China's water dragon takes to the air
China’s first large-scale amphibious aircraft took its maiden flight from the Jinwan Civil Aviation Airport, Zhuhai, in China’s southern Guangdong Province on 24 December .
The AG600 Jiaolong (Water Dragon) is now the largest amphibious aircraft available in the world. Powered by four WJ-6 turboprop engines, the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company (CAIGA) also builds smaller seaplanes such as the ‘A2 Flying Swallow on Water Haiou’ and HO300 light amphibious aircraft.
‘We can expect continued Chinese investment in ever-larger amphibious and wing-in-ground effect (WIG) aircraft,’ said Richard Fisher, a senior fellow at the Washington-based International Assessment and Strategy Center.
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