China Unveils World's Largest Seaplane

[kamnet]

I missed this from a few months ago, but China's AG600 has finally come to the public. The world's largest seaplane, it has an estimated range of 4500 km and could carry up to 50 passengers or 12 tons of cargo. The target market will be fire suppression and marine rescue.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/ ... te-company

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVIC_TA-600

[Pilot]

Can I just bring this part of the news Article out?

At around the size of a Boeing 737, it is far larger than any other plane built for marine take off and landing, Xinhua quoted AVIC’s deputy general manager Geng Ruguang as saying.

However, its wingspan is considerably smaller than that of the H-4 Hercules, known as the Spruce Goose, which was designed in the 1940s to carry Allied troops into battle. It is regarded as by far the largest seaplane ever built although it only ever made one flight, in 1947.

Surely that means that it's not the world's largest seaplane, and this is just another example of the Chinese trying to say they have something better than everyone else Not only is it's Wingspan Shorter by 200 feet (60 Metres), but it's also shorter as a whole by 100 feet (30 Metres) than the Spruce Goose.

[APDAF]

I think they mean the world's largest current production seaplane but that isn't clickbate enough...
And not metion of Be-200 either

[kamnet]

The Spruce Goose was just one prototype that was never load tested and only flown once in order to save the reputation of Howard Hughes. It is longer, taller, and wider than the Be-200.

[Chris]

The Spruce Goose was never actually flight tested, so..

[Pilot]

The Spruce Goose was never actually flight tested, so..

Really? It made one flight, all be it only for a mile, and at a maximum altitude of 70 feet, but it was flight tested to an extent.

[Chris]

Yeah I wouldn't really class that as "flight tested". Nobody has any idea if it could have reached its service ceiling, cruise speed, range, payload; essentially no one has any idea if it actually worked.

[supermop]

Also with something that size, if it was only able to attain 70 feet, that sounds more like essentially a WIG craft.

[Auge]

Hello

The largest flying-boat that overcame its maiden flight was the Dornier Do X. It's even larger than the chinese airplane. On the other hand it was much slower and had a lesser range.

Code: Select all

            | Dornier DO X | AVIC TA-600
length      | 40.1m        | 36.9m
wingspan    | 48.0m        | 38.8m
passengers  | 66           | 50
max. speed  | 210km/h      | 570km/h
range       | 1700km       | 5500km

Tschö, Auge