The largest civil helicopter developed in China, AC313, is expected to get airworthiness certification by the end of this year and enter into service next year, said Wu Ximing, chief designer of China Helicopter Design & Research Institute, on Sunday.
The 13-ton helicopter set a record as the first domestically developed helicopter to fly over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, at an altitude of 8,000 meters, earlier this year, he said.
Developed by Avicopter Corporation Limited, a joint venture between AVIC and the Tianjin municipal government, AC313 can carry 27 passengers and is expected to serve multiple purposes, including rescue missions.
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