China's first five-seater airplane has rolled off the production
line recently.
The plane, named AC500 and known as the "air car," was jointly
developed by Nanjing Light Aircraft Co., Nanjing University of
Aeronautics and Astronautics, both based in Nanjing, capital of
east China's Jiangsu Province, and the Hongdu Aviation Industry
Group. The plane was manufactured in Nanchang, capital of east
China's Jiangxi Province, where Hongdu is based.
The plane can fly 1,000 km non-stop, with a maximum speed of 250 km
per hour.
The 8.14-meter-long aircraft is designed for a variety of purposes
like business travel, scientific experiments and mineral
exploration.
It
can also be used for patrolling, monitoring forests, rapid mail
delivery, first aid, and advertising, a Hongdu source said.
According to the source, the plane will be on display at an
international airshow in the port city of Zhuhai in south China's
Guangdong Province November 6-12.
(Xinhua 10/26/2000)