China's AC313A large civil helicopter starts cold-weather flight tests

This photo taken on Jan. 9, 2024 shows China's independently-developed AC313A large civil helicopter going through cold-weather flight tests in Mohe, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Aviation Industry Corporation of China/Handout via Xinhua)

BEIJING, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- China's independently-developed AC313A large civil helicopter has embarked on its cold-weather flight tests, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

The AC313A has recently conducted multiple subjects during its first cold-weather flight test mission at an airport in Mohe, China's northernmost city, said the AVIC, the country's leading aircraft maker.

It marked that the AC313A has entered a new phase by carrying out flight tests under frigid environments for both further improvement and airworthiness certification targets of this new helicopter model, the developer added.

This round of cold-weather flight tests aim to verify the AC313A's flight performance, as well as the performance of its major systems and engines in cold environments.

The AVIC-developed AC313A is a 13-tonne-class large multi-purpose civil helicopter with a single main rotor and tail rotor. It took to the skies for its maiden flight on May 17, 2022.

The most recent iteration of the AC313 helicopter series, the AC313A is a major aerial vehicle specially developed for emergency air rescue missions in all-terrain and all-weather environments. 

China's independently-developed AC313A large civil helicopter is seen before cold-weather flight tests in Mohe, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 6, 2024. (Aviation Industry Corporation of China/Handout via Xinhua)