said.
The AG100, developed by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co., Ltd. under AVIC, bridges a significant gap for China in homegrown civil primary trainer aircraft.
Designed primarily for pilot training and private flights, the AG100 aims to serve a wide range of customers, including pilot training schools and private pilots, AVIC explained.
The three-seat AG100 aircraft is built with a composite structure of fiberglass and carbon fiber, according to its developer.
This type of trainer aircraft is 7.26 meters long and has a wingspan of 10.42 meters.
Going forward, efforts will be made to continuously improve and optimize the AG100 aircraft and sustain its commercial success, accelerating the development of the country's burgeoning low-altitude economy and the general aviation industry, the AVIC said.
by78
General
AVIC is also getting into the electric VTOL business. It's currently working on the AG-EX air taxi, which features distributed electric propulsion and tiltrotors. So far, 1/6 and 1/2 scale demonstrators have successfully flown.
A 2-ton full scale prototype is currently being developed, which can carry five people (1 crew + 4 passengers) or a payload of 450kg. Other specs are as follows:
– Endurace: 60 minutes
– Range: 200km
– Cruise speed: 240km/h
– Capable of both vertical takeoff/landing and conventional horizontal takeoff/landing.
– Propulsion: tilt-rotar distributed electric propulsion
– Noise levels: ≤65dB at takeoff/landing, ≤40dB during cruise.
The AG-EX is specifically designed for the short-distance air passenger market of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Here's that scaled demonstrator on display at Zhuhai.
