Multirole helicopter conducts debut flight

The AC313A, a heavy-lift, multirole helicopter developed by Aviation Industry Corp of China, conducted its debut flight in Jiangxi province on Tuesday morning, according to AVIC.

The State-owned aircraft conglomerate said that the test flight took place at Lyumeng Airport－which belongs to its manufacturer AVIC Changhe Aircraft Industry－in Jingdezhen, and lasted about 22 minutes.

The helicopter will now carry out more test flights and begin its airworthiness certification process, the company said.

Designed by the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, the AC313A is 19.3 meters long, 4.4 meters wide, and has a maximum takeoff weight of 13.8 metric tons.

The two-pilot aircraft can transport 28 passengers. It is capable of fulfilling a wide variety of tasks such as personnel and cargo transport, fire extinguishing, disaster relief, medical aid and maritime patrol, according to AVIC.

Liu Wenqi, the AC313A's chief designer, said that compared with its predecessor, the AC313, the upgraded variant has new types of engine, rotor wing, transmission gear, and also has improved avionics, flight-control and hydraulic systems. Moreover, its inner space is larger than that of the AC313, he added.

"Its deployment will put an end to the absence of a domestically developed, large civilian helicopter that can be used in plateau or low-temperature environments," Liu said.

The designer said the new helicopter will also strengthen the country's capability to respond to emergencies.

Wang Ya'nan, editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said China has long been in need of heavy-lift civilian helicopters.

"There are many natural disasters in our country each year and a lot of them take place in remote, underdeveloped regions. Air-based response and relief methods, compared with other means, are faster and more efficient, and are especially useful when it comes to operations in plateau areas," he said.

"However, the number of such helicopters is still far from enough in China. We need a large amount of AC313As and we shall deploy them as soon as possible."

In addition to the AC313A, AVIC is also working to prepare another new model－the AC332－for its maiden flight which has been scheduled for this year.

Propelled by two engines, the AC332 will have a maximum takeoff weight of about 3.9 tons and will be capable of carrying 12 people－two pilots and 10 passengers. When deployed in a plateau area, it will be able to carry passengers or supplies with a combined weight of 600 kilograms and travel 600 kilometers, according to Li Shengwei, the AC332's chief designer.