China's new amphibious plane passes key test

An amphibious aircraft AG600 is displayed for the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong province, Oct 30, 2016. The AG600 is by far the world's largest amphibian aircraft, about the size of a Boeing 737. [Photo/Xinhua]

JINGMEN, Hubei - The TA600, a China-developed amphibious aircraft, passed a hydrodynamic test on Friday, marking a step forward toward its maiden flight.

The test, which aimed to ensure the safety of the aircraft during take-off and flight, was conducted by a laboratory under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) in central China's Hubei Province.

It used a 1:10 model to test the aircraft's performance on still water and rough water surfaces.

When an aircraft takes off from the water's surface, disturbances from waves may cause it to pitch, threatening the safety of the aircraft.

The major difficulty was the kinetic stability of the plane when there were two-meter-high waves, said Jie Yu, the chief of the TA600 testing group.

The TA600, with a maximum takeoff weight of 53.5 tonnes, is expected to serve in firefighting and maritime rescue operations.