China's heavy transport aircraft Y-20 takes first flight

Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2013-1-27 16:47:00


                    Editor's Note

China’s first domestically-developed heavy transport aircraft, the Y-20, has successfully taken off for its first test flight on January 26.

As a large and multi-role transport aircraft, the Y-20 can carry out long-range transportation missions even under complicated weather conditions. The Y-20 was developed by Xi’an Aircraft Industry, a subsidiary of China’s leading military aircraft maker, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

The successful test flight is a significant boost to China’s capabilities in national defense, rescue and relief work, and humanitarian aid. Reports say more tests are planned.

                    Latest News

  
China's first heavy transporter takes off
Source: CNTV.cn


  
Xinhua, Jan. 27, 2013: Successful flight for China's first jumbo airfreighter
China on January 26 conducted a successful test flight of its first domestically made jumbo airfreighter.
 Xinhua, Jan. 27, 2013: China's heavy transporter Y-20 takes first flight
As a large and multi-role transport aircraft, the Y-20 can carry out long-range transportation missions even under complicated weather conditions.
People’s Daily online, Jan. 27, 2013: China's first heavy transporter Y-20 takes off
China began test flights on January 26 for the prototype of its first indigenously-developed heavy transport aircraft, Y-20, a craft similar in size to the Russian IL-76 and somewhat smaller than the US C-17.

                         Photos

 

Aircraft:
Y-20,
China’s first indigenously-developed heavy transport aircraft, which is similar in size to the Russian Il-76 and somewhat smaller than the US C-17

Engine: China is actively developing high-thrust turbofan engines. Currently, the Y-20 can not be equipped with such advanced engines but be fit out with the imported D-30KP2 engine temporarily.

Test flight time: around 2:00 pm, January 26, 2013, from an airport in Yanliang, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province

Aircraft developer: Y-20 is developed by Xi'an Aircraft Industry, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the country's leading military aircraft maker.

Source: People's Daily online

                     Parameters

Specs of large and medium-sized air transporters around the world

Y-20 Source: People's Daily online Y-20 (left)/China:
Maximum take-off weight: a little over 200 tons
Maximum payload: 66 tons
Fuselage length: 47 meters
Wingspan: 45 meters
Height: 15 meters
C-17 (right)/US:
Maximum take-off weight: 265 tons
Maximum payload: 78 tons
Range:11,600 kilometers
Maximum speed: 830 kilometers per hour
Fuselage length: 53.1 meters
Wingspan: 51.8 meters
Height: 16.8 meters
C-17 air transporter
Il-76 air transporter
Il-76 (left)/Russia:
Maximum take-off weight: 170 tons
Maximum payload: 50 tons
Range: 7,800 kilometers
Maximum speed: 860 kilometers per hour
Fuselage length: 46.6 meters
Wingspan: 50.5 meters
Height: 14.7 meters
A400M (right)/EU
Maximum take-off weight: 141 tons
Maximum payload: 38 tons
Range: 9,300 kilometers
Maximum speed: 740 kilometers per hour
Fuselage length: 43.8 meters
Wingspan: 42.4 meters
Height: 14.6 meters
A400M air transporter
XC-2 air transporter
XC-2 (left)/Japan
Maximum take-off weight: 140 tons
Maximum payload: 37 tons
Range: 10,950 kilometers
Maximum speed: 890 kilometers per hour
Fuselage length: 43.9 meters
Wingspan: 44.4 meters
Height: 14.2 meters
C-5 (right)/US
Maximum take-off weight: 380 tons
Maximum payload: 118 tons
Range: 10,411 kilometers
Maximum speed: 917 kilometers per hour
Fuselage length: 75.3 meters
Wingspan: 67.9 meters
Height: 19.8 meters
C-5 air transporter
An-124 air transporter
An-124 (left)/Ukraine
Maximum take-off weight: 405 tons
Maximum payload: 229 tons
Range: 16,500 kilometers
Maximum speed: 865 kilometers per hour
Fuselage length: 68.9 meters
Wingspan: 73.3 meters
Height: 20.8 meters
Source: huanqiu.com

                      Comments

Chinese media digest: Jumbo freighter Y-20 increases China's reach in South China Sea

"The Y-20 strengthens China's long-distance transportation which has long been a weakness for China's air force, and China is stepping closer to becoming a strategic air force," military expert Chen Hu said in an opinion piece published in the Hubei Daily.

Wu Guohui, professor with National Defense University PLA China told the Beijing Times that there is still a long way to go between a maiden flight and deploying the aircraft.

China Military Online: SAF expert: Y-20 outperforms Il-76

The Y-20 is in the phase of test and finalization. If everything goes well, the Y-20 will have to undergo a minimum-three-year-long flight test and a minimum-five-year-long comprehensive test. Therefore, 2017 is the earliest date by which the PLA Air Force will have home-made large transport aircraft.

South China Morning Post: Y-20 heavy transport aircraft to boost military capabilities

The development of the Y-20 heavy transport aircraft will benefit the military and civilian aviation industries if engine problems can be overcome, military experts said.

AFP: China tests new military transport plane

China has carried out a test flight of its biggest-ever army transport aeroplane, state media said, as the country strengthens its military capabilities.

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