China's independently developed private GA20 aircraft takes off in Zhejiang Province, March 12, 2020. (Photo provided to China News Service)
(ECNS) -- A Chinese pilot successfully flew China's first independently developed private GA20 aircraft in Zhejiang Province on Thursday.
Hou Min, a well-known Chinese test pilot, commenced the flight at 9.38 am and landed at 10.01 am, marking the 111th successful test flight.
The GA20's previous 110 test flights were carried out by two French pilots.
"This test flight is a landmark for the GA20," said Zhu Songhua, chairman of Shanghai-based Guanyi General Aviation. The fixed mode of "Chinese pilots flying foreign aircraft" will gradually become a thing of the past, he said.
Developed by Guanyi, the GA20 features a four-seat, single-prop design.
The company plans to conduct as many as 300 test flights before the GA20 can be certified by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
