AnAG600MprototypeconductstestsinHulunbuir,InnerMongoliaautonomousregion,inJanuary,toexamineitscoldresistance.YAOXUDONG/FORCHINADAILYTheAG600M,thefire-extinguishingvariantofChina'sAG600seaplane,isscheduledtogainitstypecertificationthisyear,accordingtoAviationIndustryCorpofChina,thenation'sleadingaircraftmaker.TheState-ownedconglomeratesaidthatpassingthetypecertificationisthemajortaskfortheAG600Mprojectteam,andengineershavebeenworkingtomeettheschedule.TypecertificationreferstoasetofproceduresoverseenbytheCivilAviationAdministrationofChina,andisoneofthecrucialstagesanycivilianaircraftneedstogothroughtomakesureitsdesignandperformancemeetrelatedrequirements.Afterreceivingtypecertification,civilianaircraftalsoneedtogainproductioncertificationandairworthinesscertification.Sofar,fourAG600Mprototypeshavebeenusedintestflightsandhavecarriedoutfire-extinguishingtrialoperationsintypicalblazescenarioses.InJanuary,twoprototypesconductedtestflightsinanextremelycoldenvironment.TheteststookplaceatHulunbuirHailarAirportintheInnerMongoliaautonomousregionandverifiedtheAG600M'scapabilityandperformanceinfreezingtemperaturesrangingfrom-20Cto-40C.Thetestcrewalsocheckedproceduresforoperationsincoldweather,AVICsaid.Thecompanysaidthatinthecomingmonths,theAG600Mprojectteamwillcarryoutaseriesoftestflightsacrossthecountrytomeetitsscheduleofqualifyingtheaircraftforthetypecertificationbeforetheendofthisyear.Aftertheairworthinesscertificationwork,initialdeliveriesareexpectedtostartbefore2025,accordingtoAVIC.TheAG600Mmodelperformeditsfirstland-basedtestflightinZhuhai,Guangdongprovince,inMay2022.Itcarriedoutitsfirstwater-basedtestflightinJingmen,Hubeiprovince,inAugustthatyear.Ithasamaximumtakeoffweightof60metrictons.Inatypicalfirefightingoperation,itwillcollect12tonsofwaterfromalakeorsea,whichshouldtakelessthan20seconds,anduseittodousefiresoveranareaofabout4,000squaremeters,designerssaid,addingthattheplanehasaflightrangeofupto4,500kilometers.TheAG600isChina'ssecondamphibiousaircraftmodelaftertheSH-5,whichwasdevelopedinthe1970sformilitarypurposesandhaslongbeenretiredfromservice.Itisoneofthreelarge-sizeaircrafttoemergefromthenation'sambitiousefforttobecomeatop-tierplayerintheglobalaviationindustry,joiningtheY-20strategictransportplaneandtheC919narrow-bodyjetliner.BoththeY-20andC919havebeeninactiveservice.Tensofthousandsofresearchersandengineersfromnearly200domesticinstitutes,universitiesandenterprisestookpartinthedesignandproductionworkoftheplane.Withalengthof37metersandawingspanof38.8meters,theAG600isroughlythesizeofaBoeing737.Itistheworld'sbiggestamphibiousaircraft,surpassingJapan'sShinMaywaUS-2andRussia'sBerievBe-200.Theaircraftisdesignedforbothgroundandwater-basedtakeoffsandlandings.Itiscapableofrescuing50peopleduringamaritimerescuemission,designerssaid.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.