Airship aiming for China’s low-altitude tourism market makes 2-hour test flight
- State-owned firm Avic says aircraft that can travel 10 hours uninterrupted may also be used for logistics, rescues and security
A Chinese tourist airship could soon have its passengers almost “walking in the clouds” after it made a successful test flight on Thursday.
China’s first self-developed civil manned airship has shown it can function in the low-altitude tourism sector, according to the aircarft’s designer.
The AS700 airship flew above several tourist attractions along the planned test route at a speed of 60km/h (37mph) and an altitude of 500 metres (1,640 feet) for about two hours during its flight in the central province of Hubei.
The AS700 can travel uninterrupted for 10 hours and holds up to nine passengers to reach its maximum 700km range and flight time, its manufacturer, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), said on its official WeChat account.
“The speed and flight altitude allows tourists to enjoy a high level of stability and security, experiencing the leisure and comfort of ‘walking in the clouds’,” Avic said.
Like hot-air balloons, airships are flexible with flight altitude and can stay in the air for a long time, allowing for many potential applications, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
As well as tourism, they could be used in logistics, intelligent topography, emergency rescue, anti-terrorism tasks and security control, Avic said.
