The Chinese scientific research team boarded “Xue Ying 601” on December 7, 2015. [Photo: Xinhua]

China has completed a test flight of a fixed-wing aircraft at its Kunlun Antarctic Station.

The "Xue Ying 601" can fly for 8.2 hours continuously, and is China's first fixed-wing aircraft at the Antarctic. It has clocked up over 100 hours and 30,000 kilometers flying time since November.

The success of the test flight makes China the fourth country in the world able to conduct comprehensive scientific investigation by air at the South Pole.

Sun Bo is the director of the fixed-wing aircraft project.

"We came to the Antarctic to build a platform, which is capable of fast transport, emergency rescue and conducting aerial comprehensive investigation. It is world-class and advanced."

Sun also said, when put into use, the aircraft will broaden the scope of China's research in the Antarctic.