By IANS,
Beijing : China’s first independently-developed large civil helicopter has passed a cold weather flight test, said China Aviation Industrial Helicopter Co. Monday.
The flight testing period for the 13-tonne AC313 was conducted in Hulunbuir city in January, when the region experienced temperatures of minus 46 degrees Celsius.
The helicopter also set its speed record of 336 km per hour during the testing period, reported Xinhua.
The AC313 became the first China-made chopper authorized by China’s civil aviation authority in January to fly in high-altitude regions of over 4,500 metres above the sea level.
Xu Chaoliang, the chief designer of the helicopter, said the company has so far received 32 orders for it.
Equipped with advanced instrument landing system, the helicopter can be used for disaster relief.
CAIH, a wholly owned subsidiary of the China Aviation Industry Corp., is expected to produce 300 helicopters annually by 2015, making it one of the major helicopter suppliers in the world.
Headquartered in Tianjin city, the company is mainly engaged in the research and development, production, maintenance and sales of helicopters and other aircraft and aviation components.