上天踏海有“鲲龙”——全球最大起飞重量民用水陆两栖飞机研发记

Core Viewpoint - The AG600 "Kunlong" aircraft, developed entirely independently by China, is the world's largest civil amphibious aircraft, designed to meet the needs of forest firefighting and water rescue. Recent milestones include obtaining the type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China and completing its first production flight [1]. Group 1: Development Milestones - The AG600 received its type certificate on April 20, 2023, and the first assembled aircraft rolled off the production line on May 6, 2023 [1]. - The aircraft successfully completed its production flight on May 18, 2023, and was awarded the production license on June 11, 2023 [1]. Group 2: Technical Innovations - The AG600 is equipped with four large water tanks arranged in a "田" shape, capable of holding a total of 12 tons of water, which is crucial for firefighting efficiency [2]. - The team faced challenges with uneven water filling in the tanks, leading to multiple design iterations before discovering that high-speed water flow created complex vortices that hindered filling [3][4]. - After identifying the issue, the team implemented a design with flow directing plates to ensure simultaneous filling of all tanks, achieving a water intake efficiency that meets world standards, filling 12 tons in just 20 seconds [4]. Group 3: Safety and Design Challenges - The AG600's ability to take off from water posed safety concerns, as initial tests showed inadequate takeoff speeds [5]. - A breakthrough was made when a historical document suggested that under certain conditions, the aircraft could safely return to the water if an emergency occurred during takeoff [6]. - The team conducted extensive simulations and tests, ultimately validating this approach, which led to the establishment of new safety standards for water takeoff and landing [7]. Group 4: Aerodynamic Design - The aircraft's design required innovative solutions to address the significant difference in density between air and water, which posed unique challenges for its aerodynamic and hydrodynamic integration [8]. - The design of the main landing gear's fairing was particularly challenging, as it needed to reduce aerodynamic drag while maintaining stability [9]. - The team conducted over 30,000 wind tunnel and hydrodynamic tests to refine the aircraft's design, ensuring successful flight tests and laying a solid foundation for the AG600's operational capabilities [9].