Chinese airship gears for takeoff

The AS700, an airship to meet potential demand from tourists, is expected to enter the airworthiness certification process soon, according to Aviation Industry Corp of China, the nation's leading aircraft maker.

The second AS700 prototype, which is tasked with undertaking test flights for airworthiness certification purpose, carried out its maiden flight on Thursday in Jingmen, Hubei province, AVIC said in a press release.

Designed and built by the Special Aircraft Research Institute, an AVIC subsidiary in Jingmen, the blimp's research and development started in August 2018, aiming to meet tourist demand for sightseeing air tours.

Propelled by piston engines, the airship is able to carry one pilot and nine tourists and is capable of flying 700 kilometers and staying in the air for up to 10 hours.

In addition to sightseeing, the AS700 will also be suitable for a wide variety of operations such as mineral prospecting, marine surveillance, cargo transport and emergency rescue, designers said, estimating that as many as 100 of the craft will be needed to meet market demand in the coming decade.

There will be plenty of space inside the aircraft, which will allow it to have cooking facilities and a washroom. It can also be equipped with high-end appliances or be modified into a luxury vehicle to meet various kinds of market needs, designers said.

The institute has designed a number of manned and unmanned airships since the mid-1980s. However, almost all of them have been small models used to carry scientific equipment to perform experiments or technology demonstrations rather than for tourism.