China’s huge AVIC AG600 Kunlong seaplane obtains type certificate
China’s large amphibious aircraft the AVIC AG600 Kunlong received its type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on April 20, 2025.
The AG600 is the world’s largest civilian amphibious aircraft currently in service in terms of takeoff weight (60 tons).
It has a range of up to 4,500 kilometers and a cruise speed of 220 km/h. When configured for aerial firefighting missions if can carry up to 12 tons of water (double the capacity of the Canadian made Canadair CL-415, which is currently the industry’s gold standard in this category).
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Besides its firefighting role, the AG600 can also be configured for other amphibious missions, such as search and rescue, where it is capable of retrieving up to 50 people from the sea.
The obtention of the type certificate concludes a development process which spanned more than 15 years. The development of the AG600 started in 2009 and its maiden flight took place in 2017. In 2023 the AG600 conducted its first water-dropping operations to test its firefighting capabilities.
AVIC expects to start delivering the first production units of the AG600 in October 2025, once it has received a production certificate.
The AG600 is the second-largest amphibious aircraft to be developed in China. In the 1970s, China developed the Harbin SH-5, but only seven aircraft (including a prototype) were ever built. This type is no longer in service.
Unlike its predecessor, the AG600 has been developed with the international market in mind, and it is expected to compete for overseas sales with other large amphibious aircraft such as the Russian-made Beriev Be-200 and the, somewhat smaller, Canadair CL-515, which is still under development.
The development of long-range amphibious capabilities has also taken a particular relevance in the context of growing geopolitical rivalry between China and the US in the vast island-dotted Pacific region.
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The post China’s huge AVIC AG600 Kunlong seaplane obtains type certificate appeared first on AeroTime.
China’s large amphibious aircraft the AVIC AG600 Kunlong received its type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of…
The post China’s huge AVIC AG600 Kunlong seaplane obtains type certificate appeared first on AeroTime.
